Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, said on X that independent analysis of driver earnings supports Uber’s role as a global platform providing flexible work for more than 9 million people each month.
“Always good to see independent analysis confirming the important role Uber plays as a platform for flexible work for more than 9 million people each month,” said Khosrowshahi.
Khosrowshahi’s comment comes as Uber promotes itself not just as a ride-hailing app but as a broad “platform for work” spanning mobility, delivery, and emerging digital tasks. According to recent independent research from HR&A Advisors, commissioned by Uber, driver net earnings in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland were benchmarked. The study found after-expense hourly earnings comparable to or above similar local jobs. Uber has amplified these findings across its channels as evidence that app-based work can pair flexibility with competitive pay, reinforcing the CEO’s message that millions choose the platform each month for supplemental or primary income.
The HR&A Advisors Rideshare Driver Net Earnings Study estimated that in 2024 Uber drivers in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland earned net hourly wages between $21.29 and $23.01 after accounting for fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and data costs. In Chicago alone, the study identified more than 55,000 average monthly Uber drivers, underscoring the scale of rideshare work in major metros. HR&A compared these earnings to occupations such as retail, home health, and shuttle driving and concluded that Uber drivers’ net pay is at or above many low-barrier jobs in each city while offering real-time flexibility and low entry requirements.
Uber’s own disclosures reinforce Khosrowshahi’s focus on flexible work at scale. In its 2024 Annual Report, Uber describes itself as one of the largest open platforms for work in the world, providing flexible earning opportunities in more than 70 countries. The company reports tens of millions of daily trips and hundreds of millions of active platform consumers each quarter. On an August 2025 earnings call, Khosrowshahi said Uber has “almost 9 million people” earning on its platform globally, including drivers, couriers, and new AI-related task workers. He highlighted how the same infrastructure can route different forms of paid work to independent earners worldwide.
Dara Khosrowshahi is the chief executive officer of Uber Technologies Inc., a role he has held since 2017 after serving more than a decade as CEO of online travel giant Expedia Group. Born in Tehran in 1969 and educated at Brown University, he emigrated to the United States as a child and built his career at IAC before leading Expedia’s global expansion. At Uber, he has overseen the company’s turnaround from regulatory and governance crises to sustained profitability while diversifying into food delivery, freight, and new work opportunities like AI data labeling. He also serves on several corporate boards and is known for emphasizing long-term tech-driven growth.
