'Decline and recline': Uber and Lyft drivers are rethinking what trips to accept to navigate soaring gas prices

"Justin Fisher, who works as a ride-hailing driver for Uber in Houston, told Business Insider that he has changed which rides he accepts on the app in response to gas prices. He now focuses on taking the most profitable rides, even if they involve going to areas that he doesn't believe are safe. 'The cost of gas is an unpleasant reality,' Fisher said."

"Sergio Avedian, a former Wall Street trader who now drives for Uber and Lyft in Southern California, told Business Insider that the price of a gallon of gas at his two local gas stations in suburban Los Angeles had increased by $1 over the past week. 'It's been extremely noticeable,' Avedian said."

"Avedian said he expected Uber and Lyft drivers to adapt by accepting fewer short city trips, which often consume more gas due to frequent stopping and starting in traffic, and instead target longer trips and freeway rides that offer superior gas mileage."

Middle East tensions have driven US gas prices up approximately $0.40 per gallon in one week, with oil briefly exceeding $100 per barrel. Ride-hailing drivers for Uber and Lyft face significant financial pressure from these increases. Drivers are adapting by selectively accepting only the most profitable trips to maintain earnings, sometimes accepting rides to areas they consider unsafe. Some drivers report gas price increases of $1 per gallon at local stations. Industry observers expect drivers to shift away from short city trips with frequent stops toward longer freeway routes with better fuel efficiency. Electric vehicle owners remain unaffected by fuel price volatility.

Read at Business Insider