I started driving for Uber last year (2019) to make some extra money working on the weekends to help with paying my bills and mortgage as well as save some money to buy Christmas presents for my family.  At the time I signed up, Uber allowed me to drive with my car, a 2004 Chevy Impala, with no problem.  Since then, I have worked several weekends driving for Uber and I have completed over 100 trips with more than 105 5-Star feedback.  I am currently a Gold-Level Uber driver based on my feedback and the total number of trips I have completed.

However, last week I received an E-Mail from Uber telling me that I will no longer be able to drive for them as of next month!  Why?  Because my vehicle is supposedly "no longer eligible".  This is what Uber said in the E-Mail:

"Vehicle requirements will change on March 1st, 2020
As we have entered a new year, the minimum vehicle model year for UberX has increased to 2005.

This means that on March 1st, 2020, the 2004 Chevrolet Impala on your account no longer meet(s) the minimum model year requirement and therefore will be ineligible to receive requests through the Uber Driver app. Below you can find options that will help you to continue to drive with Uber."

Uber's only suggested "option" is for me to buy a newer vehicle in order to be able to keep driving for them.  However, if I could afford to purchase a new vehicle, then chances are I would not need to drive for Uber to make some extra money in the first place!  I already tried contacting Uber Customer Support about this issue to see if they would be willing to make any exceptions, but unfortunately they told me there was nothing they could do.

Here is what Uber's current vehicle requirements are, according to their website: 
"All vehicles being used for rides on the Uber app must meet the following requirements:

- Must have 4 doors and be able to transport a minimum of 4 passengers.
- Must be 15 model years old or newer.
- Title cannot be salvaged, reconstructed, or rebuilt.
- Rental vehicles are not allowed.
- Cannot have any cosmetic damage, missing pieces, commercial branding or taxi paint jobs."

I have put a lot of work into maintaining my car and making sure it is reliable, safe, and comfortable for my riders.  This includes replacing all the struts on my car, new brakes, new tires, new engine mounts, and, most recently, just replacing all the subframe bushings on my car to maintain a comfortable ride quality on my car.  Safety is of the utmost importance to me as a driver and I would not want to drive an unsafe vehicle myself, let alone transport others in such a vehicle.  Age has absolutely NOTHING to do with the safety or reliability of a car, especially if it has been well maintained and cared for.  I have seen much newer vehicles than mine that are in A LOT worse condition, as I have also seen vehicles much older than mine that look in practically like-new condition!

This is why I have started this petition to send a message to Uber (and Lyft, as their policies are the same as Uber's) to get them to expand their vehicle requirements to include certain older vehicles that people would otherwise not be allowed to use to drive for Uber under their current requirements.  So if you are a driver or a rider for Uber or Lyft, let your voice be heard that you want Uber to allow drivers with older vehicles that are in good operating condition on their platforms!

One of the weirdest parts about this is that Uber has an award for drivers that their riders can select for having a "Cool Car", yet they are intentionally BANNING people from using some of the coolest cars to drive for Uber!  As an Uber rider, could you imagine potentially being dropped off at the airport in a 1994 Mercedes Benz E500?  What about arriving at the club in a 1986 Jaguar XJ6?  Or, if you're really lucky, maybe you could even catch a ride in a classic 1963 Lincoln Continental!  Currently, it is impossible though for Uber riders to experience any of these cool rides!  (Uber could even offer a separate class for classic car owners, like they offer UberXL for SUV owners or Uber Black and/or Lux for owners of certain high-end luxury cars.)

Please sign this petition if you believe that Uber and Lyft should allow more flexibility for people with older, well-maintained cars to participate in the ride-sharing economy.  Please also re-post and pass this petition along to anyone else who supports our efforts.  Hopefully together, we can make Uber and Lyft riders' experiences better!