As companies struggle to ensure independent contractors are properly classified, many are missing out on the value technology can provide in the process.
Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash are seeking an injunction that would stop New York City from enforcing its commission caps for food delivery apps.
The New York City Council voted to require DoorDash, Grubhub and others to cap commissions for delivery services at 15%.
The company this week announced a $7.5 million funding round to build out its in-house tech and further expand its coverage.
A push to legislate the definition of app-based drivers also is ongoing, as well as a lawsuit by the state’s attorney general.
The ruling by a judge at the county level is likely to be appealed and stayed before immediate implementation.
Modern Shipper polled Uber and Lyft drivers to find out their favorite electronic assistants.
If certiorari is denied, the injunction blocking AB5 from being implemented in the state will disappear immediately.
President Biden wants half of all vehicles to be electric by 2030, and ride-hailing companies will need to adapt to survive.
Gig economy employers are feeling the pressure to provide benefits and protections to drivers.
Canter’s Deli is one of the most famous delicatessens in the world, but outside Los Angeles it was hard to get one of its famous sandwiches. DoorDash Kitchens Full Service is making that possible.
The one-stop income verification provider is meeting the needs of a swelling independent workforce.
The head of a key trucking group says the net impact of all the changes is a “chilling effect” on the use of independent contractors.
Even if last-mile delivery and gig economy companies can find drivers, getting them onboarded and access to key business tools remains problematic.
On Sunday, China banned new downloads of Didi’s ride-hailing app, and on Tuesday, the stock dropped more than 23% in response.
Chinese ride-hailing company Didi has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, but some analysts are already questioning the long-term value of the stock.
Security firm ADT has introduced free apps that allow rideshare and delivery drivers as well as passengers to connect discreetly with emergency services when they feel at risk.
Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi has filed paperwork with the SEC for an IPO on a major U.S. stock exchange.
Rideshare drivers sometimes need a cash advance to cover short-term expenses, but traditional banks offer few options. COVERR hopes to bridge that gap.
Conflicting surveys continue to cloud the picture on the best approach to employment status for gig workers, leaving legislators, companies and drivers in a state of uncertainty.
A tale of 2 job reports: Seasonal numbers are closely watched by economists, but the other measurement suggests some success at hiring.
In an investment note this week, Mizuho Securities USA indicated it believes the Biden administration is more likely to issue guidance on gig worker classification rather than a formal rule.
Uber is reportedly close to a deal with GMB, a U.K.-based labor union, to provide representation for rideshare drivers as it works to comply with a recent U.K. Supreme Court decision saying drivers were entitled to minimum wage.
The California Air Resources Board has voted to require rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to conduct 90% of all rides in electric vehicles by 2030.
Like the rest of the economy, gig economy companies are struggling to find drivers, and that could have a negative impact on the growth opportunity for the industry moving forward.
Oklahoma has passed a law that would remove delivery services such as Amazon Flex drivers from compliance with state trucking regulations.
The lower court ruling favored Uber in the summary judgment but drivers won on appeal.
Investors sent DoorDash stock soaring on Friday after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings in Q1 and raised its guidance for full-year 2021.
Startup Curri is trying to apply gig economy principles to the building and materials industries. Its founders answered Modern Shipper’s questions.
Analysts are looking at various explanations for why the number of drivers today is lower than it was two years ago.
By either the standard of seasonal or not seasonal jobs, gains in employment are slow given the demand for drivers.
The appeals process can be short or long, and the date when AB5 could be enforced remains in flux.
While some organizations blasted the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw a rule on employee classification, executives from Lyft and Uber have struck measured tones.
The earnings call revealed that Uber, like so many others, is working to fill out its driver ranks.
The rule was introduced in the waning days of the Trump administration but was never expected to be enacted.
In 2017, Lyft launched its Level 5 division, which would focus on developing an autonomous vehicle. Last month, the company pivoted away from that, selling the division, although it still harbors visions of Lyft riders in autonomous vehicles.
Lyft reported a narrower loss in its Q1 earnings as riders began returning to the platform.
Electric vehicle startup Arrival announced it would build a ride-hailing specific electric car for Uber to use in the U.K. and Europe. Separately, Uber said it will now deliver everyday essential items to customers from Gopuff in the U.S.
By killing off Trump-era rules, the Biden administration has lots of room to make big changes in the independent-contractor-versus-employee debate.
Shipping costs rise 57% to $17.1 billion.
Getting around the B prong of the ABC test is going to be complicated for companies trying to use independent owner-operators in California.
The California Trucking Association lawsuit was able to hold off the law in the state’s trucking industry for 16 months, but the injunction it won has been overturned.
Uber Eats announced it will enter the German market as it looks to take on food delivery service Just Eat Takeaway.com across Europe.
Arguments in the appeal of the injunction keeping AB5 as California law were made in September; the industry still awaits the final word.
Two Democratic senators have introduced a bill that would offer gig workers a $250 unemployment benefit as part of an overhaul of unemployment insurance.
Singapore-based Grab has finalized a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp. that will value it at $39.5 billion upon its public debut.
As legal and legislative battles pop up around the country over worker misclassification, a new lawsuit is seeking to restore a Trump-era rule that could decide the future of gig employees.
Hybrid investment firm Florida Funders has made a second investment in OTHRSource, an Atlanta-based company that specializes in boosting brands’ sales through strategic merchandising opportunities, both in-store and online.
“On-the-way” delivery service Roadie saw growth exceed 4x in 2020 as retailers shifted to same-day delivery of online orders, and founder and CEO Marc Gorlin says there is no going back for the retail industry.
Instacart did an analysis of its platform’s users and found some surprises regarding how many people and who exactly was shopping for groceries online in 2020.
Uber will spend $250 million on driver stimulus incentives in an attempt to lure drivers back to the service as the lifting of COVID-related restrictions increases demand.
Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab is expected to go public via a SPAC with a fund from Altimeter Growth, according to a report.
Curri, a technology company that specializes in last-mile services for the construction industry, has secured a $6 million Series A funding round.
California has proposed a sustainability regulation for transportation network companies, including Uber and Lyft, that would require 90% of all rides to take place in electric vehicles by 2030.
More municipalities have been capping the fees DoorDash can charge restaurants, and the delivery company is fighting back with added charges for consumers that it says are necessary to keep operating.
Canadian courier Purolator has added electric trucks and cargo bikes to its Vancouver fleet as it continues to deploy more environmentally friendly delivery vehicles.
Also on the podcast: Why retail diesel prices don’t drop as fast as declines in wholesale.
Uber’s decision to upgrade the status of its U.K. drivers puts added pressure on the company in the U.S. to do the same, even though experts say it has no legal impact on this side of the Atlantic.
The company buys products directly from a manufacturer and distributes those goods throughout more than 250 micro-fulfillment centers. With its contracted driver network and a flat fee of $1.95, goPuff promises 30-minute delivery 24/7.
URB-E believes its electric bike that pulls an 800-pound capacity cargo container can replace a single delivery van in cities, reducing emissions and improving last-mile and on-demand delivery networks.
U.K. delivery company Deliveroo has set its IPO price range, giving the Amazon-backed company a nearly $12 billion valuation.
A Miami-based insurance startup is offering gig workers the opportunity to purchase disability insurance that would protect them in case of income disruptions.
The NLRB action is a gathering of earlier Teamsters actions against Universal, now pulled together in one filing by the government agency.
A lawsuit in New York claims that rideshare company Via has refused to pay for and enter arbitration with drivers who believe they are employees and not independent contractors.
The legal reason cited for the withdrawal is the elevation of two principles of “economic realities,” which the Wage and Hour Division says have not been used by courts in the past.
Southeast Asian rideshare company Grab is in talks to go public through a SPAC led by Altimeter Capital, according to published reports.
A change in IRS tax code included in the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill will require sellers and other businesses paying out more than $600 to gig workers to file tax forms with the IRS.
Gig workers are eligible for unemployment payments but verifying income levels can be difficult. The Workers Lab and Steady are teaming up to improve the process.
The PRO Act would impact only the regulatory power of the National Labor Relations Act and is mostly targeted toward making unionization easier.
When David Cabello dropped out of college, he knew he wanted to make a difference, so he started a food delivery business that caters to Black-owned restaurants.
Courier gains stood out as an upward trend while others were lower.
Instacart may forgo the traditional path to public status and sell its shares directly to the public, according to a Reuters report.
February generally shows an increase in the number of trucking jobs, but not in 2021
Amazon-backed Deliveroo announces plans to go public less than a year after British regulators questioned the viability of the business.
The Biden administration signaled on day one that it was going to roll back some late Trump administration rules; the independent contractor rule came out Jan. 7.
Instacart has announced a new funding round of $265 million, increasing its valuation to $39 billion.
Instacart has announced a new funding round of $265 million, increasing its valuation to $39 billion.
Just weeks after a U.K. court ruled that Uber drivers are essentially employees, a new push is on in Canada to unionize gig workers.
Volatile rates per hour and supply demands impacted gig economy drivers in 2020, but a brighter outlook is ahead.
With large players like Amazon adopting electric vehicles, pressure will start building on smaller fleets and owner-operators to adopt them as well, and that will require companies like GoFor Industries to provide support and all-in-one packages.
Motional, the Hyundai-backed autonomous vehicle developer, announced that it is now testing vehicles with no driver in the seat.
While the opinion letters don’t have the force of law, they do suggest which way the new administration will go in classification of compensation issues
Uber recently sent out a white paper on its views of compensation and other benefits for its drivers in Europe.
Walmart shares drop hard as investors focus on lower-than-expected fiscal year 2021 fourth-quarter results and uninspiring FY 22 guidance.
As rideshare has plummeted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyft has had to chart a new path forward in the next decade. That path features a reliance on autonomous vehicles and e-commerce deliveries.
Investments in its Eats and Delivery platforms have Uber on a path toward profitability as its Rides business recovers post-pandemic.
Lyft said it is investing in the business so it is positioned to benefit in an expected rideshare rebound, perhaps as early as Q2.
FreightWaves has announced the launch of Modern Shipper. The editorial brand will provide news and information about e-commerce, the gig economy and the important roles each plays in the supply chain.
Lyft reported a 45% decline in active riders and 44% decline in revenue in Q4 as the pandemic continued to affect ridesharing.
The gig economy grew at a 33% rate in 2020 as more workers looked for flexible work schedules and ways to supplement, or even replace, lost income during the pandemic.
A new organization in New Jersey backed by app-based companies and community leaders is working to ensure gig workers can maintain their flexible and independent employment status.
E-commerce sales for alcohol are outpacing overall online sales, and Uber is betting that will continue post-pandemic, paying $1.1 billion for on-demand delivery company Drizly.
Uber will acquire Drizly, an on-demand alcohol marketplace, for $1.1 billion in cash and stocks.
Social Auto Transport aims to connect the gig economy with car dealers to help improve the customer service experience.
Bringg is now offering its retail customers the ability to leverage Uber’s vast driver fleet to help fulfill e-commerce orders.
Instacart is cutting approximately 1,800 in-store shoppers nationwide as it moves to a technology-focused “Partner Pick” model.
A St. Louis restaurant is alleging that DoorDash purposely drove customers away from its location and to other area restaurants that used its services.
Three-judge panel upholds determination by FMCSA that the agency preempts California’s meal/rest break rules
The California Supreme Court rules the ABC test can be a factor in new and old worker classification litigation. If AB5 is lifted in California, it will add to the growing role for the B prong in the state’s trucking sector
A rideshare drivers union that has helped push up wages and benefits for gig economy workers in New York City has expanded to Chicago.
