IDB study: Uber drivers in Latin America are educated men earning US$7 per hour

Uber drivers in Latin America and the Caribbean are overwhelmingly male (91 percent), most have a high rate of university education (57 percent) and tend to take on the work part-time to supplement their income, according to a study released on Wednesday by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Average gross hourly earnings from driving stand at US$7.30. Men work nearly 20 hours per week on the platform, while women average 16 hours, the study found.

More than 13,700 drivers were interviewed across eight countries in the region: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

“Most work part-time and value the autonomy this type of job offers, even above salaried positions with similar pay,” two IDB experts wrote in a blog post published by the institution.

Faced with labour market instability and the need to make ends meet, drivers – who have an average age of 41 – turn to this flexible but insecure line of work.

Flexibility was cited as the main advantage by respondents, who nonetheless acknowledged that they lack social protection.

Only a third of drivers contribute towards a pension through their work with Uber.

“Drivers turn to Uber during recessions, periods of unemployment or personal crises. The platform offers immediacy and liquidity, but not necessarily stability,” the report states.

“Uber drivers are often portrayed as a symbol of the future of work. In Latin America and the Caribbean, they may represent something else: a reflection of the present. Their experiences show how millions of people already navigate unstable incomes, weak safety nets and the constant need to adapt,” the study’s authors conclude.

– TIMES/AFP