The GIG Economy Podcast

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 285 News Links We chase a slow January across rideshare, delivery, and shopping, then dig into AI hoaxes, rising energy costs from data centers, and where autonomy helps or harms. Laws, kiosks, drones, and tipping rules collide with real driver pay and trust. • dry January reducing orders and routes • multi‑app strategies to survive slow demand • AI misinformation and fake whistleblower fallout • data centers raising electricity costs and bills • Calif...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 284 News Links We break down a wild start to 2026: rumors of a DoorDash “desperation score,” shifting incentives across Uber, Lyft, and Spark, and the thin line between algorithmic efficiency and exploitation. From a Waymo red-light fail to McDonald’s weighing bags, we push on safety, trust, and what drivers can actually control. • Uber quest math vs Lyft drought on bonuses • Spark incentives influencing supply on holidays • Long-trip deadhead realitie...

We would love to hear your feedback! Follow Steve at ridesharerodeo.com We trade holiday greetings and dive straight into autonomous vehicle hype versus reality, then tackle flooded delivery markets, “Dash Now for all,” and a bold proposal to cap active drivers to improve earnings and reduce data waste. A Boulder case study shows restaurants reclaiming ordering while still using DoorDash drivers, hinting at a new pathway for fair pricing and better tips. • Waymo’s recalls, school bus failure...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 282 News Links We go solo and cover a wild delivery sabotage caught on camera, the real risks couriers face, Instacart’s shifting prices, and the future of gig work with AI and city rules. We finish with tipping fights in NYC and why the community keeps drivers sane and safer. • Larry out for family emergency, community support updates • Ring-caught pepper spray incident and platform accountability • Practical safety tactics for deliveries and ride pic...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 281 News Links Two hosts dig into the latest gig economy twists: Uber’s targeted ads built on trip insights, DoorDash account takeovers draining restaurant payouts, porch pirates using Wi‑Fi jammers, and the messy realities behind driverless rides. We weigh security fixes, fair pay, and where AI helps or hurts. • Uber ads tied to anonymised trip insights and rising rider prices • DoorDash merchant hacks via email credential theft and weak 2FA • Package...