I tried The Drivers Cooperative, a new rideshare app available in New York City. Unlike Uber, Lyft, and other ride service providers, drivers own and are in control of The Drivers Cooperative. The drivers’ association
The drivers’ association
According to the app’s website, the Drivers Cooperative was formed for high commissions that Uber and Lyft take from drivers. The company hopes to provide drivers with higher wages in the short term and a “fair, green transition in the industry” in the long term.
Carpoolers demonstrate against carpooling Uber and Lyft during a car-trailer protest in Los Angeles on Aug. 6, 2020. – Drivers, organized by the Mobile Workers Alliance and Rideshare Drivers United, say Uber and Lyft are driving a “fraudulent” poll initiative in November that they claim is “rewriting labor law” and is app-based Turning Driver into an independent contractor would exempt companies like Lyft and Uber from standard wage and hour restrictions.
ROBYN BECK / AFP via Getty Images
Source: The Drivers Cooperative
To sign in, I downloaded the app and entered personal information like my name and phone number. Signing up was easy and I was able to start ordering cars in minutes.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
I first tried to find a driver to pick me up in Queens.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
Before I ordered the car, The Drivers Cooperative had a breakdown of the fees and where exactly my money went. I noticed that the price was a bit more expensive than what I would pay for a similar ride on Uber and Lyft, but still pretty much on par.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
Unfortunately there weren’t enough cars in the area, so it took about 10 minutes to find a driver. And when the app picked a driver, the car was going in the wrong direction and I had to cancel.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
But The Drivers Cooperative acknowledged that the company was just getting started and there could potentially be “bumps in the road” as it gains more users. I decided to try again in Manhattan, where I thought there would be more cars.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
Getting a car in Manhattan took about a minute or two. The driver arrived within five minutes.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
My driver, Tarsem Singh, said he wasn’t part of the group of drivers who started the app – but he likes The Drivers Cooperative more than Uber and Lyft.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
Singh said Uber and Lyft are not listening to drivers. While driving for Uber, he said a teenage passenger complained that he was driving too slowly. In reality, Singh said he had exceeded the speed limit and the passenger wanted him to drive faster.
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Uber put his account on hold after the passenger complained about him. Singh said he tried to appeal his suspension but failed.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
Singh said he was happy with the passengers using The Drivers Cooperative. He said he is urging New Yorkers to use the app because it “makes a lot more money for drivers”.
Courtesy Tarsem Singh
Despite some hurdles I faced when ordering a car, I would encourage more people to use the app. The cost is similar to Uber and Lyft, and I feel better knowing my money is going to keep Singh and other drivers happy.
Allana Akhtar / Insider
