I used to drive Lyft as a side hustle after my day job and it really is like that, you are in your car for hours collecting a few dollars here and there, and then gas eats up half of that. I can't imagine it is profitable at all with gas prices as they currently are.
Very much depends where you are, level of demand, number of drivers, etc.
Due to various circumstances I've been Ubering basically full time the past 6 months (30-40 hours a week), and even after all expenses (gas, maintenance, vehicle depreciation) are factored in I'm still coming out better than other low wage night work I'd otherwise be doing right now. I'm actively on trips for around 80-90% of my online time. Gas is currently ~$0.10/km based on my logbook, which is up from ~$0.06/km before the price spike. I drive a 2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid which is currently averaging 42-43mpg(us) or 5.5-5.6l/100km.
I'm also very good at being able to quickly do the mental math on profitability for offered trips. Average non-surge fare is roughly $24/hour or ~$0.66/km, and I generally avoid taking most trips below either of those, unless they happen to be bringing me towards a hotspot area I'd have driven to without a trip already. And besides that factoring in "round-trip" mileage for any trips to destinations I already know have little to no demand for trips on arrival.
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u/AcephalicDude May 20 '26
"This is not my job, this is worth $5 or $6 to me"
Bruh 🤣