SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Many San Diego rideshare drivers say they are beyond frustrated at the rising price of gas.
"Oh, we spend a fortune on gas. Pretty much today, my bill was $100,” said luxury limo service owner and Uber driver, Joseph Zatarain.
Zatarain says no one feels the pain at the pump more than rideshare drivers.
"You can't even do the long rides anymore, It's too expensive for us,” Zatarain said.
Many of the drivers parked in the San Diego Airport cell phone lot say their jobs are not sustainable on top of San Diego's high cost of living.
"For me it is hard, because I've been working for Uber for seven years, and now with the gas prices, so high I don't see how we're going to live because we depend on gas,” said 63-year-old Uber driver, Alberto Gezio.
Gezio says he's seen a drop in ridership recently.
"Because the gas prices are so high people do not call Uber like before, and a lot of Uber drivers they quit because they cannot survive with the gas prices now,” said Gezio.
The price of gas shot up to $5.48 per gallon in San Diego, and that's a 10 cent jump from Monday.
"The increase in prices is not over, we will likely continue to see the average price go up. Russia has a lot to do with that,” said Patrick De Haan, Gas Buddy head of petroleum analysis.
A statement from Uber says in part:
"We know higher prices at the pump can be a challenge, which is why we recently launched a new feature that helps drivers save up to 25¢ per gallon through cash back with GetUpSide. Our platform only works if it works for drivers, so we'll continue to monitor gas prices and listen to drivers over the coming weeks."
Lyft also offers drivers the same discount option, saying in a statement:
"We care deeply about the driver experience, and we've taken concrete steps to help given rising gas prices. Our investments in programs like our GetUpside partnership and the Lyft Direct cash back debit card are designed to directly save drivers money at the pump."
One Lyft driver says a few of his fellow rideshare friends just quit.
"This morning I texted them, and they said oh I'm not coming out because it is too expensive,” said a Lyft driver named Shack.
He is hoping lawmakers take away the gas tax.
“It's not much, but at least we can get by with it,” Shack said.
While prices for riders seem to be about the same, drivers say one way that riders could help whenever they take their next to trip is to tip their driver.
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