BUFFALO NY (WIVB) — The price at the pump is making things very difficult right now, especially for people who make their living behind the wheel. Drivers for companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash, now have to work extra just to make the money back that they lost filling up their tanks.
“Not good at all, because maybe then maybe I’d have to start looking for another job somewhere, steady job where I don’t have to drive,” said Uber driver Sumsul Shain.
“Just to get to work you have to spend so much money, you know what I’m saying so it’s kind of defeating the purpose,” said Uber Eats driver Amber Simone. “I mean it’s just kind of insane to be spending like 50 dollars a day on gas especially when I have to drive like 3 to 4 hours, to just make enough to fill my tank so it’s a little hard for me especially when I’m doing this full time.”
On Wednesday the cost per gallon was as much as $4.69 in some places.
“It’s not just us the drivers in Buffalo, even regular people has to commute using their car so let’s say SUV, you don’t have a hybrid, electric, you still got to commute place to place and every time you start that engine, you use gas,” Shain said.
Uber and other ride-sharing services did announce that they will help drivers out with the rising cost in gas, by adding a temporary surcharge for customers. Simone says it doesn’t make much of a difference.
“It’s kind of hard to make money with it unless you drive all day,” she said.
Sarah Minkewicz is a reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here.
