Male Uber drivers earn around 7% more per hour than women, according to a new study that examined over a million Uber drivers in the US. Women were found to earn $1.24 per hour less than men, and also $130 less per week on average. This finding runs counter to the assumption that the sharing economy is supposed to the great equaliser. Uber’s driver assignments and pay are supposed to be gender-blind, meaning a driver’s identity isn’t considered when matching riders or assigning fares. Rather, pay has to do with trip length, distance and whether it’s happening during surge-price hours or not. The study, which was carried out by researchers at University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Uber’s own economic team and has not undergone peer review, attributed the difference in pay to fact that male Uber drivers: Drive in higher-paying locations: Uber says, men, on average, drive in locations with higher surge and lower wait times. Drive faster: According to Uber, on average, men drive 2.2% faster than women, and "there is a positive expected return to driving faster." Drive more: Drivers who have taken over 2,500 trips earn an average of $3 more per hour than those with less than 100 trips. Uber says, men, on average, accumulate more experience — and, hence, earn more — by working more hours each week and being less likely to stop driving with Uber. Take on trips with shorter distances to the rider and chose to drive longer trips. The issue of safety…
