PAIN AT THE PUMP: Rising gas prices hurt Tucson rideshare, taxi drivers

Tucson residents who rely on rideshare cars and taxis are paying more for each trip while the drivers providing those services are losing more of their earnings to fuel. Gas prices in Pima County have reached an average of $4.64 per gallon, according to AAA, an increase of $1.41 from the same time last year. The statewide average for regular gasoline climbed another three cents overnight to $4.82, adding pressure to drivers who already must cover vehicle costs, platform fees, insurance and their own living expenses.

For people who drive for a living, the higher prices are not simply an inconvenience at the pump. They directly reduce the money left over after a day on the road. Uber driver Rudolpho Baldez said the price of gasoline has risen from about $2.80 per gallon to $4.84 over the past year. He estimated that the increase is costing him between $60 and $100 in additional daily profit, a loss that can quickly add up over a full week of work.

Jose Navarro, another Uber driver, said he spends approximately $50 each day keeping his vehicle fueled. He said he may bring in about $120 during a day of driving, leaving little after gasoline and other expenses are taken into account. Navarro described the work as a matter of watching each trip carefully and trying to keep operating rather than making a meaningful profit. For drivers whose income depends on the number of completed rides, every mile without a passenger can make that calculation more difficult.

The price increase is also changing how long drivers stay on the road. Drivers said they are working longer shifts and traveling farther in an effort to earn enough to cover their costs. That strategy can create a cycle in which the extra miles needed to generate more income also consume more fuel. Kathleen, a local taxi driver, described the situation as chasing its own tail: Drivers work longer, drive farther, burn more gasoline and then need still more fares to make up for the added expense.

Taxi drivers face a separate challenge when they are not moving at all. They said they can wait between two and six hours for a passenger, particularly while competing with app-based transportation services. Those idle periods still take a toll on drivers, who must remain available and keep their vehicles ready even when no fare is coming in. Time spent waiting can mean lost earning opportunities, while fuel costs continue to rise for the trips that do materialize.

Local taxi driver Ali Bsoul said the work does not always provide enough income to support a household. He pointed to drivers seeking other jobs as evidence of the strain caused by higher gasoline prices. Taxi companies, drivers said, try to provide assistance when they can, but that support has not eliminated the underlying problem. A driver may spend much of the day available for passengers and still finish with little money after fuel and other operating expenses are deducted.

Rideshare drivers expressed a different concern about how their earnings are divided. Because the companies determine the fare structure and take a portion of each ride, drivers said they are left carrying much of the risk when fuel prices change. The higher cost of gasoline does not automatically translate into higher take-home pay. Instead, drivers must absorb the increase or work additional hours, while also dealing with wear on their vehicles and the time spent traveling between rides.

AAA spokesperson David Caltabiano said the current price trend is unusual for this point in the year. Gas prices historically begin to decline around this period, after Labor Day, when summer travel ends and families return to their regular routines, including the school year. That seasonal pattern has not occurred this year. AAA attributed the continuing climb to geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Iran, which have affected crude oil markets and contributed to daily changes at the pump.

The effect is being felt across Southern Arizona as drivers try to balance the need to accept more rides with the cost of reaching them. For Tucson taxi and rideshare workers, the issue is not limited to one expensive fill-up. It affects how many hours they work, which trips they accept and whether driving remains financially sustainable. 13 News contacted Uber to ask what relief measures or fuel surcharges may be available during the increase, but the company had not responded. Until prices ease or additional support becomes available, local drivers say they are left trying to maintain service while absorbing a growing share of the cost themselves.