Letter to the Editor: Keep ride-sharing flexible

From the Chicago Tribune

Before I drove for Uber, I was a truck driver. Unable to make my own hours, I turned to Uber for the ability to make my own rules and earn money without being tied down by strict hours or management.

I’ve seen recent criticism of the surge pricing model used by ride-sharing platforms like Uber, but people need to realize that it is this model that is most likely to address the problem, which will only be solved when and if more drivers sign up to drive.

I can make nearly twice as much money during surge hours, and that’s exactly when I decide to drive.

Forcing drivers to do this same work but make less and have less flexibility will make the problem only worse for riders and drivers.

— James Offord, Schaumburg