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Two hosts dig into a week of wild gig-economy stories: a convicted murder tied to a scam, a federal Uber SA trial with explosive internal messages, delivery partnerships that shift the market, and autonomy failures that expose design gaps. We weigh real fixes, from portable background checks to camera standards, and call out bad driver behavior, cash-ride risks, and privacy myths.

• scam-driven shooting of an Uber Eats driver and how to prevent repeats
• Reddit culture vs empathy for new drivers facing scams
• home-made drinks for drivers and delivery safety norms
• the appeal of being a known regular and community ties
• Kiefer Sutherland arrest and driver safety liability
• Uber–Kroger on-demand groceries and Postmates’ persistence
• drones, Walmart pilots, and realistic tech timelines
• delivery robot destroyed by a train and Waymo’s gate logic
• grocery dump video, tipping debate, and quality control
• rideshare legislation in Israel and taxi industry pushback
• “hood Uber” cash rides, insurance gaps, and better alternatives
• ICE location claims, warrant requirements, and privacy facts

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Ep 285 News Links

We chase a slow January across rideshare, delivery, and shopping, then dig into AI hoaxes, rising energy costs from data centers, and where autonomy helps or harms. Laws, kiosks, drones, and tipping rules collide with real driver pay and trust.

• dry January reducing orders and routes
• multi‑app strategies to survive slow demand
• AI misinformation and fake whistleblower fallout
• data centers raising electricity costs and bills
• California refund mandate risks and abuse
• Spark broccoli mix‑up and shopper training
• Amazon Flex safe‑driving app and data privacy
• Uber airport kiosks for travelers without data
• Waymo track incident and robotaxi safety
• Zooks launches free rides on the Strip
• NYC lawsuit on tipping UI suppressing tips
• Walmart and Wing expanding drone delivery

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Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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Ep 284 News Links

We break down a wild start to 2026: rumors of a DoorDash “desperation score,” shifting incentives across Uber, Lyft, and Spark, and the thin line between algorithmic efficiency and exploitation. From a Waymo red-light fail to McDonald’s weighing bags, we push on safety, trust, and what drivers can actually control.

• Uber quest math vs Lyft drought on bonuses
• Spark incentives influencing supply on holidays
• Long-trip deadhead realities and hourly trade-offs
• DoorDash payout rumors and algorithmic steering
• Government scrutiny of pricing tests and AI ethics
• McDonald’s weighing deliveries to curb missing items
• Uber wrapped sparking budget wake-up calls
• Octopus tablet tying rewards to Uber Journey TV
• Pickup trucks powering hauling and delivery side gigs
• EV pullbacks and battery plants pivoting to data centers
• Waymo running a red and a trunk stowaway risk
• Delivery fraud by photo and string, trust erosion
• Zesty by DoorDash for AI restaurant discovery

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Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

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Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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We trade holiday greetings and dive straight into autonomous vehicle hype versus reality, then tackle flooded delivery markets, “Dash Now for all,” and a bold proposal to cap active drivers to improve earnings and reduce data waste. A Boulder case study shows restaurants reclaiming ordering while still using DoorDash drivers, hinting at a new pathway for fair pricing and better tips.

• Waymo’s recalls, school bus failures, and outage confusion
• AV safety, insurance opacity, and PR overreach
• Data costs from rejected low-pay orders
• “Dash Now for all” and oversaturation pressure
• Dynamic caps to limit active drivers by demand
• Waitlists as a guardrail for fair access
• Private rides, catering, and multi-app strategy
• Boulder restaurants leaving the apps, direct ordering with third-party delivery
• Lawsuits, regulation, and the 2026 legal wave
• Community support via Telegram and weekly show cadence

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Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

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Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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Ep 282 News Links

We go solo and cover a wild delivery sabotage caught on camera, the real risks couriers face, Instacart’s shifting prices, and the future of gig work with AI and city rules. We finish with tipping fights in NYC and why the community keeps drivers sane and safer.

• Larry out for family emergency, community support updates
• Ring-caught pepper spray incident and platform accountability
• Practical safety tactics for deliveries and ride pickups
• Instacart’s dynamic pricing and transparency concerns
• AI shopping assistants and what they mean for apps
• Instacart substitutions, shopper quality and customer friction
• NYC tipping prompts, minimums, and policy fallout
• Capping active drivers to reduce oversaturation
• TikTok algorithms, creator limits and audience reach
• Holiday sign-off and schedule notes

Go to gigeconomyshow.com for everything gig economy show-related.
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Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo

Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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Ep 281 News Links

Two hosts dig into the latest gig economy twists: Uber’s targeted ads built on trip insights, DoorDash account takeovers draining restaurant payouts, porch pirates using Wi‑Fi jammers, and the messy realities behind driverless rides. We weigh security fixes, fair pay, and where AI helps or hurts.

• Uber ads tied to anonymised trip insights and rising rider prices
• DoorDash merchant hacks via email credential theft and weak 2FA
• Package theft escalation with Wi‑Fi jammers and hardwired camera defenses
• Uber DUI arrest mid‑ride and rider safety concerns
• Discrimination claim against an Uber driver and policy enforcement
• Instacart’s ChatGPT integration and conversational commerce
• Waymo roadside assists for doors, belts and cleaning standards
• License plate reader side hustle economics and feasibility
• Culture wars over “real jobs” in delivery and flexible work value
• Practical tips for securing payouts, packages and vehicles

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Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo

Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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We tear into the hidden math of gig work, from bonuses that look great on paper to car notes that choke your margins. A spill, a triple batch, a Lyft perk change, and a Waymo near a felony stop all point to the same lesson: treat this like a business or the job will run you.

• stocking cleanup gear for fast recovery in the car
• using stackable bonuses to lift weak orders
• denying low-value trips and avoiding deadhead
• why expensive cars for rideshare rarely add up
• Lyft rewards changes and what to watch next
• Uber Eats scheduling screens in select markets
• multi-apping with two phones without verification flags
• when to cancel add-ons like mall drops on peak days
• Waymo’s blind spot near a police stop and human judgment
• BabyQuip and laundry apps as micro-business plays

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Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related:

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Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo

Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

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A year-end mix of gig-life highs and lows: walking deliveries in dense cities, the line between speed and sanitation, a CEO clip that aged oddly, and the ripple effects of buy-now-pay-later on DoorDash. We add real life too—sick days, frozen shoulders, and how to keep working without burning out.

• viability of on‑foot delivery in dense markets
• why bathroom hygiene rules matter for customer trust
• managing illness and frozen shoulder as a gig worker
• bidets, restrooms and practical comfort on shift
• the early Uber Eats confusion and product clarity
• Klarna and DoorDash partnership impacts on tips
• when BNPL boosts grocery baskets vs fast food
• driver strategy for screening and adapting to new patterns

We'll be back with a live episode this Wednesday.

Please fill out the survey for a chance for a 25.00 Gift Card!

Support the show

Everything Gig Economy Podcast Related:

Download the audio podcast

Newsletter

Octopus is a mobile entertainment tablet for your riders. Earn 100.00 per month for having the tablet in your car! No cost for the driver!

Want to earn more and stay safe? Download Maxymo

Love the show? You now have the opportunity to support the show with some great rewards by becoming a Patron. Tier #2 we offer free merch, an Extra in-depth podcast per month, and an NSFW pre-show https://www.patreon.com/thegigeconpodcast

The Gig Economy Podcast Group. Download Telegram 1st, then click on the link to join.

TikTok

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