- Gig workers have been facing declining earnings and the rise of self-driving cars.
- Some have told Business Insider that they’re looking for an alternative way of making money.
- Fill out our survey if you’ve left gig work or are considering it — or if you plan to stick with it.
For many workers, driving for Uber and Lyft or delivering restaurant orders for DoorDash is a side hustle — or, in some cases, a lifestyle.
But faced with falling earnings and the rise of self-driving vehicles, some are having second thoughts about the job.
Some gig workers have told Business Insider for years that a combination of base pay cuts and increased competition for gigs has made the work more challenging.
Even some gig workers who said that they used to find ride-hailing or delivery work lucrative have said they’re now looking for alternatives.
Ride-hailing drivers are also coming to terms with the growing reality of self-driving taxis operated by Waymo and Tesla. While they’re only an option in a handful of cities right now, that is expected to change in the coming years — a trend that Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi acknowledges will likely leave many gig workers out of a job.
Business Insider plans to keep reporting on what it’s like to be a gig worker in 2026. We want to hear from you: Have you quit or thought about quitting gig work? Are you planning to stick with it in the year ahead? Please fill out the survey below.
