The question of how much take-home income Uber drivers actually make is a tricky one, to say the least. While Uber does put out some optimistic figures on what its best little worker bees can achieve, the consensus is that the days of making a sustainable full-time living off driving people around town are coming to an end.
So since it looks like Uber can’t get its drivers a comfortable wage through conventional means, it’s turning to unconventional ones instead. The ride-sharing company has paired up with Cargo, a startup that provides products and a platform for ridesharing drivers to sell corner-store conveniences to riders during their trip.
Cargo is already live in nine cities, and the business model is simple. Rideshare drivers get a “Cargo Box” full of goodies to sell to riders, including stuff like headphones, phone chargers, snack bars, and gum. When riders get in the vehicle and want to buy something, they open or download the Cargo app, scan a barcode, pay through the app, and then the driver gives them whatever they bought.
Cargo’s partnership with Uber will make it easier for drivers to take part in the always-hustlin’ economy. Cargo boxes will be available for free to Uber drivers with a rating above 4.7 who are active on the platform, and drivers will get at least $1 per order, even if the “order” is just one of Cargo’s free samples.
In theory, this partnership will make it more convenient for Uber riders to buy conveniences without having to move an extra inch; let’s just hope it doesn’t devolve into every single Uber ride being a bad version of the home shopping channel.
