Startups Seek Donations From Minneapolis Residents As Uber, Lyft Exit

MINNEAPOLIS — A pair of rideshare startups are seeking an infusion of cash from Minneapolis residents as Uber and Lyft prepare to exit the city.

MOOV and Drively both have GoFundMe pages.

“MOOV is not just a project; it's a mission to revolutionize the way we view urban mobility in Minneapolis-St. Paul, making it fairer for drivers and more accessible for riders," the company said.

MOOV writes that regardless of whether Uber and Lyft pull out of the Twin Cities on May 1, as planned, it will be around to pay better wages to drivers and bring innovation to the industry.

Meanwhile, Black-owned "Drively" will "provide affordable transportation solutions with a focus on families, offering special services for parents with children and higher wages for independent contractors," according to Shardae Robinson.

Uber and Lyft to exit

Unless the council backtracks, which is a real possibility, the Twin Cities will become the only metro area in the U.S. without Uber.

"We are disappointed the Council chose to ignore the data and kick Uber out of the Twin Cities, putting 10,000 people out of work and leaving many stranded," Uber Senior Director of Public Affairs at Uber Josh Gold told Patch.

"But we know that by working together with all stakeholders - drivers, riders and state leaders - we can achieve comprehensive statewide legislation that guarantees drivers a fair minimum wage, protects their independence and keeps rideshare affordable."

The measure that passed earlier this month requires drivers to receive $1.40 per mile and 51 cents per minute for all portions of a ride occurring within Minneapolis. The rates best approximate the city’s $15.57 minimum wage, supporters say.

Additionally, the bill requires annual increases based on the city's minimum wage. And if a ride is canceled while the trip has already begun, the driver can expect 80 percent of the fare.

The median earnings for drivers in the metro area is $13.63, with 25 percent of drivers in the metro area earning under $10.54 per hour, according to state labor data.

"This is a David and Goliath story," Council Member Robin Wonsley said immediately after the vote.

"Uber and Lyft want us to believe they are untouchable, and the status quo of exploiting workers cannot be fixed. Today’s vote demonstrated that all of this was just a question of political will."

Last year, Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a similar bill passed by the Minnesota Legislature, saying it wasn't ready to become law.

"This bill could make Minnesota one of the most expensive states in the country for rideshare, potentially putting us on par with the cost of rides in New York City and Seattle — cities with dramatically higher costs of living than Minnesota," Walz told state lawmakers at the time.

The state bill would have required drivers to be paid at least $5 per ride, or at least $1.45 per mile and 34 cents per minute in the Twin Cities metro area.

Walz and state Democrats are now working on a more modest proposal, KSTP reported.