Uber drivers: The lives of those behind the wheel

Abby Weidman, Staff Writer

For many Calgarians, Uber is an integral part of their daily life. But for the people behind the wheel, it’s more than a ride—it’s a livelihood built on flexibility, long hours, and a steady stream of meeting new people.

After launching in San Francisco in 2010, Uber expanded its operations to Canada in 2012, initially in Toronto, before eventually reaching Calgary in October 2015.

As of May 2025, City of Calgary records say there are more than 16,581 active drivers for Uber and Lyft combined—nine times the number of licensed taxi drivers. 

One local driver, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, moved to Canada a decade ago and has been working full-time with Uber for the past six years. They applied to drive during the pandemic and have stayed for the consistent income. 

“I have to maintain a steady schedule,” they say.

Most days start before sunrise. They drive through the morning rush, break in the afternoon, and head back out for the evening crowd. On weekends, they often work from 11 a.m. until midnight.

“Flexibility is only for emergencies,” they say. “That is non-negotiable. You have to be picky with what’s important and what’s not.”

Driven by both practical and personal reasons, they say their goal is to earn as much as possible to meet the basic needs of their household. The driver says Uber is stereotyped as a side hustle, but that they don’t see this as accurate.

“It’s a network run by full-time drivers,” they say. “Everyone thinks you can start and end at any time, but if you want to make money, that’s not the case.”

For them, driving for Uber is a business in its own right—one that requires discipline and planning. 

“You’re your own type of boss,” they say.

What has kept them sticking with Uber for this long is the ability to set their own schedule. They say that interacting with the public on a daily basis is an added plus. 

“My other almost 20,000 trips have been friendly,” they say. “I always try to engage with the ones that want me to, but if they want their personal space, I give it to them.”

The driver says that Uber takes safety seriously. Riders can check that the license plate matches the app, and every trip is tracked from pickup to dropoff—benefiting both the driver and the rider. They hope this gives younger or first-time passengers feelings of reassurance. 

They also noted the rating system plays a role in keeping riders and drivers accountable.

“If I rate someone lower than three stars, they will not match with me again, no matter how close I am,” they say. “This works as well for the riders.”

According to Uber’s website, if a driver is rated one star, the likelihood of the passenger being matched with them in the future is low. With enough low ratings, the driver could lose access to the Uber platform completely.

While the first driver treats Uber as a full-time job, another Calgary driver, Khan—who agreed to speak on a first-name basis only—approaches it differently.

Khan moved to Calgary from Dubai two years ago and has been driving with Uber since, which is what he spends his weekends doing. During the week, he works at Chatter Mobile and puts time into building his own tourism company.

His days start slowly, usually waking up late, making breakfast and sipping his coffee before heading out. Unlike many drivers, he avoids rush hour and prefers airport trips, where the pace is calmer.

“I don’t want to be stuck in traffic,” he says. “I don’t like traffic.”

For Khan, flexibility is the most valuable aspect of the job. 

“When I want, I can just go offline and go to my home,” he says. “It’s a very easy job.”

Still, Khan recognises that the job isn’t easy for everyone.

“If you do full-time Uber, it’s really, really hard,” he says. “If your income is totally dependent on Uber, they have to work 12 hours, 13 hours, 15 hours, to achieve their goal of the day.”

For Khan, driving is as much about conversation as it is about earning a living. He says the more he drives, the easier it becomes to read people, and he especially enjoys picking up students and tourists.

“Students are very nice,” he says. “It’s good to talk to them, to know their story, what they are doing, you know?”

Often, Khan finds himself giving tourists advice about Alberta’s scenic destinations, such as Banff and Jasper.

Khan says driving for Uber has helped him save money and invest in his tourism business. Back in Dubai, he was a tour guide, and with that experience, he hopes to build something similar in Calgary. He already owns a van and another car for transit.

“I’m on my way towards success,” he says. “I will achieve my goals in a few years.”

Even when Khan’s tourism company takes off, he plans to keep Uber as a source of income on days he has nothing to do.

For passengers, especially students, Khan says Uber is a safe way to get around.

“They shouldn’t be scared,” he says. “When you sit in the car until you leave, everything is recorded. It’s good for you and good for me.”

He adds that the Uber app tracks trips and flags long detours or unusual delays.

Through it all, Khan says the freedom of the job and the people he meets keep him behind the wheel, even though he joked that money is the main factor.

”Money, money!” he says with a laugh.