【Meet your Uber driver-partner – Gilbert】

Uber is proud to be able to help  driver-partners like Gilbert find an additional source of income, enabling him to sustain his business during the pandemic. 

Gilbert’s hair salon has been through many ups and downs over the years including SARS in 2003. However, COVID-19 really struck his salon business hard and Gilbert faced an even more severe challenge in keeping his business of 26 years afloat. 

“During the first wave of infections in February, earnings of the salon were no longer enough to pay for rent. When it came to the third wave, I could not even afford to pay my employees’ salaries.” Gilbert added, “Every day I wake up worrying about the costs needed to sustain my salon. I also worried that I have to give up on my business.”

5 years ago, Gilbert started using the Uber platform as a driver-partner while running his salon, which gave him the ability to earn extra money to upgrade his car regularly. Since the pandemic, the extra money is being used to subsidize the operating costs for his salon and keep it afloat. “Uber is a lifeline for me and my salon. Without Uber, I would have been forced to shut down my decades old salon, ending the business I started when I was still a young boy, and all my efforts would have been wasted.” 

Gilbert also told us that “Uber is not only providing me with additional  earning opportunities to maintain my living standards, it is also a last resort which has helped to save my business during the current crisis.” 

Regulatory certainty is critical for Uber to be able to fully invest in Hong Kong, and for individuals like Gilbert to sustain their business. Help us regulate ridesharing, so we can continue to partner with Gilbert and help bring investment and jobs to Hong Kong.