The GIG Economy Podcast
Talks about our Gig Economy adventures and breaking down the Gig Economy News
The GIG Economy Podcast
Uber And Amazon Keep Changing The Rules And Drivers Feel It
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We trade real-world stories that show how gig work can feel great one day and quietly punish you the next. We also break down the latest Uber, Lyft, Amazon Flex, and delivery news that could change what jobs we accept and how we get paid.
• getting back into a school-year schedule while still chasing flexible gig work
• watching Lyft bonuses return and why we need to check quests more often
• receiving an unexpected Grubhub FTC check and what it relates to
• learning the hard way to inspect BabyQuip returns before the next delivery
• reacting to Uber exploring rides for kids ages 10 to 12 and why we would opt out
• talking through Australia’s minimum engaged-hour standards and added protections
• calling out Uber’s instant pay fee increase and who it hurts most
• reviewing Amazon Flex large vehicle blocks and a flashlight update for night deliveries
• tracking old Amazon Flex tip settlements and a quick detour into rewards promos
• unpacking Uber Eats drone plans, robotaxi growth, and what Waymo market share means
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Back To School Reset
SPEAKER_01Hello, hello. Welcome to the Gig Economy Podcast. Uh, episode three hundred and fifteen. Uh yeah, we're ready to talk some news, some stories from the road. How's it going, Larry?
SPEAKER_00Uh it's going well as uh as the the video people can see. I buzzed my head, got my ears lowered. Uh getting tired, just getting tired of it being so hot here.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, I was a little shocked. I you made that uh that dad joke in the chat, and I kind of just like it kind of went over my head and then I didn't think about it. And then when I saw you on camera, I'm like, oh shit, all his hair's gone.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but yeah, it's been a good week. Yeah, uh first week back at school here for us. Our semester started, so it's been busy, busy, busy at work. Um, but yeah, glad to get behind the mic and do a little podcast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. Um, yeah, for me, we had our kickoff meeting yesterday, back to school on Monday. So I'm slowly trying to go to bed a little bit earlier, set an alarm, not not my 5 30 a.m. alarm, but like a seven o'clock alarm. Not that I was a big sleeper in, anyways, but some something consistent of like a schedule. And yeah, I have this happen every year. So I think my fourth year, it's like I feel good about going back because I want a schedule, but then you know, three months in, I'm gonna be like, Christ, I don't want to schedule. I yeah, it'd be nice to be able to just do some gig work and then kick back for the day. But sure, you know, I'm blessed to not have to do the same job every day. Uh, I talked to Megan about that and I was like, I don't I think I don't couldn't do it. Like, she's like, Could you work a nine to five 52 weeks a year? I mean, it's or two weeks vacation. I was like, Nope, couldn't do it. No, it's not for me. This man was not built to be doing that.
SPEAKER_00Nothing wrong with that. Some people, you know, some people really like the structure of a scheduled, you know, same place every day and something that and then some people, it's you know, just really kind of it goes against the grain for them, and it's good to have options.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm a hybrid because I like it sometimes, but then I'm ready for a break, and then it just about when I'm ready to break, like mentally, the break happens, and then you'll be the other one, yeah. And then you're refreshed and then you go back again.
SPEAKER_00So you've got a perfect setup for you.
SPEAKER_01I know, and remember when I did lawn care, it was six months of that. Now
Weekend Driving And Bonus Hunting
SPEAKER_01that's like it was basically six months structure, six months off, and six months is too much. The summer's the perfect amount just to kind of kick back, and you know, who wants the winter off? That's the worst time.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, what are you gonna do? Especially in Michigan, right?
SPEAKER_01Everyone's like, Well, you could go snowmobiling or skiing. Fuck that, it's cold out.
SPEAKER_00It is, yes, yep.
SPEAKER_01All right, stories from the road. Uh, talked to Larry earlier, he has nothing.
SPEAKER_00He just Yeah, I was out this weekend. Yeah, I went out uh Thursday night last week, and then um I don't think I had even though like the kids were coming back in. I don't I don't think I had any college kids that night, but uh back out on Saturday, I believe it was Saturday night, and um it was pretty steady. I mean, you know, decent night. Uh nothing crazy though. So sometimes that's good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we talked about in the pre-show, which you can uh hear if you join the Patreon. Uh you got uh actually got a lift bonus this week. Uh or offered, yeah. Uh what was it like? What was the max?
SPEAKER_00It was like uh three. I had what was it now?
SPEAKER_01Because Lyft does it fuck you, and you have to it goes by how many dollars you earn before you get the bonus. I think you said it was you had to earn 340 and you got 170.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. So yeah, you had to do $340 worth of rides and it was uh $170 bonus. But they do it on a sliding scale too. Uh so you can pick it, but of course it's on a it's on the curve, you know, because three you know, get make $340, you get $170, and it goes all the way down to, you know, hey, you make $25, you get a buck twenty-five.
SPEAKER_01I'd be inter I'd be interested to see that on a scale and just see like because that just plot it out, graph it out, graph it out just to see how the curve just goes could chink when it goes low, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. And then the middle was like uh 186 for and you only got $32. So okay, it definitely goes way up, uh, you know, when you get toward the end, which makes sense, you know, the more you do it. Yeah, they want you out there, they want you working, they want you picking up people as fast as you can, and right you know, pushing that out there. But I was happy to say it's first lift bonus I've seen in quite a while, and yeah, a lot of times that starts right around the time school uh starts. Um that's when we used to I I don't know if they did it last year, but that's when we used to used to start getting the geofenced uh extra so many dollars for that. That's right. It was all around downtown. I remember it started out, it was like extra when they first started, it was like 12 bucks, and then it went down to nine, then it went down to six, and then last time I think I was down to three.
SPEAKER_01So all right. The the one we see for Uber, at least on driving around here, it's I'll get the notifications. You can make an extra $12.50 an hour. So I don't know how they base that, or you're just getting the flat $12.50, or it's based on how many rides you do or how how long you're active. I've never really honestly clicked into it because I'm really not doing rides anymore. But um, I'm not sure uh what that is. Never I'm not getting any quest real. Well, maybe I am. Maybe I just don't, you know. I feel like for a while they were giving me notifications on the quest, like blah blah blah. Check your quest, and now I haven't seen anything. I don't know. I should really go in there because we've had listeners of this show, like I think even Faith uh and Bamba Sue, that it was like they had to do 10 rides and they got a hundred bucks or something like that.
SPEAKER_00So oh yeah, yeah. Remember who was it? Was it John or Gabe? They got that three rides and make a hundred dollars. Remember that a couple of years, several years ago? Yeah, so that was that was wild.
SPEAKER_01I need to discipline myself as I tell everyone else. Check those notifications, check those, check those quests. I mean, I'm not doing ride share, but if I can do 10 rides and make an extra hundred bucks, I'm gonna go do that in an hour and a half downtown taking piddly rides.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And I've tried to remind myself of that, even when you know over the year it
Surprise Grubhub FTC Check
SPEAKER_00slowed down uh my ride share. I try to try to remember at least to log in once or twice a week just to see if they're throwing anything out there because you know you don't you'd hate to miss something like that. Oh, you know, do five rides for a hundred bucks.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and you're like, God, I I'll go out and do a ride share for five rides. I mean, that's yes, you didn't you don't even have to do that grinding at two in the morning, you can do it in the afternoon. Yeah, for sure. For sure. My stories from the road, uh, as some of you saw, and Larry got it too. You got a check from Grubhub. I think you and I got the same amount. I think it was like $51.14 or something. Yes, something like that. Have not deposited yet. It's on my fridge, but yeah, uh, I don't remember what it's from, probably from a long ass time ago. But um, yeah, we randomly just got a check in the mail. I you know it, yeah, Larry's got it right there. Uh I almost see this is I don't this is why I said to my wife, and I don't know why I said this because I opened the mail, but she's like, this is why you always open your mail, because a lot of times the mail says uh like pre-sorted, like it's got a like a generic thing in the corner, and that's typically junk mail. You know what I mean? And so, but I always open it up because I want to shred anything that's got my like name or associated with like especially credit card offers that have QR or you know that you can sign up. Like I shred all that shit.
SPEAKER_00Oh, sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I opened it all up and I was like, Holy shit, there's a fucking check in here because it said like FTC, blah blah blah. I'm like, okay, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00That's what I had something on the envelope that said Federal Trade Commission. Yeah, it piqued my interests. And so I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna you know, definitely open it. And I couldn't remember, I didn't know so I didn't I didn't know you had gotten it as well. Um I couldn't remember, I was like, Man, was this like one of those uh lawsuits I did when we were when we were looking at uh the TikToks that were like do the do the lawsuits, you know, you don't have to prove anything. I was like, I can't remember now.
SPEAKER_01Can you take a quick glance on that? Does it say what year that that was based from? Because it had to been like original Grubhub, right?
SPEAKER_00When when when that food delivery first started Yeah, it does say it says uh says a record show you're unable to redeem a Grubhub gift card or earn less to promise as a Grubhub delivery driver between June 2020 and March 2023.
SPEAKER_01Oh, okay. So actually not that long ago, because I mean Grubhub was around before Uber Eats for me. Like I was when Grubhub launched in Grand Rapids, there was no Uber Eats. That was it, and they were the the you know, they were the shit.
SPEAKER_00But we weren't doing any food delivery before 2020. I was not much, I mean remember we used to we were hating on food delivery back before COVID.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but when no, I'm telling you, Grubhub was before COVID, and I did it because they were paying me 10 bucks an hour.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's true.
SPEAKER_01And sit on my couch and get paid 10 years. I remember that. I remember that now. Yeah. So not saying I did a lot of it, but yeah, I definitely was active before. I was logged in, yeah, for sure. Yep. And then when it did pick up, Grubhub to me was like the cat's pajamas. Like it was like fucking great, and now it's just bottom feeding. Every once in a while, if I'm on a weekend of working, I might take one Grubhub that pops up that's happens to be somewhat good, and I don't have anything for anything else.
SPEAKER_00So I always throw it on. I always throw it in, you know, DoorDash on now. You know, now that we did our little excursions at the beginning of the summer out into into uh food delivery, got me got me back into doing it a little bit. So yeah, on the weekends now, I pretty much always will throw it on, but I just
BabyQuip Rental Gear Comes Back Dirty
SPEAKER_00you know rarely get something that I think's worth taking.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, honestly, too, with if you're doing Uber, you might as well have Uber Eats on too, because you never know when a banger will come through. I kind of feel like the app when it had you have both on. I do feel like they prioritize whatever's busiest, though. Like they might send you more rides or deliveries just depending on the area you're in and in the demand, which makes sense, right? But yeah, uh, and then today I kind of had a a little bit of a rude awakening. This literally just happened an hour ago. As you know, baby quip and uh I had my uh third delivery today. And it was a stroller that I've already had, and then I had to buy it, you know, and buying equipment, and then I had to buy a uh car, like um, it's a high chair, but a high chair that goes on a chair where you like strap it down. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's like 35 bucks or whatever. Yeah. So I go to grab the stroller and to load it up, and as I was looking, I saw there looked like a stain on the side of it, right? So I'm like, oh, that's interesting. Now remind I'm gonna preface to say this is 100% my fault. Okay. I'm not I'm not blaming anybody a little bit. I open that fucker up, there's ice cream stained and sand and crackers and just fucking trash. And I'm like, why did I not check the why did I expect someone to return this in somewhat of a state of clean? And so got out the sprayer, um, cleaning it, got it what brought it outside, did the vacuum, blah, blah. Got it all pretty good in shape. I mean, it's I mean, it was a brand new stroller.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So they trashed it. They trash, I mean, it's fine. I cleaned it up, I wiped the stains off. It's nothing that, you know, they didn't break it or anything, but it doesn't definitely look new anymore. And I'm like, fuck. Uh, I mean, these this was a $200 stroller. Like, how many uses am I gonna get on this thing? So, like, you know, this is all new to me. So actually, right before I went live, we went live, I posted on they have a private Facebook group, and I'm like, you know, is this something I should expect? And everyone's like, Yep. People trash the shit, they do not clean it out, they don't wipe anything down, it's rented, they don't care. And I'm like, can we charge for that? They're like, nope, unless it's vomit, urine, feces, or smoke. That's the only way you can get a cleaning fee. And I'm like, I guess I get it. It's like renting a car, right? But I don't go out and trash my cars because I'm gonna get dinged for it, right? Like, I feel like baby Quip should have like, hey, this was excessive cleaning, like Uber, where you you know, you show the picture and you send it in. And and I will say I don't think it was excessive for this one. I was just shocked when I opened it up. I'm like, can you imagine if I wouldn't have checked that fucker?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, that would have been bad. That would have been that's something, yeah. You're learning as you go, you're gonna have to check everything when it comes back for sure.
SPEAKER_01And again, I I even preface it on the Facebook post, my fault, I should have checked it. But I would expect it to be at least knock the fucking sand out, like tip it over and shake the bottom a little bit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because that's what me and you would do if we were returning somebody, it's you know, something that didn't belong to us. We would be decent people and and we would be in it, make sure it was in halfway decent shape before we you know turned it back in. But a lot of people were not like that, man. They don't give a flying flip.
SPEAKER_01And the ice cream was obvious. The other stains on the inside where the kid was, I get it. I didn't really see it till I got it in the light. But I mean, I could see the sand. I was I don't know. To me, I would have wiped it down. I mean, I'm not gonna like scrub it, right? But I would have been, I probably would have messaged the people and said, hey, you know, my kid got ice cream. I wiped as much as I could down. Make sure you take a peek with it before you rent it out. Like, I don't know. I'm not like this clean person, anyways. You come to my house, it ain't spotless by any means. I'm not a clean freak, but I just that lady didn't now she did tip me $65.
SPEAKER_00Oh, well, nice tip.
SPEAKER_01And then she gave me that. I I don't know if I told you she gave me that mattress that she had apparently crib mattress she had bought, and that's a hundred dollars, which I haven't sold yet. Uh got on Facebook. So, in regards to that, I think I made out pretty well. It's just I was shocked how crappy it was when I opened it up. I was like, who who sends this back without wiping your kid's fucking ice cream off? Like, anyways.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I guess they just like uh well, he's gonna have to clean it and sanitize it anyway before he gives it to the next person, so it'll be good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, which is true. I mean, and and I it's a hundred percent my fault. I don't know why I thought it was great, but yeah, I'll be inspecting those things like crazy now because I you know me, I'm I'm really customer focused. I want to present a good product, I want to be, you know, I just want to be I want to be a good you know business owner, you know, and that involves making sure everything's clean, and I just can't believe I fucked up on that. But anyways. Oh well, it happens, it won't happen again though.
SPEAKER_00No, I that's what I was gonna say. It happened, but it I bet it won't again.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna be anal retentive about it now. I'm gonna pop that bitch open the second I get home. Uh right there.
SPEAKER_00As soon as you pick it up from before you put it in your car.
SPEAKER_01Well, no, I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that.
SPEAKER_00But go back up to the door. Hey, hey, you're supposed to clean this. What's wrong with you?
SPEAKER_01Right. The weird part of the today is I I left it at the hotel. I didn't meet them. I was a little nervous about leaving it there. I mean, uh, it is what it is, right? If if it gets stolen, I mean,
Uber Considers Tween Rides
SPEAKER_01I guess I file a claim with baby quip, you know, and and if that shelf, if that stuff does get damaged, or to they will charge the customer like the full amount of whatever the cost of it was if it's excessive. So, but yeah, I never met them. So uh it's just till through the weekend, I think, and then I'll pick it back up. But that's my baby quip adventure that literally just happened the last two hours. Uh all right, gig economy news. Larry posted a picture in our chat, and I was like, Are you shitting me?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this this one's hard to believe. It was so funny, guys. I was just talking with I think my older sister that the day before this came out, we were talking about Uber rides, and somebody at church had actually asked about stuff. My sister's like, Yeah, you won't believe it. People try to put like you know 14-year-old kids in their car and have them ride all by themselves. So the very next day I get this or saw this article somewhere. It said uh that um code inside the latest Uber app points to a coming tween rides feature for children ages 10 to 12, which would push the company into its youngest customer group yet. Uber says it isn't a live product, but the engineering work suggests it's under serious consideration. This would let an adult add a tween to their Uber family profile and name a trusted adult contact and require that a grown-up be present at the pickup or the drop-off. Um reverencing the code point to the same safe cars on Uber's existing teen service, which means background check drivers, pen verification, and ride tracking. Uh for drivers, it signals more supervised minor trips ahead, which have already drawn you know hire from uh drivers, so they're not real happy about it. But also put Uber head to head with services like hop skip drive that already arranged drives for young kids. Um yeah, I I I don't want to be taking a 10 to 12 year old by themselves in my car.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I think you can do it if you do the same process of hop skip drive. You gotta like I'm gonna say this and I I don't want to offend anybody, but I feel like Uber, some of their services and and and not doing like the the due diligence, I feel like it's preying on underprivileged people that maybe not have the money to use hop skip drive or something like that, something a little bit more expensive. Because I feel like you're just gonna get a lot of like I'm gonna like hood rats just getting in the car and and you know what I mean, and like hey, I'm 10, you know what as long as the parent does it right way, but and then they're supposed to have a trusted adult when you drop them off, and then what if you get there and they're not dropping off there, yeah. Like I see so many problems with it. And and if Uber doesn't do the background or uh the fingerprinting and stuff like that, like then it's just like I don't know. I just I just feel it preys on those people because they they don't have a car, like it I get it. Like, and and sometimes you gotta fucking not take the bus because you gotta get to an appointment or something.
SPEAKER_00This one would be one I think uh I would if it's if they make it available to do it, I would turn it off.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, I got the I got the teen one off.
SPEAKER_00I I'm okay with the teen one. Okay, you know, I I think because if I get somewhere, I'm okay, you know, pretty much uh with letting a you know 14, 15, 16-year-old kid out somewhere, as long as it's not you know, if it was a dangerous situation, obviously I wouldn't.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we would let you wouldn't want to be a 12-year-old, yeah. 10 to 12.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it says they're supposed to be there to meet, but you don't know if they're gonna be there to meet them.
SPEAKER_01And then what do you do? You're stuck with a kid and you're on the call with you're at you're talking to support, and like, do I call the cops?
SPEAKER_00Trying to get hold of the parent or the you know, somebody, and you know, the kids I don't know where they're at, you know. Yeah, yeah. I see all sorts of problems with that one, right?
SPEAKER_01And I mean, yeah, I don't know. I don't know why. I know the demand is there. I know it is. Like, I I think about you know, when we did talk about hop skip drive, we talked about this would be good for like kid gets done with soccer and stuff like that, but it that's not really what it is. They kind of partner up with the school districts and stuff and and kind of organize rides through that. I mean, a parent can do it individually, but it's always just like going to school and coming back.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I just think that you know, there is a market for like pick up Johnny from soccer practice, and Uber could do that, but you would have to like ramp up the the background check and the safety and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, Jason and Larry will definitely be turning this off. If it even comes to fruition, they saw the code doesn't mean it's gonna go live. They may, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they may test it out and say, nah, or they might not even, you know, clear heads may prevail. They're like, nah, this is not a good idea.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it's yeah, I don't know. I mean, Bloomberg uh definitely is a reputable source. For sure. So, I mean, I'm sure the code is there. I don't think it it's not like just kind of comparing it. I'm an I'm an Apple guy and they're launching like a bunch of shit next month, and they're supposed to be launching a fold. Yeah, but there are so many people on TikTok that I that like you always as it gets closer to the event, I feel more confident, but it's like six months ago they were like talking about it, you know what I mean? And I was like, eh, whatever. But if Bloomberg is reporting it, then like I would believe that. I guess reputable sports source, I guess. Definitely reputable source, but uh yeah, not for me. Uh
Australia Sets Gig Work Minimums
SPEAKER_01I haven't seen anyone talk about it though. I kind of feel like I should do a tick. I've been trying to get back into videos, do a tick tech on that because I haven't I haven't seen nothing on that. People be like, what the fuck?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's it.
SPEAKER_01I know. As soon as you boast of that, I just wrote type WTF and I'm like I saw that. I don't even I don't even know what to do on that. Yeah. Um so in A or Amazon, in Australia, they just recently passed a um a new minimum wage law and kind of interesting. Interesting. It uh approved, let's see, all Australia's Fair Work Commission approved new standards. Uh, that drivers, delivery workers, not like um rideshare, must average at least $3130 to $32 Australian dollars per engaged hour. Now, I don't know what Australian dollars are. Side note, I thought, no, this is so bad. Because this is how ignorant I am. I thought they used just like the dollar dollar. Which it's from our country. Why why would they use that in their country? But I'm an idiot. So I was like, oh, that's a lot of money. So I don't know what Australian dollar uh compares to our dollar. I didn't really look that up, but um, let's see. So I guess right now their minimum was like $23, something like that. But they'll drivers will still be paid per per delivery. Platforms will review earnings across a 21-day period and provide top up when the average falls below minimum. So basically, you know, you're not earned by hour. You so whatever the hours are, you have to make you know what it said. That's interesting. They're doing it that way. Yeah, is that how all our in our areas do do that too? Like, is it just a top? I don't remember remember reading a 21-day period with a top off. I mean, I know that's what AB5 is, right? So when they get their their money at the yeah, I guess that they do do that, don't they?
SPEAKER_00Uh I think so. But you know, we talk about it, but when you're not in that market and you're not, you know, that's not how it works for you. Uh it's it's hard to get all the ins and outs, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I just hadn't seen it uh worded as like a top off. But yeah, they get their their extra, which we've talked about on the show. We've we've showed photos on it. But restaurant waiting time after accepting order counts, but time waiting between offers does not. The order also introduces injury insurance, representation rights, and formal dispute procedures, which that's amazing. Um, so yeah, I don't know. What do you think about that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's nice, you know, uh if you could have those uh those benefits like that, you know, having representation and you know, we've always talked about there needs to be some kind of way to appeal things, uh, you know, those kind of things. Um we're not necessarily looking for a W-2 job, but some of those some of those kind of extra things would certainly be appealing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, and I mean, I don't know. I I definitely feel like I would take the minimum. I mean, you really don't have a choice. Once they once they do it, you know, it's kind of like it's cheaper. Yeah, it's it yeah, either do it or don't. Sorry, I somehow minimize my I don't know how this happens. I got dual screens and and it happens sometimes where you know you move go click. Fucking hate this computer. Uh you go and move stuff, and then I completely lost like I checked all my tabs and I literally don't have my my uh rundown. So sorry about that.
SPEAKER_00That's all right, yeah. It happens.
SPEAKER_01Uh so yeah, but we looking for something. Yeah,
Uber Instant Pay Fee Jumps
SPEAKER_01it it it's like when you lose the mouse, you're like, where the fuck's the mouse? Yes. Uh this guy says I'm watching the live stream from I'm assuming that's turkey. Yes. Um never 2 23 a.m. Bro, go to bed. Holy shit. Uh all right, Larry. Uh just I wrote you can see there, um, just wrote some things to talk about. Instapay increase. Yeah, which is uh whatever, I guess. I don't know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so so this uh another message from Uber that came up in my app said on August 31st, instant pay transaction fee will increase to $1.75. Instapay lets you transfer your earnings in a bank account or debit card instantly up to six times a day. Uh, but don't worry, there's ways you can cash out without a transaction fee. Uh, you can use the Uber Pro card, which will give you access to all your earnings after every trip uh without having to transfer that to your bank. Uh plus it gives you 10% cash back on gas. And uh you can also do what I've always done, just weekly automatic deposit. Every week your funds are deposited in your bank account. It says usually on Thursdays. Mine has always been on Tuesdays for Uber. Always. Yeah. Um, but yeah, remember this used to be what uh it was either a quarter or 50 cents.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was really it was yeah, when it started out, yeah, it was like it was like a quarter. Pretty much.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think it was a quarter, and they've just slowly increased, you know, over time. And you know, luckily we talked about it, you know, we're not relying on this to you know pay our mortgage or you know, pay for food to eat that night, but there are people who who are, and being able to transfer that stuff out is pretty important. Um I can't see them just keep raising it.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well, so with VHO, I noticed um I finally did like enough deliveries to unlock metrics. I think you had to do 150 um package deliveries, like the item number, not routes. Right. And one of their pro tiers is you can get instant cash out right away. You don't have to really yeah, well, it still doesn't come till the next day, though, but there's no fee on it. Okay, I thought Uber did that if you were higher tier, or did did you just read that and I was multitasking?
SPEAKER_00No, I didn't it didn't mention that. Uh it's seems like that used to be one of the one of the incentives, but uh, you know, we haven't worried about the tiers in so long. I don't know what the benefits are anymore. Yeah. Um but it seemed like that was the case at one time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you would think it would be. I mean, like you got this guy grinding out there for you, busting his blowing his car up, you can't cut him some slack. I mean, I I would say like you could do one a day. I mean, doing right, yeah, not six. Yeah, not six. You don't get that perk, but if you want it at the end of your shift, if you want to transfer it over as a you know, diamond bitch driver, you can do that, but not to charge a diamond driver a dollar seventy-five to get their money is kind of stupid.
SPEAKER_00I don't understand why you would need to do it six times in a day either, but that's just me.
SPEAKER_01I mean, yeah, I mean, well, what it really proves that people are literally not paycheck to paycheck, they're ride to ride.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I mean, they might be so get gas so they can do more rides.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I know. God, I feel so blessed that I am in the position that I don't have to do that. I mean, I've been my wife and I, we've been broke, don't get me wrong, like real broke when we were younger, but um, yeah, I just feel so blessed to not have to worry about that because that's for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we've both been we've both been there, you know. Um, I remember having to
Amazon Flex Larger Vehicle Blocks
SPEAKER_00mow yards when I was a teenager so we could eat.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I never was that bad, but yeah, no, but uh that's not a fun life.
SPEAKER_00No, that it's definitely not uh fun. But yeah, it's one of those things there, you know, like everything else, the price is going up. For sure. So just something to keep in mind if you're somebody that likes, you know, cashes out after every shift or something like that. Right.
SPEAKER_01Uh and then Amazon large vehicle program got this from Faithy Pooh.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, so this is uh this is a uh message from Amazon Flex. It says more earning opportunities with large vehicle blocks. So Flex is launching a large vehicle block in Las Vegas uh starting August 16th for Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh Blocks. So if you have a larger vehicle, like an SUV, uh minivan, crossover, anything like that, they qualify for delivery blocks that accommodate you know bigger uh more packages uh than uh you could fit into a sedan. So if you have a vehicle that qualifies when blocks are available, you will see them in the offers page of Amazon Flex App uh labeled as large vehicles. You'll see both standard and large vehicle blocks providing more earning opportunities with increased scheduling flexibility. So, yeah, if you have a larger car and you're able to take you know more packages than you could in just a sedan, this is an opportunity to you know make more money.
SPEAKER_01It feels like to me that this isn't a new thing in my area. I feel like when I did started flex a while or a while back, I feel like they've had this? Yeah, I feel like a year and a half later they they said put your information. I think they said something like put your car information in, and then we'll base your uh blocks uh on your car size, but then I don't think anything ever came of it. Um I tell you, the the four and a half, some of the box I mean, I am full to the brim.
SPEAKER_00Can't see out the windows, can't see out the windows.
SPEAKER_01I'm slamming the car the back door, bumping up against boxes, and I have every like front seat, floorboards, everything. So those four and a half, depending like the box size, like I mean, I can take a lot of envelopes, right? But um yeah, they're they're pushing them to the brim on that. And uh yeah, I mean, it's fine. I don't care as long as I can get them in there, but yeah, I feel like I feel like my car's a large vehicle program box is like the amount of boxes that I'm getting. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right, for sure.
SPEAKER_01That's what I'm saying. I swear it maybe it's still thinking I drive a Honda Pilot, and uh, but I know I updated it, but yeah, so this is in Vegas, not in my area, but uh should see what else you can get uh with a bigger car. You know, it might get longer routes, more money. Uh and then Faith talks about this this morning, is that uh I guess Amazon did an update, as you know, if you deliver at night, when you go to take a picture before, it would the flashlight would come on and then it would shut off. And then you're walking, you know, you're walking back on the stair or on the walkway, and you're you just got like flashbang from a grenade and you can't see shit, and you trip over a raccoon or whatever. But apparently she said now when you go to scan the package, the light comes on, stays on, and then we take a picture, it stays on too, and then stays on until you walk back to your car, and then you have to go in and turn it off. It used to be she said there was a bunch of taps to get it to do that, but I mean I I I guess I would just like take the chance of like tripping over Jimothy the raccoon because I don't want to tap all those buttons, or I'd wear a headlamp or something because that I don't know, it would see annoying. But apparently she loves it. It was a new update that got pushed out today. So if you deliver at night, you have something to look forward to or not look forward to, depending on your opinion on the light.
SPEAKER_00So I think that's a great idea, though. I mean, I would think that'd be very convenient.
SPEAKER_01I mean, when she says she has to turn the light off, does she have to go into her own control plan uh panel? Or is there a button on the flex app? Because if there's only a butt, if there's a button on the flex app that you can that it like can override and turn, then I'm fine with it. It's where I have to swipe down to my control panel to to turn the light. That would be annoying to me because it's like swiping down now. I'm out of the app, and then you tap it, and then you got a swipe up. And I know it seems simple that it's just quick, but when you're doing that for 45 packages.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I I don't know about you use Android for your flex stuff, or do you use your iPhone? Yeah, it's because I don't know the iPhone you can set up um because the back has a sensor on it too, where you can tap twice and it'll turn the flashlight off and on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you can it's like a like a yeah, yeah, I was gonna say a shortcut, but that's not a shortcut. But it's like a yeah, I forget what they put the accessibility feature.
SPEAKER_00Accessibility feature, that's exactly right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's right. You can do that. I think I have that set up for my volume uh to go over.
SPEAKER_00So that'd be an easy way, easier way, you know, less less because yeah, if you have to go into your settings and control panel, that yeah. That's what I'm saying. Hassle. That's a hassle.
SPEAKER_01And I didn't think about it until right now. I should have asked her this morning, are is it in the app? Is it in the flex app that you get to turn it off? Because then I'm like, okay, you're on the same app.
SPEAKER_00If they do that in in the app.
SPEAKER_01I didn't think
Zelle Settlements And Rewards Hacks
SPEAKER_01I didn't think uh if that's the case, I didn't think Apple would allow that because they don't let you control shit on your like they they're really strict on what the apps can control, but Android's like, ah, we don't give a fuck. Like, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, if it's Amazon, yeah. I mean if it's Apple, yeah, it probably is not within the app.
SPEAKER_01Right, exactly. That's what I'm saying. Well, we're not gonna let you control the flashlight, you might do something dangerous.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Uh all right. So we speak speaking of more money. Some Amazon drivers are getting more uh money back into uh their account. Let's see, the FTC says it's sending Zell payments to eligible Amazon Flex drivers who tips were withheld between 2016 and 2019. So this is an old story. We've talked about this. Uh, these payments are going to drivers who never cash their earlier settlement checks. I mean, first of all, what the fuck? Why are you cashing that check? Or, you know, maybe they moved, um, yeah, so it didn't get forwarded or whatever, but they said more than 60 million has already been returned through previous payment rounds. Yeah, I mean, I guess just watch your linked bank account for a legitimate Zell deposit because Zell kind of was like it used to be an app, but like the banks kind of bought it. I don't know. Did you know a lot a little bit about Zell?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I've used Zell before too, and then there's actually a new one out now. It's like Zell, it's called Pays, P-A-Z-E.
SPEAKER_01You know, that's so funny you bring that up. Did you see that in the Chase? Like, because I see Chase. I'm in the I've been wearing that out. So what is that? It's like you you you can like double up on like rewards through that.
SPEAKER_00You can, and then also they're doing a thing which uh pays is doing it's it's like a uh $100 credit promotion for your any eligible cards. So you can make um it'll give you up to a hundred dollar credit on your credit card, but it's ten it's on ten dollar purchases at a time. So what these people were doing is these people were going and buying just like ten dollar credit cards at companies that Pays had partnered with. So they were going into like Sephora or Dunkin' Donuts or Domino's Pizza or all these different shopping places. Of course, you know they're like, Well, we can't have you having that. Because some people have a you know a bunch of different credit cards, because even I mean, even just myself, I have like a Chase Reserve and preferred, and then so does my wife, and then like our Citabank card, and then our actually our truest debit card. So we had like seven cards, that's like seven hundred dollars worth of free stuff. So I've been sending, I've been buying Duncan Duncan's only when I hadn't shut it down. So I've been buying like ten dollar Duncan gift cards on each one every day. Is it still active? Yeah, so active tools September 17th.
SPEAKER_01So you you buy them through Pay?
SPEAKER_00I buy ten dollar uh I buy a ten dollar Duncan credit card on using Pays using one of my eligible credit cards, and then I get I get a ten dollar credit back, and you can do that for up to a hundred dollars per each card, but we have seven cards, so so you you have you just have to link your card to pay to pay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, okay. That's funny. Yeah, I have been seeing as I'm in that subreddit, I'm like, I don't know what the fuck y'all are talking about.
SPEAKER_00This is took me a while too, and I I wish I would have got on it sooner before they cut it all off. Because yeah, some of these people were buying like they would just buy like 40 gift cards in a day.
SPEAKER_01God damn it. I wish I would have like investigated, it just looked too complicated. I was like, I don't have time for this shit.
SPEAKER_00I know because you're like, ah, it's ten dollars, you know, it's ten dollars, but uh yeah, and then like um, and that's just for like it shut shut off the uh buying the gift cards, but like Domino's is is is uh partner with them. So like at lunch, I can I order a uh I order like a ten dollar lunch from Domino's, and I'm I'm getting reimbursed for that. Yeah, like I said, each card up to a hundred dollars.
SPEAKER_01So did you find out uh that information through pays or through the credit card? I think I it's gotta be pays, right?
SPEAKER_00The credit card wouldn't I think so, yeah. I think so. Interesting. I don't it may have been like I think I'm in a like a Chase Facebook group or something. I think that's where I first saw it. Not too because some of these people, man, they are all they they work the system. Yeah. These people all into it.
SPEAKER_01I mean my wife would kick my ass if I did that. She's any so I just did one on Venmo debit card. They had an offer if you spent $25 on their debit card, they gave you $25.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Back. So I did that. I bought $25 worth of gas. I haven't got my my $25 yet, but she's like, What are you doing? I was like, It's fucking free, $25.
SPEAKER_00It's it's crazy how how people's radar go up. Because I've told everybody I know, um, because I kept hearing it advertise on the radio, and you know, it's one of those things I'm like, man, I need to check that out. It's just a website here, it's called BG Halfprice.com. Okay. It's partnered with a radio station, but it's it they have it's just a website, and they usually have about 10 to 15 different local businesses. A lot of it's food, but some of it's experiences or are even um you know, like physical products. But you're you buy gift cards for half price. So, like it's restaurants we go to all the time. Yeah, so you get a $50 gift card for $25. I'm like, why would you not do that? And then people are like, Oh, is that legit? Is that I'm like, Yeah, it's legit. It's uh you know, it's just a you get it for half price. You go there and you get we, you know, you get $50 worth of food for $25.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, yeah, exactly. But I guess people have been scammed so many times that it's just the people are skeptical, you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I understand. Anyways, don't don't take uh don't take financial advice from us, but I I will be checking that out. We'll probably talk it more on the Patreon because I have more questions, but we gotta move on. Yep, for sure. So look for your uh look for your uh uh a deposit from Amazon, I guess, through Zell if you haven't cashed the check yet.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, and as as
Uber Eats Drones And Delivery Futures
SPEAKER_00we say, you know, why'd they not cash the check? As me and you both have not cashed our checks that we got yet.
SPEAKER_01Well, uh yeah, I mean again we $51 isn't gonna make or break my life. So I will get around to it for sure. I just did it up.
SPEAKER_00It's sitting here on my desk. I just haven't, you know, I always do the mobile deposit, but I just hadn't done it yet. Yeah, same in this setting right here. Same.
SPEAKER_01Uh Larry, I'm excited. Uber adds zip line drones to its Eats Delivery Network.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so another drone story. So we've talked about uh zip lines in the past, they have some really cool kind of drones, but Uber just announced the other day they're investing in and partnering with uh the drone delivery company called Zipline, and they've stated their goal is to make um ramp up to where they're making one million deliveries a day using the drones by the end of 2029. That's crazy. Um so drones uh gonna they're gonna first start out uh on Uber Eat sometime by the end of this year. They're gonna start in in markets where Zipline uh already is um uh has a presence in, uh, but they said they want to expand into dozens of US cities. Um Uber's been uh trying to replicate the early business model uh that it adopted for robo taxis and other services built around autonomous vehicles, which is essentially to bring as many companies onto its platform as possible. We talk about this all the time. They're partnering with this company or they're part of they partner with all of them and they kind of see what sticks or which ones works out, and then sometimes they you know they end up going their own way, as they kind of are with Waymo right now. Um but investments have been a huge part of this strategy with Uber. They've committed more than $10 billion uh to dozens of autonomous vehicle providers. So yeah, you know, it's something they're we've seen it with uh autonomous cars, and now you know we're seeing it with these drones. Uh Uber thinks that Zipline's drones are gonna be able to fulfill orders on Uber Eats within five to ten minutes. They said we think that truly quick commerce is gonna be an even bigger market than the original food market was. So that's that's humongous. Um Zipline, which is based out of San Francisco, um is valued at 7.6 billion dollars.
SPEAKER_01Don't you find that you hear a lot of more B's than M's now when we're talking about these companies? Yeah, you know, it's it's billion, it's not valued at a million.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's always billions, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And at some point, maybe not in our lifetime, it will be valued at trillion.
SPEAKER_00Yes, that's that's even that's just unfathomable to think about.
SPEAKER_01That's so much damn money. So hang on, I gotta let my dog log let my dog out. He's freaking out. I didn't know he was in here, hang on.
SPEAKER_00No problem. Yeah. Uh so many uh come on. You know, we talk about billions. It used to be that uh it was a big thing, you know, somebody was a millionaire, and now you know, there's so many people who are billionaires, it's just crazy to think about. So yeah, I was just mentioning that, you know, it used to be a big deal when I was a kid. Oh. Millionaire. Somebody said millionaire. That was a huge deal. Oh my god, a millionaire. And now now that we have all these people, oh billionaires, you know, all these billionaires that are running around.
SPEAKER_01Well, just the value of houses, too. Like my I think our house would we bought it for $150. I mean, this is Zillow, so grain of salt. Says it's worth $400.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01By the time we sell what we I just looked at our statement, we got like nine years left to pay on it. It might be so you it might be worth a million. So you're talking about a millionaire was a big deal. I'd have a million dollar paid-off house. Like that that million's nothing nowadays.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like um I was reading, yeah, just something I read something from Zillow and I just double checked it to make sure that I was looking at right. But Zillow says that there's 242 cities that now have starter homes that cost a million dollars.
SPEAKER_01That's crazy. That is unbelievable. And and who can afford that? I mean, yeah, you ever see Caleb Hammer on social media? Like, do you think so?
SPEAKER_00Okay, he'll recognize the name anyway.
SPEAKER_01He's uh he's kind of made his way on TikTok. He does financial audits and he's like really mean to the people. Now, granted, they sign a waiver, they have a no-no list, like he's he seems really mean, but they've they've okayed all this, you know what I mean. But anyways, one of his recommendations is to not buy a house now, is just to rent.
SPEAKER_00There's a lot of there's a lot of people who feel that way, and I'm just like, I get it.
SPEAKER_01He's like, I'd rather you invest in the stock market than buy a house because houses are so fucking expensive, like you need so much money just to purchase a house. I'm like, I don't even think I would be able to afford I mean I'd probably be able to buy m this house, what it you know, what the value, but it'd be tight. Yeah, I mean it'd be it'd be a it'd be a tight mortgage for sure. Like sure, yeah, it's crazy.
SPEAKER_00Fucking it is, yeah, and not only you know, the cost of the saving up mean for the down payment, you know, you're there's always you know, there's the taxes, there's uh the repairs, there's you know, mowing the yard, there's you know, there's a lot of stuff that go on with it. Yeah, it's not just the mortgage ownership for sure. Yeah, you gotta uh you know, there's there's still something about being a homeowner, though. Uh but yeah, I know I I've read a lot of uh a lot of articles from people who would advise not you know not to buy a home.
SPEAKER_01I think the biggest thing about being a homeowner is like once you pay it off, they can't take your home. Like obviously you gotta pay your property taxes, but as long as you do that, like if you go into financial ruin, you get still got that home. They can't take that away from you. I mean, it's gotta be paid off, obviously, but sure. Once it's paid off, that's that's yours. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, there's something to be said for that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Uh Larry talks about Uber. I'm gonna show you a frickin' disaster Amazon drone delivery. And last week I think we saw one, the one that dropped it at the end of the driveway.
SPEAKER_00And it blew into the street, into the middle of the street.
SPEAKER_01So you think the street is bad, you got you gotta you gotta freaking watch this one. So for uh obviously the audio listeners, you could just hear the drone noise. It dropped it in their pool.
SPEAKER_00Well, it dropped in their hot tub. Well, I mean, yeah, yeah, the hot tub building. A level up above the pool, but yeah, it and the ladies just like, oh my gosh, she's sitting there watching it, and the drone's coming down. You can see, you know, the the rotor displacing the water in the pool, you know, you can see the waves it's causing, and now suddenly it just opens up and drops that package right down into the water.
SPEAKER_01So this begs the question. There that it must be like, is no one driving that jump? How do they not see that they're over the pool or or water?
SPEAKER_00Like, is it I mean, even if it's autonomous, the the AI's gotta be like, oh shit, like this isn't like Yeah, that's gotta be you would think that's an anomaly because yeah, uh you you wonder, is there somebody looking at? Because even if it knows, okay, this is your house and this should be right in front of your porch. I mean, you know, they don't know somebody's standing there or you know what's going on. You would think there'd have to be somebody to visually give the okay before it drops a package.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and until it gets good, where it's like, okay, we got this down, you know what I mean? So I don't know if it was like a joke or or what, but like that clearly was not a great delivery.
Patreon And Ad Free Listening
SPEAKER_01Now she was watching it, so she probably picked it up, and whatever was in it was probably fine because she probably grabbed it quick. But yeah, I mean, you know, we need to I guess we need to start doing drones in the news. Uh yeah, we might have to a segment for that because that was that was pretty bad. Don't deliver in water, please. Yes, that's super important. Uh moving on, go to patreon.com slash the gigon podcast. Love for you to join. To the end of this month, it's 50% off your first month. You can do a seven-day tree free trial. Uh, you got three levels of tier tiers, three tier levels, something like that. Three dollars, seven dollars, fifteen dollars. They all get you different levels of perks. Uh, but every level gets you ad-free episodes so you don't have to hear this ad. Uh if you and you get it early, typically, depending on how how fast I'm editing, I can have you. Sometimes I'll
Waymo Takes Real Market Share
SPEAKER_01be bored on Thursday and get it all done, and you get the show several days before it comes out on Monday. But yeah, checking out, love for you to support us. People that support us and have always supported us uh a lot is Samson, Bud, Omar, Frank, Tom, Jim, Miguel, Linda, Jerry, Faith, Metal Kickass, and Anna. Thank you guys so much for supporting us. And uh, yeah, check it out if you are interested. All right. Um, okay, Waymo in the news. I got it. I gotta hit the buzzer. Waymo in the news. Uh, this briefly just talks about how um, let me move this over so I'm looking at the screen. How Waymo is um the data uh how Waymo how much business Waymo has taken. So newly reported Yippet data estimates that Waymo represented approximately 15% of ride spending in the San Francisco, Los Angeles operating zones, and 16% in Phoenix during June. Um the measurement only compares rides beginning and ending in Waymo service area, which obviously uh let's say Waymo percentages were slightly higher in January, so this isn't proof of sudden growth. It does show that robotaxis already control a meaningful portion of these local markets, which I feel like 15% is pretty meaningful. Um they they talk about like driver displacement. It's tough to like measure that, they said, as far as like is it really displacing drivers? You know what I mean? Like 15% is a lot, but like you can't really uh what did they say? What verbiage did they use?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I would think that would be hard, hard to measure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but um said last year data from GridWise, uh, this is something different, showed hourly wages decline in Austin, LA, Phoenix, and San Fran, where Waymo's operate while the national median rose one percent. Well, where's my one percent? Like um, so yeah, the fallout is hard to measure. Here it is. We don't know how much, we don't know when, and we don't know where um this is gonna happen. But there was one comment, God, why didn't I highlight it? That was just like, oh, that makes sense. Um, part of the challenge lies in the nature of gig work. Well said that because drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, robotaxi display displacement may not show up as a measurable decline in employment, which kind of makes sense depending on the time of year and what events are going on. Um, so yeah. She said, let's see, she said that she and her co-authors tracked a cohort of 40 Uber drivers over five years. During that time, she found that drivers feel less incentive to push for better working conditions because they believe their work would eventually disappear. So that's interesting. Um I'm surprised you wouldn't see a little dip, but 15% is quite a bit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, 15% in um is substantial when you know there's three, you know, really two other major richer that you know companies are that they are uh competing with, you know, Uber and Lyft. And uh Waymo I mean they've been out there for a little while, but nothing compared to the length of time that Uber and Lyft have been going on. So I think 15% in this amount of time is pr is pretty significant for sure.
SPEAKER_01I mean a Uber paved the way. I feel like Waymo has such an advantage of like they've gotten all the bugs out, they've figured out I mean, because they can figure out the algorithms. I mean, we can't, but you know, somebody that's smarter than us and has tech, they're like, well, Uber fucked this up, let's not do that, and so on and so forth. So yeah, I mean it it's it's coming quick. Um I just wonder when it's gonna be in our like like it's coming to Nashville, right? But like you're in bowling green. Like, I mean, is it ever gonna come to bowling green?
SPEAKER_00Oh, I think it will. You think so? Yeah, I think yeah, I think it will. I mean, it will be a while, I would think. Um, but I can see it growing because like I said, it was a you know, it was kind of a weird experience when I first the first ride, but I would most definitely do it again. And if I had a choice between a Waymo and a car with the driver and they're both kind of the same price, I'm probably gonna choose, I would probably choose the Waymo.
SPEAKER_01See, that's that is what's it's be and we're gonna watch some awkward driver interactions, someone's portraying it, but that's why you're gonna choose the Waymo. I mean, you you and I both love conversation, but on a night that like maybe maybe I'm a little grumpy when I come out wherever I am, and I'm just or maybe I don't feel well, and I'm just like, I don't fucking want to deal with people. I'm like, I'm gonna choose the Waymo a hundred out of a hundred times. I'm just gonna unless the price was obscenely different.
SPEAKER_00Right, right. And uh I I I don't yeah, I don't see how they can have a long-term model if the if the price is gonna be way more expensive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, people, especially with Gen Z and Gen, I think it's alpha that's coming up. Yeah, Z A uh is coming up. They're they're more introverted. Um, they're more they just they just are, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00Call it Yeah, this is right up their alley.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, call it good, call it bad. I mean, yeah, when you have to work with one and try to collaborate, you want to like strangle yourself, but you know, this is just the reality of what it is, and they they like that shit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we've talked about many times. You know, we uh have these people now that work from home, they get their groceries delivered at home, they get their food delivered at home, and now if they can ride, you know, if they do have to, you know, heaven forbid go somewhere if they can do it without having to deal actual Uber driver, yeah. That it's gonna it's gonna really take off.
SPEAKER_01I I agree. I think once it it you know, once they get all the kinks out in the like the legal regulations through the government and they can copy that and go to Nebras Why did why'd I say Nebraska? Like that there's four people in Nebraska where they can go to like a Louisiana and a Florida and a New York and whatever, and they just you know they don't have to spend so much legal battles. They're like, well, this is the precedent, so let's just go with it.
SPEAKER_00It's and and uh like in a lot of technological inventions, you know, it'll take and it'll be a huge shift as as the generations change. Um, you know, a lot are a lot of elderly people now will still rather take a taxi than they would a ride share because that's what they know. Right. Which makes sense, but you but you get these kids, they're coming up with you know, this is not gonna be this is gonna be something that's been around their whole life, uh autonomous vehicles and things like that.
Awkward Rideshare Talk Gone Wrong
SPEAKER_00They're not gonna think twice about it.
SPEAKER_01Right. And they're like uh they're gonna be like, Grandpa, you had to fucking talk to people while they took you around. I was like, Yeah, it was annoying. I was one of those drivers. I was annoying. And they're gonna like, oh, you boomer. Well, I can't say boomer, there'll be another name, you Xer, or something like that. Yeah, something like that. Let's jump to the let's jump to the video because we're almost side of time. And it's a funny video. It's just basically um talking, like responding to the driver as she's stepping out of the vehicle, and and yeah, you'll get it because even if you can't watch it, you can hear the audio. So here we go.
SPEAKER_03Well, this is my stop. Um, good luck with the rash. That sounds awfully itchy. End of the day, the autopsy was inconclusive. So you have that on your side. Have a great day. Dragon Den, corner of Montgomery and Broadway. Ask for Benny or the dumplings. Thank you for the rat. I don't personally identify as a litigious person, but I have a pretty good feeling about your medical malpractice lawsuit. That was a treat. I do think you will be a successful DJ. I really liked the part where it sort of cranked up like a jackhammer. That was awesome. So thank you so much, DJ. What was it? DJ Sweat? All right. Good luck to you on the dental hygienist side hustle. I'm rooting for you. I am just, I am so sorry that your uncle ran over your dog. I mean, that is Karma will get that man. I am sorry. Thank you for the ride. Well, you sure as hell have some pipes on you. Thank you for singing that 15-minute version of Bohemian Rhapsody, and good luck with the American Idol tryouts. All right, five stars. I had no idea frogs could crossbreed with snakes. So that is awesome what you're working on over there at your little home terrarium. So thank you for the ride. Well, I'm in hopes that your wife's furry obsession is just a phase, but I will be thinking of you. This is me. So have a nice day.
SPEAKER_00She's good. She's really good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think her name's Natalie Corporate Natalie or something like that. Um, she does a lot of corporate, obviously, with her name, but yeah, that was really funny.
SPEAKER_00The Yeah, just a bunch of you know, awkward interactions, examples of awkward interactions you might have with uh your rideshare driver. But she does a she did a really good job.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, some of that stuff uh isn't even that awkward. I mean, uh the rash one right off the gate. I mean, that one's awkward, like, especially if it's you know, I don't care if it's on your arm. If you're talking about a rash, it just gives people the ick. Yes, it does. You know what I mean? But talking about the snakes and the DJ, like the I loved it when the jackhammer came out.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. 15-minute redition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
SPEAKER_01Right. It's like hilarious. But yeah, that's that's the stuff these, you know, and me. I'm not I'm not even throwing shade at the younger generation. I don't want to, I don't want to deal with that anyways. Although it was kind of fun when we were all well, you didn't drink in Nashville, but when we were all kind of tipsy and we're talking
Weekend Plans And Final Reminder
SPEAKER_01to the driver, and and it was just that was kind of fun, just because we're driving.
SPEAKER_00They were the one going, God, I wish these people get out of my freaking car.
SPEAKER_01Right. I I often wonder how long it takes them to realize, oh, these guys are actually Uber, like where you say some verbiage or whatever, like, oh yeah, these guys know what the hell they're talking about. Yeah, they've been in it a minute. Yeah, for sure. So got a couple more stories to get to. We'll get to that on the Patreon. Um, so you can check that out. Patreon.com slash the gig econ Christ almighty. Patreon.com slash the gig econ podcast. I'm only drinking Dr. Pepper tonight, too, so I don't have any excuse. That's the problem. I know. Uh, Larry, any gig work this weekend?
SPEAKER_00Let me think. Uh yeah, yeah. It's back to you know, week last weekend before school starts. So yeah, I plan on going out tomorrow night and uh Saturday night.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're definitely gonna be some drinking this weekend. Like they've been oh they've been shacked up at their parents' place for three months, and they're like, I need to cut loose a little bit.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, ready to butt sluice, and you get all these freshmen who've been out of mom and pop's household for the first time and it's ready to cut loose.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. Uh for me, yeah, I definitely do some gig work. Megan's working this weekend, so last weekend before school starts. Uh this week's been kind of weird. Like uh my kid had orientation, I've had appointments. Like, I haven't done a lot of like any gig work. Well, no, I don't think I've done any gig work this week at all yet. So I'm gonna try to get out tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, I don't know, maybe even Sunday. Who knows?
SPEAKER_00Um try the little dental hygienist side.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. That that thank you for pointing that out. I'm gonna chat GBT that and have them scope out some work for me and see if that's something I can accomplish before the end of 2026.
SPEAKER_00So might as well. This is another tool in the tool bag.
SPEAKER_01That's right. And as always, don't put up with anyone's bullshit. We'll see you on the road. Peace out. Hey, good night, everybody.
