Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics

We examine the pay and hours of drivers working for transportation network companies (TNCs) in Seattle and propose a minimum driver compensation standard. Current gross driver hourly pay is approximately $21.53. After expenses of $11.80, a driver nets $9.73 an hour, much less than the minimum wage. A third of all of drivers work more than 32 hours per week and provide 55 percent of all trips. More than four-fifths of full-time drivers purchased their vehicle primarily or partly to provide TNC services. Nearly three-fourths rely on TNC driving as their sole source of income.