Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Ride-hailing companies recruiting drivers in Las Vegas

Lyft Ad

Lyft

An advertisement from Lyft seeking drivers in Las Vegas.

Updated Monday, July 6, 2015 | 12:59 p.m.

Disruptors, start your engines: Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft are recruiting drivers in Las Vegas in anticipation of their launch later this summer.

Lyft has blanketed social media and Craigslist in recent weeks with advertisements boasting “flexible work” while earning up to $35 an hour.

Lyft hopes to have hundreds of drivers on board when it launches, spokeswoman Chelsea Wilson said.

"We've wanted to be in Vegas for a very long time," Wilson said. "We're planning to launch in the area as soon as the regulations allow and for it to be one of our biggest launches yet."

Uber, the market leader, has posted several Craigslist ads looking for “driver partners,” described as part-time, independent contractors who can earn up to $800 a week.

Uber and Lyft are the two leaders in the nascent ride-hailing industry, which allows customers to arrange rides through their smartphones.

While the services have spread to more than 100 cities across the country over the last five years, their arrival in Nevada has been delayed by regulatory hurdles and fierce opposition from the taxicab and limousine industry.

The state Legislature passed a pair of laws in May clearing the way for the companies to begin operating legally in Nevada.

Last week, the Nevada Transportation Authority approved “emergency regulations” that allow ride-hailing companies to apply for an operating permit, but so far no applications have been submitted.

The two companies have largely similar requirements for drivers, with a few minor differences.

Both require drivers be at least 21 years old with valid driver’s insurance, clean driving records and auto insurance specifically tailored for ride-hailing uses.

Perhaps the biggest discrepancy is in the advertised pay.

Uber says drivers can make up to $800 a week using its platform, while Lyft puts the upper limit at $1,500 a week. Neither said how many working hours are needed to earn that much.

The figures also don’t include the cost of gas, insurance and vehicle maintenance drivers are responsible for, which can cost as much as $2,900 a year, according to an analysis by financial education website NerdWallet.

A November investigation by Buzzfeed found that 11 New York City drivers chosen randomly earned between $10.71 and $31.44 an hour, including expenses. Over a 40-hour work week, that translates to $428.40 to $1,257.60 in earnings.

It will likely take the agency several weeks to process applications once they are filed, meaning it could be late summer or early fall before Uber and Lyft drivers are finally ferrying passengers around the valley.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy