Tag: drivers

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Mobile Syrup

DoorDash’s ‘gas rewards’ program will help offset drivers’ fuel costs

Like Uber and Lyft, DoorDash will add a new relief system to help drivers offset rising fuel costs. However, unlike Uber and Lyft, DoorDash’s program will dole out “rewards” based on how much driving its drivers do.

In a statement to MobileSyrup, DoorDash explained:

“As gas prices have increased, we’ve taken time to listen to our Dasher community to understand how we can best support them. Based on those learnings, we’re launching a Gas Rewards program to help Dashers earn more and offset elevated gas prices. We’ll continue to monitor the evolving situation and explore additional resources in the coming weeks and months.”

As of March 14th, DoorDash has offered a weekly gas bonus for Dashers. The amount of money awarded is based on kilometres driven:

  • $5 extra for Dashers who accept and complete orders totalling 150km in a motor vehicle
  • $10 extra for Dashers who accept and complete orders totalling 280km
  • $15 extra for Dashers who accept and complete orders totalling 350km

DoorDash says these rewards work out to an estimated $0.58 to $0.66 per litre on top of normal DoorDash pay. The company plans to maintain the relief program through April and will continue to monitor gas prices.

The practice differs from Uber, which added a fuel surcharge of $0.50 for rides and $0.35 for Uber Eats deliveries. Lyft added a surcharge of $0.55 for rides. It’s worth noting that customers need to pay for these surcharges, while DoorDash says it’s not passing the cost of the gas rewards program onto customers.

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Mobile Syrup

Uber Canada enters deal with UFCW to provide drivers and couriers with dispute representation

In a historic agreement, 10,000 delivery people and drivers working for Uber Canada now have access to representation from United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada.

The largest private-sector union in the food industry will represent workers facing disputes with Uber if requested. Charges are covered by Uber and UFCW.

UFCW also represents employees from Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and Loblaw’s various companies.

“Over the past three years, we have worked with and advocated for thousands of drivers across the country regarding their rights, health, and safety,” Paul Meinema, president of UFCW Canada, said in a statement.

“Labour and gig-based companies like Uber have a shared responsibility in addressing these concerns and we are committed through this new agreement with Uber to make it happen for drivers and delivery people.”

While the two organizations will meet regularly to discuss health, safety, and other issues, this agreement does not mean workers are unionized.

Both groups said they’ll work together to ask provincial governments to create benefits and choices for workers in the gig economy.

Source: Uber

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Mobile Syrup

Tesla driver first in U.S. to be charged in accident involving Autopilot

A California Tesla owner has been charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter over a 2019 incident in which his car, which was running on Autopilot, killed two people.

This makes the driver, 27-year-old Kevin George Aziz Riad, the first person to be charged in an accident involving Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving car system. According to prosecutors, the Model S vehicle, as operated by Aziz Riad, had run a red light and slammed into another car, killing the two passengers.

While Autopilot can control steering, speeding and braking, Tesla says drivers still need to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times. Therefore, the U.S.’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers the system “partially automated,” especially as Tesla hasn’t included driver-monitoring systems like eye tracking. Some drivers nonetheless think they can sleep while the car goes drives itself, such as a 20-year-old B.C. man whose Model S was clocked at 140km/h while he napped behind the wheel.

Outside of the Aziz Riad case, the NHTSA has been investigating more than a dozen incidents involving Tesla vehicles that have crashed into vehicles. In September, the agency required that automakers report serious crashes within one day of learning of them, although road safety advocates have warned that “basic safety issues” need to be addressed before full self-driving is enabled.

A beta for Full Self Driving is expected to come to Canada within two to four weeks.

Via: The Associated Press