This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Anja Holthoff, a ride-hailing driver in Atlanta. Business Insider verified Holthoff's earnings through screenshots she provided of her payments. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ten years ago this month, I lost my corporate job.
I was in customer service. At first, I sent out hundreds of résumés, but I thought I was being low-balled on pay — if I even got a response.
So, a few months later, I started driving for Uber and, later, Lyft. I started with a Hyundai Sonata.
Then, a few years ago, I started driving black car rides, which I found made more money. At one point, I had a fleet of three cars. I'm very familiar with the business and know that I can be a hustler. My first black car ride was on Lyft. It was a little over a mile long, and I made $21. I was like, "I can do this."
I had a very comfortable lifestyle while driving. I wasn't rich or anything, but I was able to feed my kids, go on vacation, save money, and have a normal life.
But this year has been tough. The demand for rides has gone down in my area.
I used to be able to make a minimum of $300 a day, and I could pay my bills with that. Now, sometimes, it takes me two days to make that amount. I'm driving way more miles, too, so my expenses are higher. I'm literally now driving to pay my next bill.
Last September, I made $4,549 on Lyft. This September, my earnings were down to $1,166.
It seems like fewer people are visiting the city from abroad. I think domestic tourism is down, too, because some people can't afford to travel. I've seen reports here that hotel occupancy is down.
Business travel is also down. I've had riders tell me that the conferences they went to here in Atlanta this year were half-empty.
We also now have Waymo cars offering rides in Atlanta through Uber. When they started out, the fares I saw were the same as a regular Uber, but the ones I've seen lately are cheaper. It seems like Uber has lowered our rates even more. (Editor's note: Uber did not respond to a request for comment.)
I've also had to take rides at tiers lower than Uber Black — the app's black car service — because sometimes, that's all that's available. I don't usually take Comfort rides, for example. They are one level up from UberX and pay less than Black rides. Some of my riders appear to have caught on to this, however, and order a Comfort ride because they can get someone like me, who's driving a Black car, for less money.
Honestly, I don't know what to do anymore. I sit in my car crying a lot.
When I talk to people with corporate jobs, they say, "Don't come back, it's just as bad." I'm a 60-year-old black female. What do you think is out there for me in corporate America?
Do you have a story to share about Uber or other gig work? Contact this reporter at abitter@jkmperu.com or 808-854-4501.
