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Driver's Seat

I like Uber but don't love it. Back when I first starting using the service, I often chatted with the drivers - there was a sense of novelty in the experience for both sides. They came from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds and were often not driving Uber as their sole source of income. They were generally happy with the money they made on a flexible schedule and the opportunity to run into a people they would have not met any other way. 

Those were the good times. In more recent years, its more common to travel in complete silence. We learn nothing about each other. On rare occasion when a driver has talked to me, they have expressed frustration with Uber and how they don't make nearly as much as they once used to. The joy has gone out of the job. The drivers I see now need to Uber to pay the bills - its not something they do on the side for fun. It was interesting to read that the company CEO has spent time being a driver and understanding the drivers' pain points. Hopefully that has made a difference this story claims it has:

Khosrowshahi’s experience as an Uber driver gave him a new perspective. As he said, “Historically, we’ve always put a premium on the rider experience.” But being a non-founder CEO has allowed him to challenge old decisions. Uber needs to win the “hearts and minds” of drivers, too. This has made a competitive difference. 

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