Good article and interesting comments.
I agree that driving for Uber/Lyft is not paid well, I drove for a couple of months for both, averaged about $12/hr before any expenses, worked only during the day from 8am- 2pm. I'm retired and I did it just to see how it works and I do enjoy driving. You can write off your working miles at .55 cents per mile, I used an app called Stride to track and help with filing. After a while it does get stressful and the low pay kills the incentive.
On the other hand I like using the service since the taxi services here are about 40% more, most of the cabs are old and dirty and the cabbies don't look so fresh. I have used it in Greece, South Africa and Holland. They were a lot cheaper in Greece, and in SA the taxi cabs were matching the Uber prices, Holland does not have Uber anymore. Also Bulgaria and Germany do not offer such services. I like the idea that you can get the service quick and know what you will pay before you hail the car. It is a great plus when travelling foreign places.
I guess the cabbies have to reinvent themselves in the near future of driverless cars.