Sioux Falls Rideshare Drivers Feeling the Pinch at the Pump

One thing everyone has in common these days, we're all getting pumped, at the pump!

Gas prices keep going up and up and up, with no immediate end in sight.

While it's true the pinch at the pump is being felt by everyone, one group of people that is really feeling it at the moment are the people in the rideshare community.

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Since the severe hike in gas prices, Lyft and Uber drivers in the Sioux Falls area have taken a serious pay cut in a lot of cases, forcing a number of drivers to look for other jobs where they are able to make better money.

Sioux Falls Lyft driver Jason Bechler told Dakota News Now about his current struggles being a rideshare driver at the moment.

Bechler remembers having a really profitable month when Sioux Falls was hosting a recent golf tournament. But lately, thanks to rising fuel costs things are changing rapidly.

Lyft and Uber drivers are forced to buy fuel for their own vehicles, and right now that is costing them big time. So much so, that many drivers have quit the rideshare program altogether. And that is leaving residents who rely on Lyft and Uber to get to places like work, and school in a lurch.

As Bechler told Dakota News Now, “Their normal pickup times that they’re used to aren’t getting to their location or their jobs as quickly as it used to be.” Due in part to fewer rideshare drivers being on the road at this time.

Bechler told Dakota News Now, he has no plans to stop driving for Lyft right now. For him, his line of work has evolved into more of a commitment to the people of the Sioux Falls community.

Those who rely on services like Lyft and Uber are being encouraged to order their rides as early as possible. At least a half-hour in advance, to help ensure you arrive at your destination point on time.

By the way, Dakota News Now reached out to Lyft Incorporated regarding the situation, here is the message they received from a spokesperson: “We care deeply about the driver experience and we’ve taken concrete steps to help given rising gas prices. Our investments in programs like our GetUpside partnership and the Lyft Direct cashback debit card are designed to directly save drivers money at the pump. We’ll continue to explore other ways to help the driver community.”

Source: Dakota News Now

TRENDING FROM RESULTS-TOWNSQUARE MEDIA SIOUX FALLS:

20 Years of Gas Prices' Ups and Downs

'Gas prices: giving us something to talk about with our coworkers for 20 years.' I don't remember where I first heard it, but that's the perfect way to describe all the pointless complaining sessions we all have taken part in over the years.

I don't much attention to the price of gas. Admittedly I do not work in a field that directly relies on equipment that takes gallons and gallons of gas. But, as an average car driver, I'm just going to pay whatever it costs.

It's not that I don't care, I just know I don't have a choice. I'm going to need gas, so I'm going to pay whatever they charge. Kids gotta get to school and I gotta get to work. The only real choice is to drive or not to drive. Walking the ten-mile round trip to work every day is impractical, especially during one of South Dakota's patented six-month winters.

Besides being low-key annoying, complaining about the price of gas is dumb because I remember things. Like that the price of gas has been up and down for at least 20 years. 2021 is no better or worse than 2003. It takes at least $40 to fill my tank this year just like it did in 2017.

But, why not dig into the photo archives and find some proof of memory. Because news stories about gas prices are the pointless small talk of journalism, there are lots of pictures of gas station signs from the last couple of decades.

Starting in 2000 we can see that rise and fall of gas prices in the United States. World events, natural disasters, and economic changes all affect the price. And all through those years, I paid what was charged.