Driving for rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft is not at all times perfect. Among the most common aches, if not the most common, is low pay.
Well, that doesn’t mean that drivers receive low pay every now and then. There are ride surges, so those are their chances to earn more.
However, just as the incomes of gig workers have dropped, so do for these ridesharing drivers. Therefore, some Uber and Lyft drivers have turned to outside apps like GigU, Maxymo, and Mystro to help them work smarter, and duck from low-paying rides.
It’s like turning to LinkedIn to find jobs or gigs that pay well.
About those apps
Initially, there’s GigU, a smart assistant app designed to assist rideshare and delivery riders, so they could maximize their earnings by providing tools that will evaluate and choose the most profitable rides. It’s a smart copilot.
“The smart copilot that cherry-picks rides and boosts your profits. Hit your goals faster, save money, and increase earnings,” stated the official website of GigU. Yes, this app has been designed to cherry-pick your ride.
Then, you’ve got Maxymo. On the other hand, Maxymo is a utility app helping to manage rideshare and delivery requests with the use of custom filters the driver has set. This platform has filters that drivers can set for auto-accepting and -declining requests. Once requests are accepted, Maxymo helps drivers take the other apps offline.
Finally, you’ve got Mystro. Simply put, Mystro is the driver app that helps them automate their tasks, thereby increase their earnings.
“Absolutely every ride-sharing driver needs this app. Makes you the money it costs daily. Much safer and more productive. It’s a win-win,” stated Mystro’s official website.
Are those apps effective for the rideshare drivers? Absolutely.
Sergio Avedian, a driver who owns a YouTube channel and a gig driver advocacy blog, commented on those apps, saying, “They weed out the garbage offers that they’re sending you. The cherry-pickers always make more money."
But here’s the caveat
But here’s the caveat. Since those apps are working like “gaming cheat codes,” ridesharing giants like Uber and Lyft argue they are losing the business battle since those apps run afoul their terms of service.
The battle is turned on.
Uber’s side is saying they wouldn’t talk which app is disrupting their revenue, but they stated that using “tools to bypass the system breaks their Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.”
“It hurts riders, other drivers, and the trust that keeps Uber running,” they added.
Those external apps’ response? Accusing Uber of accusing them of violations.
For example, Doug Feigelson, the CEO of Mystro, told ridesharing media that Uber has sent letters accusing his company of violating its service terms and interfering with its relationships with drivers.
“We think we’re aligned with at least their publicly stated values,” he stated, adding that he believes the Mystro app promotes driver safety by keeping the drivers’ eyes on the road. He further noted that he hoped the companies could reach a deal and be at peace with each other. “But we certainly are worried, especially with Uber’s cease-and-desist letters, that they might sue us.”
Do things end with just words? No.
Uber Brazil sued GigU, an app in the United States, last May. While GigU kept defending its side, Uber was strong, saying the legal process was already ongoing. GigU further defended itself by filing antitrust complaints against Uber with a Brazilian regulation institution.