Uber Drivers Sleep in Cars to Chase Multi-Day San Francisco Fares

VICE News

High living costs and Uber's lack of daily driving caps push long-distance gig workers to live in their vehicles to capture algorithmic surge pricing.

AI-assisted summary of Driving For Uber, Sleeping In Her Car (HBO ) — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2016-12-19

Key ideas

Terri White commutes 83 miles from Stockton to San Francisco every Wednesday at 2:30 AM, living and sleeping in her Toyota Prius until Friday afternoon to earn fares in an unaffordable city. (0:01)
White estimates that roughly one in five Uber drivers she encounters sleeps in their vehicle between shifts. (1:27)
Unlike competitor Lyft, which locks drivers out after 14 hours in a single day, Uber imposes no daily driving hour caps on its platform. (3:07)
When questioned about drivers residing in their vehicles, Uber claimed it was unaware of the practice and stated that it does not encourage anyone to sleep in their car. (3:07)

Detailed notes

## Background Published by VICE News on YouTube on December 19, 2016, this report follows Stockton resident Terri White as she commutes 83 miles to drive for Uber in San Francisco and sleeps in her car for days at a time. The accompanying description highlights the grueling routines of gig economy drivers serving cities they cannot afford to live in, contrasting Uber's lack of daily driving hour limits with Lyft's 14-hour cap.

## TL;DR VICE News correspondent Nellie Bowles examines the economic realities of the gig economy through Uber driver Terri White, who commutes weekly from Stockton to San Francisco and lives out of her Toyota Prius from Wednesday through Friday. Having traded a restrictive call center job for the autonomy of driving, White manages her schedule around algorithmic surge pricing and peak rush hours, breaking her sleep into fragmented daytime naps parked on city streets. The report reveals a broader subculture of gig workers who frequent local gas stations to eat and rest, while highlighting that Uber enforces no daily driving caps unlike competitors such as Lyft. Despite sleeping only one hour across a grueling 15-hour stretch, White remains committed to the grind to support her family.

## Atmosphere & style The piece carries an intimate, melancholic, yet quietly resilient tone, balancing the lonely stillness of predawn commutes with the frantic rhythm of urban rush-hour traffic. Viewers feel the heavy physical exhaustion through the cramped interior of White's Prius, contrasted sharply against her cheerful optimism and genuine appreciation for personal freedom. Bowles adopts an observant, empathetic journalistic presence, allowing the quiet absurdities of algorithmic labor and corporate detachment to speak for themselves.

## Bulletin - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) Terri White commutes 83 miles from Stockton to San Francisco every Wednesday at 2:30 AM, living and sleeping in her Toyota Prius until Friday afternoon to earn fares in an unaffordable city. - [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) White estimates that roughly one in five Uber drivers she encounters sleeps in their vehicle between shifts. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) Unlike competitor Lyft, which locks drivers out after 14 hours in a single day, Uber imposes no daily driving hour caps on its platform. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) When questioned about drivers residing in their vehicles, Uber claimed it was unaware of the practice and stated that it does not encourage anyone to sleep in their car.

## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) Approximately 1.5 million people drive for Uber each month, frequently shuttling wealthy urban riders while taking home modest earnings. - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) Terri White leaves Stockton at 2:30 AM on Wednesdays and remains in San Francisco working and living out of her Prius until Friday afternoon. - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) San Francisco morning rush hour provides crucial target fares that can yield at least $50 an hour. - [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) White previously worked in a call center where managers dictated every minute of her schedule, leading her to value the autonomy of gig work despite its grueling physical demands. - [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) Sleeping in her Prius originated as a safety measure to prevent fatigued driving while working far from home. - [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) White reports having overcome initial embarrassment about sleeping in her car, framing the sacrifice as a practical choice made to support her family. - [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) An estimated one in five Uber drivers encountered by White sleeps in their vehicle. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) White manages her fatigue by sleeping in fragmented 3- to 4-hour intervals to stay positioned for algorithmic surge pricing windows. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) Local gas stations function as 24-hour community pit stops where long-haul gig drivers microwave food, park, and sleep. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) A gas station clerk reports encountering drivers who claim to have been working continuously for up to two days. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) Lyft restricts platform access after 14 hours of daily driving, whereas Uber operates without a cap on maximum consecutive driving hours. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) Uber responded to reports of drivers sleeping in cars by stating they had never heard of the situation and do not encourage the behavior. - [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) After 15 hours on shift with only a single hour of sleep logged, White parks on a city street to rest briefly before resuming driving late into the night.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) The 83-Mile Commute and Morning Rush Hour

Around 1.5 million people drive for Uber each month, regularly shuttling affluent passengers through the streets of the world's wealthiest cities while clearing meager profits for themselves. In San Francisco, VICE News correspondent Nellie Bowles investigates what life looks like for a driver who cannot afford to live in the city she serves. The workweek begins in the quiet early hours of Wednesday at 2:30 AM in Stockton, California. Terri White tiptoes around her kitchen packing lunch while her entire household is fast asleep, trying to be as quiet as possible before embarking on an 83-mile drive west into San Francisco. Once she departs, she will not return home to Stockton until Friday afternoon. For the duration of her stay in the city, she lives and sleeps in the exact same vehicle she works out of: her Toyota Prius.

Arriving in San Francisco, White turns on the driver app, remarking that in this city, someone is always going somewhere. While she typically takes a quick nap as soon as she arrives in the Bay Area, today she cannot afford the rest. She needs to catch the morning rush hour immediately, where fares can bring in at least $50 an hour. Fares start coming in within moments, and she picks up passengers heading toward Market Street and Montgomery Street, greeting them warmly as the morning unfolds.

- **Monthly Uber workforce**: Approximately 1.5 million drivers worldwide. - **Terri White's commute**: 83 miles from Stockton to San Francisco every Wednesday at 2:30 AM, staying through Friday afternoon. - **Peak earning target**: Morning rush hour, which yields a minimum of $50 per hour.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Terri White Work Routine Cycle accDescr: Flowchart illustrating Terri White's weekly multi-day driving and sleeping routine between Stockton and San Francisco.

subgraph Stockton ["Home Base: Stockton"] A["Wednesday 2:30 AM: Pack lunch & leave"] G["Friday Afternoon: 83-mile drive home"] end

subgraph SanFrancisco ["Work Cycle: San Francisco"] B["Arrive in SF: Log into Uber App"] C["Morning Rush Hour: Target $50+/hr fares"] D["Midday Pause: 3-4 hr naps in parked Prius"] E["Gas Station Pit Stop: Microwave lunch & chat"] F["Evening Rush Hour: Drive late into the night"] end

A --> B B --> C C --> D D --> E E --> F F --> D F --> G ```

[01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) Trading a Call Center Desk for Freedom and Car Naps

Before starting with Uber two years earlier, White spent her days working in a call center, an environment where supervisors scheduled every single minute of her shift. Despite the punishing and irregular schedule required to drive in San Francisco, she finds the gig economy far more liberating than being tied to a cubicle. As she explains to Bowles: “I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I'm not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want.” She values having total agency over her workday, noting, “I don't have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it.” When fatigue sets in, she simply logs off the app.

The decision to sleep inside her Prius began as a practical safety measure rather than desperation. Explaining her reasoning, White states: “I just had this um idea to sleep in my car because I didn't want to drive when I was tired or fatigued and I just feel like it's it was safer.” When the morning rush hour peters out, she sets out to find a quiet street corner, pulls her emergency brake so the car won't roll away, reclines her driver's seat, and settles down to rest. When asked whether she feels any embarrassment about sleeping in her vehicle, White reflects that while she felt self-conscious early on, those feelings have disappeared: “At first I was but I'm not anymore because it makes sense and I do this for my family and if any of my family members say hey can you come home I'm there.”

- **Previous occupation**: Call center employee under strict, minute-by-minute schedule management. - **Tenure with Uber**: Two years. - **Driver community reality**: White estimates that one out of every five Uber drivers she encounters sleeps in their vehicle.

[03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) Surge Chasing, Gas Station Pit Stops, and Platform Policies

Rather than getting an uninterrupted night of sleep, White sleeps in fragmented blocks of three to four hours. Breaking up her rest allows her to wake up refreshed and stay nimble enough to chase the shifting locations of algorithmic surge pricing. After waking up re-energized from a daytime nap, she heads to a local gas station to microwave the food she brought from home. The gas station serves as an informal hub for transient gig workers. A station employee observes that drivers cycle through 24 hours a day, stopping to eat, park, and sleep in their cars, adding: “I've met drivers that they're literally saying that they've been working for like 2 days straight.”

After eating, White returns to the road for the evening rush hour. While competitors enforce safety limits—Lyft forces drivers offline after 14 hours of continuous work in a day—Uber maintains no daily driving hour caps, allowing drivers to remain logged in as long as they choose. When Bowles contacted Uber regarding drivers living and sleeping in their vehicles, an Uber spokesperson claimed they had never heard of this occurring and issued an official written response: “We do not encourage anyone who drives with Uber to sleep in their car.” By just past 7:00 PM, 15 hours have elapsed since White left Stockton, during which she has slept for only one hour. Exhausted, she parks once more, remarking, “I'll probably sleep for a few hours and get back at it,” before reclining her seat into the night.

- **Shift duration**: Over 15 hours elapsed since leaving Stockton, with only about one hour of sleep logged prior to her evening nap. - **Sleep pattern**: 3- to 4-hour naps configured around peak surge pricing windows. - **Platform comparison**: Lyft locks drivers out after 14 hours in a single day; Uber imposes no daily hour limits. - **Uber official statement**: “We do not encourage anyone who drives with Uber to sleep in their car.”

## Notable quotes > [01:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=87s) I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I'm not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want. — Terri White

> [03:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=187s) We do not encourage anyone who drives with Uber to sleep in their car. — Uber spokesperson

## Mentioned Terri White, Nellie Bowles, Uber, Lyft, San Francisco, Stockton, Toyota Prius, VICE News

## Video description On Wednesday at 2:30 AM, Uber driver Terri White left her home in Stockton, California, and drove 83 miles to San Francisco for work. She wouldn’t be home until Friday afternoon. White naps in her car between rush hours and heats up her lunch at a local gas station. She says one in five Uber drivers she meets sleeps in their car.

“I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I’m not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want,” White told VICE News correspondent Nellie Bowles. “I don’t have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it.” Uber’s biggest competitor, Lyft, locks drivers out of the platform after they’ve worked 14 hours in a day. Uber does not.

Watch what its like to be an Uber driver in a city you can't afford to live in.

Read: "Uber is trying to convince Europe's highest court that it's not a taxi service" - http://bit.ly/2hA9ORR

Read: "Uber drivers discriminate against black users, new study says" - http://bit.ly/2h2o2dn

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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE)

中文简报

优步司机睡车内连轴接单追逐旧金山车费高昂的生活成本以及优步缺乏每日驾驶时长上限，迫使长途零工人员住进车里以捕捉算法动态加价。 VICE新闻记者内莉·鲍尔斯通过优步司机特里·怀特的经历审视了零工经济的现实状况。怀特每周从斯托克顿通勤至旧金山，从周三到周五一直住在自己的丰田普锐斯车内。为了换取开车的自主权，她辞去了受限的呼叫中心工作，根据算法动态加价和高峰期来安排日程，把睡眠拆分成停在城市街道上的白天零星小憩。报道揭示了一个更广泛的零工亚文化群体，他们常在当地加油站用餐和休息；同时指出，与Lyft等竞争对手不同，优步并未执行每日驾驶时长上限。尽管在一段长达15小时的艰苦工作期间仅睡了1个小时，怀特仍坚持这一拼搏状态以养活家人。特里·怀特每周三凌晨2点30分从斯托克顿往返83英里前往旧金山，并在自己的丰田普锐斯车内生活和睡觉直至周五下午，以此在这座高物价城市赚取车费。 (0:01) 怀特估计，她遇到的优步司机中大约有五分之一在班次间隙睡在车内。 (1:27) 竞争对手Lyft在司机单日工作满14小时后会强制下线，而优步在其平台上并未设置每日驾驶时长上限。 (3:07) 当被问及司机住进车内的情况时，优步声称对此并不知情，并表示不鼓励任何人在车内睡觉。 (3:07)

Reading summary

To earn a living in San Francisco's lucrative ride-hail market, drivers such as Terri White commute long distances and sleep in their vehicles, balancing the appeal of schedule flexibility against grueling hours. The 83-Mile Commute for Peak Fares (0:01) Uber's global workforce encompasses roughly 1.5 million drivers, many of whom transport passengers through wealthy metropolitan centers while earning modest returns. Terri White, an Uber driver based in Stockton, California, leaves her home at 2:30 AM every Wednesday to make an 83-mile trip west into San Francisco, where she works continuously until Friday afternoon. Because local housing is unaffordable, she lives and sleeps in her Toyota Prius throughout the three-day stint. White coordinates her arrival to capitalize immediately on early morning commute demand around major commercial arteries like Market and Montgomery streets, where fares can reach at least $50 per hour. Due to the financial imperative of capturing peak rush-hour rates, she regularly foregoes resting upon arrival to begin taking fares as soon as she logs into the platform. Call Center Rigidity Versus Vehicle Living (1:27) Before joining Uber, White worked for two years in a call center governed by rigid, minute-by-minute supervisor oversight. Despite the physical hardships of living in a car, she views ride-hailing as far more liberating, valuing the autonomy to log off at will, breathe outside air, and take breaks without managerial permission. White's practice of sleeping in her reclined Prius began as a practical precaution to prevent driving while fatigued. While initially feeling self-conscious about vehicle living, she abandoned that embarrassment, viewing it as a practical sacrifice for her family's well-being. Based on her personal interactions in the field, White estimates that roughly one out of every five Uber drivers she encounters in San Francisco also sleeps inside their vehicle. Surge Schedules and Platform Safety Limits (3:07) Rather than taking full nights of rest, White configures her schedule around algorithmic surge pricing, sleeping in fragmented intervals of three to four hours between demand peaks. During awake periods, local gas stations function as vital service hubs where drivers microwave prepared meals, park, and rest. One station worker reported that drivers cycle through continuously across 24-hour periods, with some stating they had been on shift for two days straight. Operating conditions are also shaped by platform policy differences. While competitor Lyft automatically logs drivers off after 14 hours of daily operation, Uber enforces no daily cap on driving hours. When questioned about drivers residing in their vehicles, an Uber spokesperson stated the company was unaware of the phenomenon and issued a formal statement noting that the company does not encourage drivers to sleep in their vehicles. By the evening of White's first day, she had logged over 15 hours on the road with only a single hour of sleep. The dynamic highlights an operational contradiction in the gig economy: while drivers embrace the autonomy of freelance work over structured corporate employment, algorithmic incentives and the absence of maximum shift limits lead workers to endure prolonged sleep deprivation and vehicle residency in high-cost cities.

精炼阅读摘要

VICE News报道显示，在高昂生活成本与算法动态定价的双重驱动下，部分Uber司机不得不采取极端通勤并在车内过夜的生活方式；受访司机将这种严苛作息视为摆脱传统岗位严密监控、换取工时自主权的必要妥协。长途跨城通勤与车宿常态化 (0:01) 全球每月约有150万人为Uber开车，许多人在富裕城市载客却无力负担当地居住成本。加州斯托克顿（Stockton）居民Terri White每周三凌晨2:30启程，驱车83英里前往旧金山接单，直至周五下午才返回家中。在旧金山期间，她的丰田普锐斯（Toyota Prius）既是营运工具也是居所，吃住均在车内完成。在车内过夜起初是White为避免疲劳驾驶而采取的安全举措，随后演变为常态。据White估算，她接触的Uber司机中约有五分之一同样睡在车里。当地加油站成为零工司机的非正式聚集中心，员工透露常有司机在此加热自备餐食、停车补觉，部分司机甚至连续工作两天。以车内碎片化休息换取工时自主 (1:27) 在全职开Uber前的两年里，White在一家对作息进行精确到分钟管理的呼叫中心工作。尽管在旧金山开车的日程极不规律且消耗体力，她仍认为零工经济比格子间更有掌控感，能够自由决定休息与进食时机，并在感到疲惫时随时下线。为配合算法动态加价（Surge Pricing），White采用分段式睡眠法，每次在车内拉下驻车制动后仰倒座椅休息3至4小时。这种碎片化休息模式使她能灵活应对早高峰等高收益时段，早高峰期间每小时收入可达50美元以上。虽然起初对睡在车内感到难为情，但她表示为了补贴家庭，目前已不再介意。平台工时机制差异与企业回应 (3:07) 不同网约车平台在安全管控政策上存在明显差异。竞品Lyft实行强制离线机制，规定司机单日累计工作上限为14小时；而Uber在当时并未设立每日驾驶时长上限，允许司机自主决定在线时长。在报道记录的一个工作日中，White离开斯托克顿已达15小时，期间仅断续睡了约1小时便继续出车。针对司机在车内过夜与长时间营运的现象，Uber发言人向记者表示从未听说过此类情况，并在书面声明中回应称：“我们不鼓励任何为Uber开车的司机睡在自己的车里。” 该报道展现了平台弹性机制与劳动者实际生存状态之间的脱节：司机虽获得了形式上的工时自由，却在缺乏平台单日驾驶上限的机制下，陷入长途奔波与车宿循环；而平台方仅以不鼓励车宿的声明作出回应，尚未从制度层面解决极端工时与跨区域司机的过夜困境。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由 VICE News 于 2016 年 12 月 19 日发布在 YouTube 平台上，时长约 5 分钟。视频简介介绍了加州全职 Uber 司机 Terri White 从斯托克顿驱车 83 英里前往高消费城市旧金山接单、为省开销而长达数天睡在车里的真实生活，并探讨了平台在工时监管上的差异与零工经济从业者的生存困境。 ## TL;DR 片中记录了 Terri White 每周三凌晨离家直奔旧金山抢跑早晚高峰、直到周五才返家的极端接单循环。为了最大化收益并追赶动态溢价，她选择在两次高峰之间短暂睡在车后座，并在加油站微波炉解决温饱，而类似睡在车里的司机在当地已达两成。虽然 Terri 珍视告别呼叫中心后的工作自主权，但离家 15 小时仅睡 1 小时的残酷现实，折射出网约车平台对司机工时缺乏强制兜底限制所带来的安全隐患与体制冷漠。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片弥漫着一种清冷疲惫与温和坚韧交织的纪实质感，凌晨静谧启程的镜头与车流如织的都市接单场景形成了鲜明反差。记者 Nellie Bowles 的提问克制而敏锐，与 Terri 坦诚豁达、将艰难现实化为对家庭付出的平实叙述碰撞出深刻的情感张力。观看过程既让人为零工经济下个体在逼仄车厢内碎片化休整的艰辛感到揪心，又被平台官方回应的漠然衬托出一层挥之不去的荒诞与无力感。 ## Bulletin - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 加州全职网约车司机 Terri White 每周三凌晨从斯托克顿驱车 83 英里前往旧金山接单，直至周五下午才返家，期间全程生活并夜宿于车内。 - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=114s) 旧金山早高峰时段的网约车收益可达每小时 50 美元，但高昂的生活成本迫使约五分之一的受访司机选择睡在车里省钱。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) Lyft 设有每日 14 小时的强制锁机下线限制，而当时的 Uber 缺乏类似工时熔断机制，且官方声称从未听说司机有睡在车里的情况。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) 加油站成为跨城司机的非正式补给枢纽，员工证实大量司机全天候在此加热食物、在车内补觉，甚至有人连续接单运转长达两天。 ## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 全球每月约有 150 万人通过 Uber 平台接单，但司机在扣除车辆磨损与燃料等运营成本后实际所得十分微薄。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 生活成本高昂的超大城市催生了极端跨城跑单模式，司机单程通勤超 80 英里并在工作城市连续驻留数日。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 旧金山早高峰提供高达每小时 50 美元的丰厚时薪，吸引周边远郊司机凌晨跨城奔赴抢跑早班。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 部分全职司机将零工经济视为逃离传统呼叫中心微观管制的出口，宁愿牺牲起居条件换取排班自主权。 - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=114s) 受访司机估算在旧金山接触的 Uber 司机中，约有 20% 同样为了降低成本而直接在车里过夜与休息。 - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=114s) 车内休息往往呈碎片化分布，司机通常只睡 3 至 4 小时以便随时醒来捕捉动态溢价（surge pricing）高峰。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) 本地加油站成为零工司机的补给中枢，全天候提供微波炉热饭、停车休憩等非正式生活支持设施。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) 两大平台存在明显的工时监管差异：Lyft 实行 14 小时每日强制断开下线，而 Uber 当时未对司机在线时长设置硬性上限。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) Uber 官方回应称不鼓励司机在车里睡觉并声称此前未听说此类现象，与一线司机的实际生存处境形成强烈脱节。 - [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) 极端工时导致严重的睡眠剥夺，司机在连续离家 15 小时的高强度运营中累计睡眠时间仅有约 1 小时。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=1s) 凌晨两点半的启程与跨城接单全球每月约有 150 万人成为 Uber 司机，穿梭在世界最富裕的城市街头接送高收入乘客，然而司机自身扣除成本后往往所剩无几。为了探寻在生活成本无法承受的城市开网约车的真实处境，VICE News 记者 Nellie Bowles 记录了加利福尼亚州全职网约车司机 Terri White 的生活轨迹。周三凌晨 2:30，全家人仍在沉睡，Terri 在厨房极力放轻动作打包午餐，随后发动她的丰田普锐斯（Prius），从位于斯托克顿（Stockton）的家中出发，驱车行驶 83 英里前往旧金山接单。这趟出门意味着她要一直工作到周五下午才会返家；在旧金山接单的整整几天里，她的这辆车既是生产工具，也是她唯一的起居之所。抵达旧金山上线系统后，派单提示音几乎立刻响起。通常情况下，Terri 开完长途后的第一件事是先补个觉，但当天由于时间紧迫，为了不错过早高峰，她选择直接接单。早高峰时段收益极高，保底收入可达每小时 50 美元。在搭载前往市场街（Market Street）和蒙哥马利街（Montgomery Street）等金融商业区的乘客时，Terri 始终保持着热情礼貌的交流。在两年前加入 Uber 之前，她在呼叫中心上班，工作中的每一分钟都必须严格服从他人安排；因此，即便网约车的工作时间颠倒疲惫，对她而言却带来了一种掌控生活的自由感。 - 每月全球约有 150 万名司机在 Uber 平台上提供接送服务。 - Terri 单程需从斯托克顿驾车 83 英里赶往旧金山，工作周期从周三凌晨持续至周五下午。 - 旧金山早高峰时段的司机收益非常丰厚，时薪最低可达到 50 美元。 ### [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=114s) 车轮上的生活：在后座补觉与自由的代价上午早高峰逐渐退潮后，Nellie Bowles 与 Terri 进行了深入交谈。当谈到这份工作的吸引力时，Terri 直言：“I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I’m not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want. I don’t have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it.” 她解释说，当自己感到疲惫时，可以直接在平台下线，而在车内过夜是她主动想出来的办法，目的是避免疲劳驾驶造成危险，确保行车安全。被问及向外人承认“睡在车里”是否会感到难堪时，Terri 坦言一开始确实有些尴尬，但现在完全放下了：“At first I was, but I'm not anymore, because it makes sense and I do this for my family.” 她强调自己所做的一切都是为了家人，只要家里有需要，她随时能掉头回家。据 Terri 观察，在旧金山她所接触的 Uber 司机中，约有五分之一的人同样选择睡在车里。在白天短暂的休息间隙，她会找一个相对安静的地方，拉紧手刹防止车辆滑移，调整靠背后躺倒小憩。她从不在车里连续睡上整觉，每次通常只休息三到四个小时，以便随时醒来追踪平台不断变动的动态溢价（surge pricing）高峰。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Terri 网约车日常工作循环流程 accDescr: 展示 Terri 从跨城通勤、接单高峰、车内补觉到加油站就餐的完整生活与工作循环 subgraph Commute["通勤阶段"] A["周三凌晨 02:30 从斯托克顿出发"] --> B["驱车 83 英里到达旧金山"] end subgraph Peak1["早高峰接单"] B --> C["上线接单（时薪可达 50 美元）"] C --> D["早高峰结束，退出平台"] end subgraph Rest1["休整与用餐"] D --> E["车内拉手刹倾斜座椅（小憩 3-4 小时）"] E --> F["加油站微波炉加热自带午餐"] end subgraph Peak2["晚高峰与循环"] F --> G["投入晚高峰交通接单"] G --> H["夜间继续车内断续补觉并追踪动态加价"] H -->|"循环接单至周五下午"| C end ``` ### [03:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=218s) 加油站日常、平台监管差异与官方回应下午时分，睡醒后的 Terri 恢复了些许精力，前往当地加油站使用微波炉加热自己从家里带来的午餐。加油站工作人员在受访时透露，网约车司机一天 24 小时都会出现在这里，不少人甚至把车停在站里吃饭、吃完就在车里睡觉，然后再继续上路接单；他甚至遇到过司机坦白自己已经连续高强度工作了整整两天。吃完午餐后，Terri 迅速重返道路，迎接晚高峰的滚滚车流。这一现象暴露出网约车平台在司机工时限制上的监管差异。Uber 的主要竞争对手 Lyft 设有严格的安全防线，司机在一天内工作满 14 小时后系统会自动锁机强行下线；相比之下，当时的 Uber 并没有设置类似的强制停线机制，允许司机按个人意愿无限延长接单时间。当记者 Nellie Bowles 就司机夜宿车内的情况向 Uber 官方求证时，Uber 发言人却表示此前从未听说过此类情况，并在正式声明中回应称：“We do not encourage anyone who drives with Uber to sleep in their car.” 此时旧金山的时间已过晚上 7 点，距离 Terri 凌晨离开家门已经过去了 15 个小时，这期间她总共只睡了大约一个小时。在晚高峰结束后，她互道晚安，准备再次在车里睡上几个小时，随后继续醒来投入旧金山无休止的夜间接单循环。 - Lyft 对司机每日接单时间设定了 14 小时的硬性上限，超时后强制锁定；而 Uber 在该时段未对司机在线时长设置强制断开机制。 - 加油站员工证实，常年有大量司机全天候驻扎在加油站停靠、加热餐食并车内借宿，部分人自称已连续跑单长达两天。 - 到当晚 7:00 晚高峰落幕时，Terri 已离家超过 15 个小时，全天累计睡眠时间仅有约 1 小时。 ## Notable quotes > [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE&t=114s) I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I’m not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want. I don’t have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it. — Terri White ## Mentioned Terri White, Nellie Bowles, VICE News, Uber, Lyft, Toyota Prius, Stockton, San Francisco, Market Street, Montgomery Street ## Video description On Wednesday at 2:30 AM, Uber driver Terri White left her home in Stockton, California, and drove 83 miles to San Francisco for work. She wouldn’t be home until Friday afternoon. White naps in her car between rush hours and heats up her lunch at a local gas station. She says one in five Uber drivers she meets sleeps in their car. “I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I’m not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want,” White told VICE News correspondent Nellie Bowles. “I don’t have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it.” Uber’s biggest competitor, Lyft, locks drivers out of the platform after they’ve worked 14 hours in a day. Uber does not. Watch what its like to be an Uber driver in a city you can't afford to live in. Read: "Uber is trying to convince Europe's highest court that it's not a taxi service" - http://bit.ly/2hA9ORR Read: "Uber drivers discriminate against black users, new study says" - http://bit.ly/2h2o2dn Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Follow VICE News here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews Tumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9abrZwnPThE)

Source quotes

[1:54] Terri White: I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I’m not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want. I don’t have to wait for someone to relieve me for a break or a lunch, I just do it.

Source quotes

[1:27] Terri White: I love people, I love being able to breathe the air, I'm not confined to a desk, and I can do what I want. [3:07] Uber spokesperson: We do not encourage anyone who drives with Uber to sleep in their car.

Original transcript

[0:01] about 1.5 million people drive for Uber [0:04] every month often faing well-to-do [0:06] passengers around the world's wealthiest [0:08] cities even though they don't clear much [0:10] profit themselves in San Francisco Nelly [0:13] Bulls went to find out what it's like to [0:15] be an Uber driver in a city you can't [0:17] afford to live in right in the middle of [0:20] making lunch the whole house asleep so [0:22] I'm trying to be extra quiet on [0:24] Wednesday at 2:30 a.m. Terry leaves her [0:26] home in Stockton California and drives [0:29] 83 mil to San Francisco for work but she [0:31] won't be home until Friday [0:39] afternoon Terry's an Uber driver and [0:41] while she's in San Francisco she sleeps [0:43] in the same place that she [0:45] works her [0:47] [Music] [0:57] Prius and now I'm going to go onl [1:01] in San Francisco someone's always going [1:04] [Music] [1:05] somewhere see we didn't wait [1:08] long most weeks the first thing Terry [1:11] does when she gets into the city is take [1:12] a nap but today she doesn't have time [1:15] she doesn't want to miss morning rush [1:16] hour when she can make at minimum $50 an [1:19] hour hi Julia how are you all right [1:21] you're going to Market Street yeah all [1:25] [Music] [1:27] right before Terry started driving for [1:30] Uber 2 years ago she worked in a call [1:32] center where someone else scheduled [1:34] every minute of her day driving for Uber [1:37] even with the strange hours feels [1:39] freeing hi Karen yes good morning how [1:42] are you I'm good how are you good Terry [1:45] yes all right so you're going to [1:46] Montgomery yes you got it thank you [1:49] you're [1:54] welcome later that morning I caught up [1:56] with Terry I love people I love being [1:59] able to breathe the air I'm not confined [2:01] to a desk and I can do what I want I [2:04] don't have to wait for someone to [2:06] relieve me for a break or a [2:08] lunch I just do it when I'm tired I log [2:11] out of the [2:12] platform I just had this um idea to [2:16] sleep in my car because I didn't want to [2:19] drive when I was tired or fatigued and I [2:22] just feel like it's it was safer so [2:25] what's your usual routine around now [2:28] well uh rush out has died down so I [2:32] might um take a nap and usually when I [2:35] nap I uh try to find a place that's [2:39] pretty [2:45] quiet are you ever embarrassed to tell [2:48] people that you're sleeping in your car [2:51] at first I was but I'm not anymore [2:54] because it makes sense and I do this for [2:57] my [2:58] family and [3:00] if any of my family members say hey can [3:05] you come home I'm [3:07] there Terry says that one in five Uber [3:10] drivers she meets sleeps in their car I [3:12] put on my emergency break because I [3:14] don't want to roll away and I just get [3:16] real [3:18] comfortable and I [3:23] recline while she's on duty Terry never [3:25] sleeps a full night she takes naps [3:28] usually for 3 to 4 hours at a time so [3:30] she'll be awake to navigate the [3:31] everchanging honey pots of surge [3:35] pricing I am awake [3:38] rejuvenated uh got a little more uh [3:42] energy so I'm going to go to lunch [3:45] now in the afternoon Terry goes to heat [3:48] up the lunch she brings from home at the [3:50] local gas station they come here 24 [3:53] hours a day you know some of them come [3:55] and they actually Park here eat you know [3:58] after they eat they sleep sometimes and [4:00] they get on their way uh I've met [4:02] drivers that they're literally saying [4:05] that they've been working for like 2 [4:08] days straight after lunch Terry's back [4:11] on the road for evening rush hour [4:12] traffic Lyft Uber's biggest competitor [4:16] locks out its drivers after they've [4:17] worked 14 hours in a day Uber does not [4:21] its drivers can work as many hours at a [4:22] time as they [4:24] want when I told Uber I was doing a [4:26] piece about Uber drivers sleeping in [4:28] their cars I representative said he'd [4:30] never heard of this happening and wrote [4:32] We do not encourage anyone who drives [4:34] with Uber to sleep in their [4:36] car it's just past 7:00 p.m. 15 hours [4:40] since Terry left home she slept for [4:42] about an hour since then so it's nap [4:44] time I'll probably sleep for a few hours [4:47] and get back at it good [4:51] [Music] [4:58] night