The GIG Economy Podcast

The Gig Economy Podcast
  • 4.5 (58)
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Talks about our Gig Economy adventures and breaking down the Gig Economy News

  1. 5D AGO

    Why Uber Eats Tips Changed And What Drivers Should Do Next. | Ep 292

    We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 292 News Links Two drivers swap snow-soaked stories that expose how stacking, distance, and clunky app UX turn hot food cold and good intent into fixes on the fly. We break down Uber Eats’ no-edit tip change, Walmart Spark’s settlement confusion, robots blocking ambulances, and Uber’s parking play with SpotHero. • triple stack delays and food temperature trade-offs • message vs notes on DoorDash and misdrop recovery • Uber Eats removes in-app tip edits and support paths • split-tipping ideas and fairness for both sides • Walmart Spark $100m settlement timing and clarity • tickets, towing risk, and private parking enforcement • Uber acquiring SpotHero and in-app parking flow • Waymo blocking emergency vehicles and override needs • DoorDash bot speed, safety, and multi-order security • robot wranglers as new frontline jobs • weekend gig plans and app experiments Seven-day free trial, three bucks a month. Go to patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 2m

  2. MAR 2

    We Confront Uber’s Safety Failings, Test New Side Hustle Apps, And Debate Autonomy While Swapping Real Rideshare Stories. | Ep 291

    We would love to hear your feedback! We trade late-night rideshare stories with real safety lessons, then dig into Uber’s background check controversy, the pace of misconduct reports, and what policy changes could actually protect people. We also explore Uber’s EV charging push, a new trash-day gig app, Life360’s family integration, Waymo’s assertive maneuvers, and DoorDash’s retail surge. • fast-driving Uber and Lyft rides, phone mount risks, rating and reporting choices • lifetime bans for sexual offenses and violent felonies, extended lookbacks for others • Uber’s $100m EV charging network, DC fast charging economics, hybrid advantage • Crew Home app for short-term rental trash routes, route density, and payout clarity • Life360 and Uber linking for teen rides and real-time location • dashcam value, boundaries when riders leave kids or push unsafe requests • Waymo lane aggression and how autonomy should yield • DoorDash growth in flowers, retail partners, and on-demand convenience Thank you, guys, for supporting the show. If you would like to support the show, go to patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 6m

  3. FEB 23

    When The App Is Wrong And Support Won’t Listen, What Should Drivers Do? | Ep 290

    We would love to hear your feedback! A pizza goes to the right address—until the app decides it didn’t. That’s where our night begins: inside a double-order mix-up that flips a completed delivery into a fresh task 10 miles away, and a support chat that insists the driver is at fault. We unpack what really happened, why third-party systems like Toast can scramble instructions mid-route, and how to protect your tips, ratings, and sanity when the software gets it wrong. From there we hit the messy middle of Valentine’s week: dead mornings, stacked evening runs, and last-minute Walmart substitutions where a giant bear and the “prettiest roses left” collide with anxious customer DMs. We talk practical messaging, when to stop negotiating and drive, and why some tiny orders tip up while larger ones evaporate after a cancellation. Then we zoom out to the cost of convenience—how DoorDash, Uber Eats, and fees-on-fees push weekly food budgets into debt territory—and what it means for both customers and drivers who rely on those orders. Security isn’t a side note this time. We share the playbook for dealing with identity theft tied to ridehail 1099s: freeze your credit at all three bureaus, enroll for the IRS Identity Protection PIN that renews every year, and verify exactly what your insurance (or your city’s rules) covers at each stage of a trip. That leads us to Empower’s legal fight in New York City, the murky question of who insures what, and why regulation there feels like a different planet. Speaking of strange planets, we break down DoorDash’s micro-task to close robotaxi doors, a Waymo caught on the wrong side of the road, and how autonomy depends on human backup more than glossy demos admit. Along the way, expect straight talk, a little chaos, and t Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 4m

  4. FEB 16

    Why Holding Apps Liable Could Finally Change Safety | Ep 289

    We would love to hear your feedback! News Links for Ep 289 A tipping point is here for the gig economy, and we felt it the moment two verdicts landed: Uber facing an $858.5M judgment in a sexual assault case under “apparent authority,” and Instacart ordered to pay nearly $16M after a fatal crash. We unpack what these rulings actually mean—where platform liability starts, where driver accountability remains, and how this could finally force safety to become a real product priority instead of a press release. From there, we widen the lens. A delivery drone fails midair near an apartment window, sending parts and smoke to the ground. Waymo confirms that when its robotaxis get stumped, human “fleet response” agents—including teams abroad—provide guidance while the software “stays in control.” Meanwhile, Tennessee considers doubling sidewalk delivery robot speeds to 20 mph, raising obvious questions about risk to pedestrians. We talk about what responsible autonomy should look like, how to design failure modes that don’t maim people, and why public trust depends on clear logs, not vague assurances. On the ground, the work gets messy too. One driver finds illegal pills tucked in a hollowed-out bun for a motel drop, a perfect snapshot of how courier features can be exploited. We share the right playbook—screenshots, immediate police contact, and no returns to sender—and outline the policies platforms should adopt to stop turning drivers into mules. There’s levity as well—a parakeet “driving” a Waymo earns a TOS warning—but the point stands: when tech meets everyday chaos, design has to assume mischief. We close with a practical angle: sust Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 5m

  5. FEB 9

    What Gig Drivers Should Do When A Ride Cancels Mid-Trip | Ep 288

    We would love to hear your feedback! News Links from Ep 288 We dig into the week’s wild mix: snow closures and NTI days, shrinking gig hours, the end of Dovetail screenshots, Spark incentives that don’t always land, and a sober look at autonomy after Waymo’s low-speed child impact and an impatient merge around a semi. Safety, strategy, and sanity lead the way. • school shutdowns, NTI days, local differences • dovetail payouts ending and data value • spark curbside incentives vs real earnings • daytime rides vs night rides for risk control • don’t deadhead, stage and wait for pings • tax changes on tips and murky guidance • doordash healthcare routes and paid training • alcohol delivery compliance and state rules • handling canceled-ride confrontations safely • viral courier rants and doorbell cameras • waymo braking vs human reaction time • waymo blocking a semi and risk logic gaps • walmart spark metrics reset and tiers • waymo vs uber pricing trends and ETAs Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 5m

  6. FEB 2

    I’m Not Walking in 15 Inches For A No-Tip Order | Ep 287

    We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 287 News Links Two friends tackle a frozen week of gig work—how storms stall demand, why some apps shut down, and where the money still flows—then zoom out to taxes, tips, and the fight for transparency. We also dig into AV stumbles, teen ride safety, and Amazon’s shifting retail play. • ice storm impacts on scheduling and safety • spark incentives and whether cold boosts earnings • 1099 tip reporting inconsistencies across apps • NYC’s 10% tip prompt and legal fallout • waymo school bus violations and near curb crash • amazon big box plans vs go and fresh pullbacks • multi-apping boundaries and store policies • lyft teen rides, pins, tracking, and audio prompts • doordash weather shutdowns and $2 storm fee • snow delivery etiquette, prep, boots, and boundaries Sign up for a seven-day free trial at patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast. If you like it, great. If not, you can cancel. Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 1m

  7. JAN 26

    An Uber Trial Could Reshape Rideshare Safety Across America | Ep 286

    We would love to hear your feedback! Two hosts dig into a week of wild gig-economy stories: a convicted murder tied to a scam, a federal Uber SA trial with explosive internal messages, delivery partnerships that shift the market, and autonomy failures that expose design gaps. We weigh real fixes, from portable background checks to camera standards, and call out bad driver behavior, cash-ride risks, and privacy myths. • scam-driven shooting of an Uber Eats driver and how to prevent repeats • Reddit culture vs empathy for new drivers facing scams • home-made drinks for drivers and delivery safety norms • the appeal of being a known regular and community ties • Kiefer Sutherland arrest and driver safety liability • Uber–Kroger on-demand groceries and Postmates’ persistence • drones, Walmart pilots, and realistic tech timelines • delivery robot destroyed by a train and Waymo’s gate logic • grocery dump video, tipping debate, and quality control • rideshare legislation in Israel and taxi industry pushback • “hood Uber” cash rides, insurance gaps, and better alternatives • ICE location claims, warrant requirements, and privacy facts Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    1h 1m

  8. JAN 19

    Dry January, Drier Tips Also did You Know That Men Cost 5 Cents More? | Ep 285

    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 • California refund mandate risks and abuse • Spark broccoli mix‑up and shopper training • Amazon Flex safe‑driving app and data privacy • Uber airport kiosks for travelers without data • Waymo track incident and robotaxi safety • Zooks launches free rides on the Strip • NYC lawsuit on tipping UI suppressing tips • Walmart and Wing expanding drone delivery Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!   The SafeWork Advantage PodcastMost workplaces react to violence—SafeWork Advantage shows employers how to prevent it.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related: Download the audio podcast Newsletter Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver! Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join. TikTok Subscribe on Youtube

    58 min
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4.5
out of 5
58 Ratings

About

Talks about our Gig Economy adventures and breaking down the Gig Economy News

Information

  • Creator
    The Gig Economy Podcast
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    346
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The GIG Economy Podcast
  • Show Website
    The GIG Economy Podcast

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