Driving for Uber on the side helps Michael Healy of Chicago have some extra money for paying bills.

"Working with Uber paid for my family vacation," Healy said. "My full time job doesn’t pay all the bills. Uber bridges the gap and then some.”

As Illinois embraces its recent minimum wage hike, supported by Mayor Brandon Johnson, a recent Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) Study Report revealed that ride-share drivers, particularly those working for Transportation Network Providers (TNPs) like Uber and Lyft, are earning well above minimum wage already.

The study found that 65.30% of ride-share drivers in Chicago earn an average weekly income of around $1,000. The study indicates that 65.30% of full-time Uber and Lyft drivers make a net $18.90-$27.90 per hour after deducting expenses. The expenses were calculated to be $12.10 per hour. 22.6% of ride share drivers make a net $31-$40 per hour; with expenses factored in, the 22.6% make $28.90-$37.90. The study defined full-time as logging 30 more hours per week.

According to WTTW Chicago, alderpeople, with the support of Mayor Brandon Johnson, have launched an initiative to ensure equal minimum hourly wages for all workers in Chicago, regardless of whether they receive tips.

Johnson, backed by the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois, had campaigned against the tipped minimum wage, noting its impact on Black and Latina women. The minimum wage in Chicago increased 40 cents to $15.80 per hour on July 1.

"If individuals are going to be able to afford to live in the city of Chicago, we’re gonna have to have wages that reflect the cost increase that is creeping up on all of us.," the mayor said. "I see any effort that we put forth as a government to secure the economics for working people certainly places us in a far better position to have a sustainable economy."

According to the City of Chicago website, the minimum wage is $15.80 for employers with 21 or more employees and $15 per hour for 4 to 20 employees as of July 1. For "workers who receive tips as part of their wage, like restaurant servers," minimum wage is $9 for employers with 4 to 20 workers, and $9.48 for employers with 21 or more workers.

The Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) independent study was commissioned by the City of Chicago and conducted by Crowe LLP, a public accounting, consulting and technology firm based in Chicago. The findings were published in April. PPVs are for-hire vehicles including taxicabs, Transportation Network Providers (TNPs), liveries (limousines and town cars), pedicabs, charter and sight-seeing buses, private ambulances, water taxis and tour boats. The scope of the city's assessment was limited to Chicago taxicabs, TNPs and liveries. TNP companies include Uber, Lyft and Via.

The study primarily focuses on analyzing the earnings of full-time drivers, but it also includes an examination of average hourly earnings for part-time drivers for comparison purposes. According to the findings, 52.2% of part-time TNP chauffeurs (defined as those working less than 30 hours per week driving passengers) earned between $31 and $40 per hour according to "trip time" and before expenses. Crowe distinguished trip time as the "total time driving passengers" versus "session time" as the "total time logged in the TNP application."

Comparing the distribution of average hourly earnings between full-time and part-time TNP chauffeurs, it was observed that part-time chauffeurs had higher percentages of earnings between $51 and $60 per hour. This could be attributed to part-time chauffeurs strategically choosing to drive during high-demand hours, such as major events, peak commuting times and weekends, in order to maximize their earnings. 

According to The Ways to Wealth, UberEats Delivery Driver was ranked second on a list of 33 highest paying gig economy jobs. The flexibility of an UberEats driver, being able to work whenever one wants, as well as the immediate pay-out from each delivery make this gig economy job high on the list. Uber driver was ranked 3rd on the list. The requirements to sign up include uploading a valid driver's license, insurance and headshot.

According to Oberlo, ride sharing and taxi driving were named in a list of the 10 best gig economy jobs. Minimum requirements like having a smartphone and car plus the flexibility of earning money on the side place ride sharing jobs like Uber and Lyft on the list.

Based on 2019 City of Chicago 311 calls related to PPV data, the vast majority of 311 calls related to both taxi and TNP rides contained negative reports, with the most common concerns related to poor service or driving. Of these passenger complaints, 8 times more 311 calls were made about taxi drivers than TNPs, despite TNPs having a "Call 311 for help" signage mandated, and 10 times as many drivers.