While the companies take on little risk employing drivers who provide their own cars and insurance and accrue no benefits, in interviews drivers said they faced property loss, injury, and worse when they placed their lives in the hands of Uber’s and Lyft’s algorithms. They can face penalties if they decline rides. The drivers have little say in who they pick up or where they go, and they’re urged by in-app bonuses and incentives to work long days, often into the night. Uber and Lyft consider drivers independent contractors, so they don’t have sick leave, workers’ compensation, or medical insurance through the companies. Police departments nationwide have reported an overall surge in carjackings during the pandemic, and these incidents appear to be happening to ride-hail drivers at an especially high rate. Their cars ended up crashed, in chop-shops, or used in other crimes. Through interviews with drivers and family members, police reports, and local news articles, The Markup found Uber and Lyft drivers from Boston to Nashville to Sioux Falls, S.D., who’ve been victims of carjackings or attempted carjackings. over the last year and a half, according to an analysis by The Markup. Norman is just one of at least 124 ride-hail and delivery drivers who’ve been carjacked in the U.S. “Bitch, this is a carjacking, get out,” the man in the passenger seat replied. “Is this where you wanna go? It’s dark,” Norman asked the men, according to a police report. Norman said the third red flag was when the ride ended at a shuttered sports arena. Next, the Lyft app showed their destination as a short, four-minute ride away-the second red flag.

That was the first red flag of the night, she said. After greeting the men, Norman said the one in the black hoodie insisted on sitting in the front seat, despite it being against Lyft’s pandemic rules. Norman said she was out late driving because her husband was sick in the hospital and she figured they could use the extra money. Norman provided a screenshot of her ride with NBA to The Markup. Credit:Courtesy of Cynthia Norman Caption:

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