Uber and Lyft Drivers Are Signing a Petition Asking for Gas Price Relief

Editor’s note: This post has been updated to reflect the most recent information.

Rideshare drivers will be sweating this summer — not only from the heat but from the prices at the pump.

As gas prices reach their highest levels in four years, Uber and Lyft drivers are feeling the sting. Because rideshare drivers are independent contractors, they must cover their own expenses. So, high gas prices cut into their bottom line. This problem motivated driver Holly Rubino to create a petition on Coworker.org asking both companies to help compensate drivers for the surging gas costs. The petition has 641 signatures and counting.

“I am asking Uber & Lyft to raise the rates that the customer pays to help drivers deal with the cost of rising gas prices!” Rubino writes in her Coworker.org petition.

“Gas prices are hitting us hard! Both companies could also take a smaller commission from fares AND we should be paid for our mileage to pick up the customer from the point where we have accepted their request to when we have dropped them off at their desired location.”

The average price per gallon of regular gas in the U.S. is $2.88, with averages as high as $3.69 in California and $3.73 in Hawaii, according to AAA.

Uber and Lyft currently offer fuel savings programs for their drivers. The ”Uber Visa Debit Card” from GoBank offers 3% cash back on gas purchases at Exxon and Mobil stations and 1.5% cash back at all other gas stations. Lyft has partnered with Shell on a “Fuel Rewards” program that gives drivers discounts of 5 to 7 cents per gallon.

Lyft announced on Wednesday that it plans to help drivers with gas prices this summer. Starting July 1, Lyft drivers will earn 10 cents back per gallon of gas purchased through the Shell “Fuel Rewards” program. Drivers who have reached gold or platinum status as part of Lyft’s Accelerate program will receive 25 cents and 50 cents back per gallon of gas purchased, respectively.

Matt Reinstetle is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. He has a 5-star rating as a passenger with Uber.