Dallas Uber Drivers Continue Protest Over Company Change

Uber drivers continued their protest against a new policy they say will cost them money.

Friday, Uber's black service and SUV drivers protested outside the company's downtown Dallas headquarters. Hundreds of drivers gathered in Turtle Creek Park, refusing service during a busy period brought on by a Garth Brooks concert at American Airlines Center.

Uber's black service and SUV drivers, who typically charge higher prices, received an email on Thursday stating they must now pick up passengers who are paying for the company's standard service, uberX, which is less expensive.

Drivers complain that Uber isn't cutting back its commission, so having to charge cheaper rates in their high-end vehicles isn't profitable.

"We built Uber, as the black drivers," said Kirubel Kebede, Public Relations Officer with Association of Limousine Owners and Operators of Dallas Fort Worth. "We made them who they are. They became billionaires on our back."

Uber released the following statement Friday afternoon:

Drivers are our customers, and our goal is to give them the best Uber experience and maximize their ability to earn money. Drivers make more money by completing more trips. With uberX demand skyrocketing, we launched a new program that allows drivers to receive more trip requests from riders at multiple price points.
We are committed to the profitability of our driver-partners’ businesses. We will continue to hold driver office hours every day to address concerns and ensure our partners are getting the most out of the Uber app.
The Uber app has many different price point options for consumers, and uberX driver-partners have been able to accept a variety of requests based on their type of vehicle for quite some time. For example, a driver with an SUV can receive requests for both uberX and uberXL trips.