Uber Poll 2017 - Flexibility key for drivers

ORB International is today publishing the results of its second independent poll of over 1000 licensed private hire drivers across the UK who currently use the Uber app.

The survey reveals:

Nine in ten (91%) drivers say they are “very/somewhat satisfied” driving with Uber while 89% would “recommend driving with Uber to others interested in driving”. 92% also state that Uber is a “good company to work with” and just 18% would prefer to be working with another taxi or minicab company.
94% of drivers said they “joined Uber because I wanted to be my own boss and choose my own hours”, with just 6% saying they “joined Uber because I couldn’t find other work”.
When asked whether they would rather remain self-employed or be classified as a worker or employee of Uber, 80% of drivers say they would prefer to stay as an independent contractor.
93% agree that they feel “in control of when I drive” with just 4% disagreeing. 84% say they feel “in control of which trips I take” with just 12% disagreeing.
Almost nine in ten (88%) believe that “Uber has improved things for drivers” over the last 12 months, with just 6% disagreeing.
The most popular new feature introduced by the company in recent months was paid waiting time (which 86% described as positive), followed by driver destinations (78% positive) and in-app tipping (75% positive). However, almost one in five (18%) were not aware of the new tipping feature, while 44% said they had not heard of the discounted illness and injury cover available through Uber’s partnership with IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed).

Other findings of the poll include:

Half (50%) of drivers say that since using the app their income has increased with just 11% saying it has decreased. Six in ten (61%) say their ability to “balance work with life” has improved since driving with Uber, with only 7% saying it has worsened.
More than four in five (82%) drivers say Uber is their main source of income with 10% saying it tops up other sources of income and 8% saying it is one of a few different main sources of income.
Almost two-thirds (65%) of drivers have been using the app for more than a year – with 28% using it for two or more years. More than half of drivers (52%) plan to continue driving with Uber for more than 2 years, while a third (34%) said they did not know.
Before signing up to drive with Uber, less than a third (31%) of drivers said their main source of income was from driving a taxi or minicab, while 39% were employed full-time in a different sector, 15% were self-employed, 9% worked part-time in a different sector and 4% were unemployed.
Just one in seven (14%) drive a set number of hours, with two-fifths (40%) deciding how many hours to drive depending on what else they have going on and 32% setting a goal for the total amount they want to earn in a given day, week or month. 14% say they decide to drive on the spur of the moment.

Johnny Heald, Managing Director of ORB International, said:

“While Uber has been in the headlines for the past few days, we’ve heard little about the 40,000 drivers who could be impacted by the licence refusal. Our poll shows that four in five drivers rely on Uber as their main source of income. They also value the flexibility of choosing when and where they drive. When asked whether they’d prefer to remain self-employed or become a worker or employee of Uber, the overwhelming majority want to continue being their own boss.

Most drivers also recognise the improvements Uber has made over the last year with new features like paid waiting time and in-app tipping. However, the company still has work to do with more than four in ten drivers unaware of the discounted illness and injury cover announced earlier this year.”

Results tables available here – ORB International Uber Driver Poll 2017

Methodology and About ORB

Sample Size and Mode of Field Work:

ORB interviewed a representative sample of 1002 drivers who use the Uber app throughout England, Scotland and Wales between 8^th September – 17^th September via telephone. Respondents were all currently driving with Uber. The final data has been weighted to ensure it is representative of the total distribution of drivers who use the Uber app across the UK. The statistical margin of error at the 95% confidence level is +3.07%. ORB International is a founding member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

About ORB International

Established in 1994, ORB has grown to become one of the UK’s leading bespoke corporate and issues-led market research companies. Their polling has featured regularly in national newspapers both in the UK and abroad. They are a founding member of the British Polling Council and a member of the World Association of Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). ORB is the UK member of the global WIN/Gallup International Association

About WIN/Gallup International

WIN/Gallup International is the leading association in market research and polling and is made up of the 77 largest independent market research and polling firms in their respective countries with combined revenue of over €550 million and covering 95% of the world’s market.

For more than 60 years WIN/Gallup International Members have demonstrated their expert ability to conduct multi-country surveys on a comparable basis and deliver the highest quality. Their Members are leading national institutes with a profound local knowledge of research methods and techniques, statistical sources, customs and culture differences of its own country and carefully selected by the Association Board. With only one Member agency per country,

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