For most senior drivers, the biggest advantage is the extra income. Many of those who continue working after 65 do so because they would be too poor otherwise, according to a new report from the labor-backed Economic Policy Institute that found the current retirement system inadequate. But driving for a ride-booking service, some retirees said, also can offer more than money. “I love the freedom, the flexibility — and the cash coming in every week,” said Maureen Mahon, 59, who first saw an Uber advertisement on the side of a bus in Manhattan. Ms. Mahon, who lives in Brick Township, N.J., said she had been laid off twice in recent years from Wall Street, and has been driving intermittently since mid-2014. “I meet businessmen, college kids on their way out for the night, folks going to parties, pretty much the whole range,” she said. “You can drive as much or as little as you like. If the weather’s bad or you have a doctor’s appointment, you just don’t turn on the app.” Another attraction, compared to driving a taxi, is safety, since customers are screened and no cash is exchanged. So, too, is the opportunity for drivers to shape the job on their own terms. Driving for Uber “is like a game,” said Stephen B. McPhail, 66, a former charter bus driver who lives in Covington, Wash., south of Seattle. “I like to map out how I spend my time to make the most money.” An early riser, he gets up at 4:30 a.m. to land several airport rides. Typically, he said, “I work five hours to make between $100 and $150 a day, and I can be done as early as 10 a.m.” That leaves him plenty of time to be active in his church. “Sometimes I go ‘ubering’ after our Wednesday morning fellowship meeting,” Mr. McPhail said. He is trying to persuade his wife, Kathryn, to become a driver when she retires from her insurance-related job.
A recent uk York Times story reports how a growing number of older drivers are signing up to drive for Uber and Lyft , and in fact an Uber survey last year found that nearly a quarter of drivers were aged over 40 . The reasons are varied : obviously many are struggling to earn extra cash , but some do it to alleviate loneliness and meet new people . Older drivers are now in such demand that last year Uber joined up with senior citizens group Life Reimagined on a recruitment drive . It seems this trend is set to continue , as the population ages the number of older workers will clearly continue to rise , and many people are now leaving the full - time work force with less money than they expect to support themselves at a comfortable standard of living .