Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gig Economy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LAFCO expands on‑demand worker survey scope; contract amendment approved to cover six platforms
Summary
Professor Chris Benner presented pilot findings from LAFCO's on‑demand worker survey and recommended a representative survey of six platforms plus mobile app tracking; LAFCO approved a contract amendment to revise the survey to six platforms, extend the timeline and increase the contract cap if additional funding arrives.
Professor Chris Benner of UC Santa Cruz presented interim results and a revised plan for LAFCO's on‑demand worker survey. The pilot (Sept.–Oct. data) produced 153 completed surveys across platforms and demonstrated that the preferred methodology yields strong response rates in ride‑hailing but lower response rates for meal delivery platforms, which affects cost and design choices for a representative survey.
Benner said the pilot suggests average weekly earnings reported by respondents were just under $800, with average reported monthly earnings after self‑reported expenses of about $2,700. When analysts applied the IRS mileage deduction to estimate true vehicle operating costs, average monthly take‑home fell to roughly $1,700, and a sizeable share of respondents appeared to earn near zero after full expense accounting. He also reported roughly 30% of respondents lacked health insurance and that more than 20% reported receiving some form of public assistance.
Based on piloting costs and response rates, Benner recommended focusing the representative survey on the six largest platforms in the city (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart, Shipt), targeting about 1,500 total surveys (roughly 250 per platform), supplementing the survey with 30–50 in‑depth qualitative interviews, and using a smaller, managed Driver's Seat mobile app sample to gather high‑resolution trip and earnings data.
On Item 8 the commission considered a contract amendment with Jobs with Justice Education Fund to align the work with the revised six‑platform scope, extend the contract period to Aug. 31, set a final report due date in early June, and increase the contract ceiling to $500,000 if additional foundation funding materializes. The commission moved to approve the amendment, it was seconded, and the amendment was approved without objection.
