# Media Article: How has COVID-19 affected drivers?



## jackd123 (Jan 6, 2020)

Hi all,

My name's Jack Derwin and I'm a journalist with Business Insider Australia. I've written on this forum before and some of you have been kind enough to share your thoughts on the rideshare business.

I'm curious as to what the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak has been on drivers. I know there are already various posts already on here discussing the various ramifications but I'd like to talk to as many of you as I can directly. Specifically, I'd like to hear:

how your income has been affected,
how you balance the health risks with the need to work,
whether you've stopped or cut back your hours,
how the number of riders on the platforms has been affected,
and if you've received any compensation or had any more clarity on compensation programs from rideshare companies
You can message me, answer here, or email me at [email protected]

Thanks for your time.


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## DA08 (Mar 18, 2017)

jackd123 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My name's Jack Derwin and I'm a journalist with Business Insider Australia. I've written on this forum before and some of you have been kind enough to share your thoughts on the rideshare business.
> 
> ...


Looooollll &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;
You really sound like a troll... Why would a respectable journalist would do a report based on what someone on UP said via a username...? A real journalist would've gone out and meet a few drivers/take a few trips/go to airport and actually speak to drivers... So basically go troll somewhere else &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;


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## Rudi Zarzoff (Nov 19, 2016)

DA08 said:


> Looooollll &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;
> You really sound like a troll... Why would a respectable journalist would do a report based on what someone on UP said via a username...? A real journalist would've gone out and meet a few drivers/take a few trips/go to airport and actually speak to drivers... So basically go troll somewhere else &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;


I think Jack would love time editing the grammatical mistakes in your post.


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

Jack Derwin (@jackd123) is indeed a highly respected journalist. You can read his recent articles here: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/author/jack-derwin?r=US&IR=T.

For his profile and background, see https://au.linkedin.com/in/jack-derwin-65405797.


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## jackd123 (Jan 6, 2020)

Thanks, Jack.

Regarding your concerns, DA08, I'd like to chat to drivers off this forum with a view to using their name, not a username, if they were willing to share it. Any driver interested in talking should feel free to drop me a message. Thanks.


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## DA08 (Mar 18, 2017)

T


Jack Malarkey said:


> Jack Derwin (@jackd123) is indeed a highly respected journalist. You can read his recent articles here: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/author/jack-derwin?r=US&IR=T.
> 
> For his profile and background, see https://au.linkedin.com/in/jack-derwin-65405797.


That's all good but you or anyone else could've create an account on UP with his name... As I said if he wants to talk to drivers all he has to do is go to AP cage... Plenty of them there...



jackd123 said:


> Thanks, Jack.
> 
> Regarding your concerns, DA08, I'd like to chat to drivers off this forum with a view to using their name, not a username, if they were willing to share it. Any driver interested in talking should feel free to drop me a message. Thanks.


We are big on conspiracy theory's here lol... 
You could be an uber employee trying to find out our names... As I said - you want to talk to drivers? Do it face to face not on some forum... Although I could say a lot of things that never see the news - I would only talk face to face...



jackd123 said:


> Thanks, Jack.
> 
> Regarding your concerns, DA08, I'd like to chat to drivers off this forum with a view to using their name, not a username, if they were willing to share it. Any driver interested in talking should feel free to drop me a message. Thanks.


We are big on conspiracy theory's here lol... 
You could be an uber employee trying to find out our names... As I said - you want to talk to drivers? Do it face to face not on some forum... Although I could say a lot of things that never see the news - I would only talk face to face...


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

@jackd123, I have emailed some information and comments to you to use in your article.


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## TemptingFate (May 2, 2019)

bfacchinei said:


> Newsy is looking to interview a full-time rideshare driver via Skype to talk about how work has changed since the coronavirus pandemic began. This is for a story we're doing on how the pandemic could change the sharing economy. Can be located anywhere in the U.S.


Hmmm, let's see. 
I'm leaning towards @bfacchinei over @jackd123 based on profile pic alone.


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## jackd123 (Jan 6, 2020)

I understand the suspicion but here's a link to my posts months ago in this forum: https://uberpeople.net/threads/didi-business-insider.371197/page-2#post-5743971

And here's a link to the article I wrote with the help of members on this forum, as well as many I met off it: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/...pay-rates-commission-vs-uber-rideshare-2020-1

Obviously a lot trickier to go to the airport at the moment to talk to drivers DA08 given the coronavirus.


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## IR12 (Nov 11, 2017)

jackd123 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My name's Jack Derwin and I'm a journalist with Business Insider Australia. I've written on this forum before and some of you have been kind enough to share your thoughts on the rideshare business.
> 
> ...


No disrespect but, have you considered reading the TONS of threads on this topic?


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## jackd123 (Jan 6, 2020)

Thanks, IR12, but I'll need to speak to drivers directly for an article. You'll understand that I can't just quote comments that weren't provided to me.


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## joffie (Jan 31, 2016)

Good luck Jack
Unfortunately this forum treats new members like they are a troll and some members are experts in everything.
Hope you find what you are looking for. There are some Facebook groups around not sure if they will be more cooperative.


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

DA08 said:


> Looooollll &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;
> You really sound like a troll...


As opposed to you who continue to prove you are one with every successive post.

.


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## WhogivesAF? (Feb 17, 2020)

jackd123 said:


> Thanks, IR12, but I'll need to speak to drivers directly for an article. You'll understand that I can't just quote comments that weren't provided to me.


Why would you want to talk to some of the low life's on this forum ? The self-centred on this forum are only motivated by what's in it for them and nothing else. But understandably, that is the nature of the business.

However what is intolerable, is the generaly held belief that as long as the virus kills the old and the infirm, and not them; that is acceptable. This myopic view of the world displays the lack of social concern of the personalities in the rideshare business. Many in this business view themselves as fully qualified Astronauts but don't realise that they are in fact mere "space cadets." As a result the process for logical thought has become a distant memory for the pseudo intellectuals who 'frequent' this forum.

Save your sympathy for people who require it. Unless of course, your sole motivation is to fill some newspaper column space. If the truth be told, most of the rideshare drivers will be earning far more with the jobseeker package than they did with Uber.


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## DA08 (Mar 18, 2017)

WhogivesAF? said:


> Why would you want to talk to some of the low life's on this forum ? The self-centred CT's on this forum are only motivated by what's in it for them and nothing else. But understandably, that is the nature of the business.
> 
> However what is intolerable, is the generaly held belief that as long as the virus kills the old and the infirm, and not them; that is acceptable. This myopic view of the world displays the lack of social concern of the personalities in the rideshare business. Many in this business view themselves as fully qualified Astronauts but don't realise that they are in fact mere "space cadets." As a result the process for logical thought has become a distant memory for the pseudo intellectuals who 'frequent' this forum.
> 
> Save your sympathy for people who require it. Unless of course, your sole motivation is to fill some newspaper column space. If the truth be told, most of the rideshare drivers will be earning far more with the jobseeker package than they did with Uber.


Of course drivers would make more with jobseeker... $550 per week tax free with no expenses... It doesn't take a genius to work it out.


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## WhogivesAF? (Feb 17, 2020)

The moderator was not impressed by my reference to some members of this forum as CT’s. What is wrong with calling people Charming Turnips ?


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## DA08 (Mar 18, 2017)

WhogivesAF? said:


> The moderator was not impressed by my reference to some members of this forum as CT's. What is wrong with calling people Charming Turnips ?


Oh yeah I'm sure that's what you meant


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## WhogivesAF? (Feb 17, 2020)

DA08 said:


> Oh yeah I'm sure that's what you meant


Oh you cynical little turnip.


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## DA08 (Mar 18, 2017)

WhogivesAF? said:


> Oh you cynical little turnip.


&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;


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