Company Claims Payments Delayed but Offers No Real Explanation
Why is Uber not Paying Its Drivers?
By Jeff Thomas
Uber failed to pay its drivers this week. And according to Uber floor manager Dorian Luna Lilo, “Uber is having financial difficulties.” The local Uber office was filled with drivers who sought information from the company. Different company representatives gave different answers when asked what the actual reason is the company failed to pay what it owed the drivers.
“The problem is with our partner – Go Bank,” said the Uber representative at the front desk. “We are experiencing an outage. It’s a computer problem,” claimed another. When the driver who had not been paid insisted on more information and got a little animated, he was promptly shooed away from the front desk as other drivers waited in a long line.
At the side desk, Todd Ables, who described his position as Senior Expert, explained that payments were delayed 2 or 3 days. “I have bills to pay today,” said the Uber driver. But on Uber’s website the company claims, “the more you drive, the more you’ll make. Plus, you’ll get paid weekly and your fares get automatically deposited.” When asked directly why the payment was delayed, Ables reiterated that the payments would be made in 2 or 3 days.
Uber has suffered PR problems since its’ inception. From disrupting the taxi business in most cities across the country, to a change in leadership after the former CEO embarrassed the company, to driver and passenger safety, Uber seems to struggle to gain stable footing. The latest misstep, not paying drivers may only be a computer glitch or signs that the company is struggling financially.
But the attitude of the employees in the office toward the independent consultant drivers seems less than compassionate. Uber employees were dismissive and even laughed at the concerns of the driver who was trying to understand why he did not receive his promised payments. In fact, when asked twice if he had any concerns about the financial strains suffered by Uber drivers who were not paid as expected, Ables said, “I have nothing to say about that.”
When asked if Uber was going broke, Luna Lilo shrugged his shoulders. In general, the Uber employees seemed upset that they were being forced to answer questions. There is no updated information on Uber’s website, and no reply from the Uber corporate office at press time.
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu
Publisher — Black Source Media
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu
This article is misleading!!!!! I am an Uber Driver myself, I can ASSURE you this is not true. I have been paid for this week. There was a computer error, which delayed payments, but it was not a major inconvenience. I am a weekly reader of this site and usually enjoy the articles, but now that this article has been published on this site, and is obviously FALSE, I now have to question the validity of every piece of information on this site. This is terrible and misleading and I will NOT be returning to this site and I will redirect everyone who visits this site and expose your misleading and horrendous writing.
Everything in the article is true! And Uber admits it. I understand your desire to protect Uber, but why are you questioning my validity? And tracking your IP address, it is a new and unique address n my site. So who is not telling the truth?
And you say the payments were delayed! Which is what the article said. UBER did not make payments as you admit. Maybe for you it was not an inconvenience, but for people who depended upon the pay, having the cash delayed 2-5 days is an inconvenience.
UBER SUCKS.. Try Lyft
This is a stupid article. Do you even drive for UBER?
Uber has not paid me from the week of January 14th to the 20th. They keep lying and saying it is a delay due to an engineering problem. They tell me to wait 24 hours but everytime I do that they still don’t pay me! Clearly they are known for not paying their employees on a timely basis. I rely on this money to pay bills, and if Uber doesn’t pay on time, then people can’t pay their rent. I think all drivers experiencing this should make a complaint with the workplace relations commission. Maybe if enough complaints are made, they will learn to stop inconveniencing drivers.