New WA Rideshare Laws Boost Pay for 15K Drivers

At the beginning of 2023, a series of new laws went into effect for rideshare drivers in WA state (Uber, Lyft, and other companies). Among what the Department of Labor and Industries called "protections," drivers were given certain minimum ride guarantees of payment.

Labor and Industries says 15K drivers see more money after complaints

Labor and Industries report that after investigating at least a dozen formal complaints filed by drivers for Uber, Lyft, and other companies, discrepancies were found that resulted in at least 15,000 drivers receiving additional pay.

The vast majority of the discrepancies were unintentional, according to officials. Rideshare companies have been working to implement a long list of requirements from the state since January of 2023. The amount of back pay to these 15,000 drivers totaled more than $193,000 according to L & I.

Especially for drivers in larger cities in WA, these are some of the minimum guarantees from the new legislation.

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According to the legislation:

"For all dispatched trips originating in cities with a population of more than 600,000, on a per-trip basis the greater of $0.59 per passenger platform minute for all passenger platform time for that trip, and $1.38 per passenger platform mile for all passenger platform miles driven on that trip; or a minimum of $5.17 per dispatched trip.

For all other dispatched trips, the greater of: $0.34 per passenger platform minute and $1.17 per passenger platform mile; or a minimum of $3.00 per dispatched trip."

Since the new laws went into effect, a total of 45 complaints have been filed with the state by drivers, ten have resulted in additional payments to those people.

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