• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say

3

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

1

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say

3

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Leadership

How Uber Took Over The Democratic National Convention

By
Dan Primack
Dan Primack
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Dan Primack
Dan Primack
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 26, 2016, 5:32 PM ET
US-TRANSPORT-ECONOMY-UBER
A man checks a vehicle at the first of Uber's 'Work On Demand' recruitment events where they hope to sign 12,000 new driver-partners, in South Los Angeles on March 10, 2016. / AFP / Mark Ralston (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)Photograph by Mark Ralston — AFP/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The busiest spot in Philadelphia last night wasn’t inside the Wells Fargo Center, where Democrats kicked off their national convention. Instead it was a white tent several hundred yards north, near the outskirts of the arena’s giant parking lot.

That’s where Uber had set up a pick-up lounge for DNC attendees not fortunate enough to have a designated delegate bus or hotel within walking distance of a Philadelphia subway stop.

“We had our busiest day ever in Philadelphia,” said Niki Christoff, head of the company’s federal affairs group, who said that official ride numbers won’t be available until the convention ends.

[fortune-gallery id=”1747121″]

Uber’s partnership with the DNC began early this year, when the ride-hailing giant visited both the Democratic and Republican National Committees in Washington, D.C. It offered both parties the following deal: Uber would provide a dedicated fleet of complimentary vehicles to ferry VIPs (e.g., speakers, certain delegates, etc.) around the convention cities. In exchange, the party would provide Uber with an exclusive car lot inside the outer security perimeter.

The RNC turned down the deal, leading Uber to rent out a private “lounge” space outside of the Cleveland security perimeter. The DNC ― whose convention is located seven miles outside of Philadelphia’s city center ― said yes.

For Uber, however, the agreement presented some personnel challenges. Namely, how would it convince enough drivers to hang out in a traffic-infested parking lot rather than roaming the streets.

The solution was financial incentives. Specifically, all Uber drivers who pick up riders at during the DNC are guaranteed minimum earnings of between $21 and $27 per hour (depending on the time period). If actual earnings comes in below that amount, Uber picks up the difference.

There had been some social media rumors that Uber was penalizing Philadelphia-area drivers who declined to drive during the convention, but multiple drivers tell Fortune that is not the case, and company officials have publicly denied the allegations.

About the Author
By Dan Primack
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Leadership

Tommy Bahama CEO Doug Wood
RetailFashion
Go ahead, make fun of Tommy Bahama. The CEO is happy to join you, and he’s probably not a fan of your preppy shorts
By Catherina GioinoAugust 3, 2026
1 hour ago
f
C-Suitenational debt
‘A fantastic amount of money to have borrowed’: a top Wall Street wealth advisor is stunned by the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergAugust 3, 2026
2 hours ago
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) CEO Paul Griggs
SuccessCareers
PwC U.S. CEO advises young workers to say yes a lot, even if it means working on the weekends—‘That person climbs into the next role’
By Emma BurleighAugust 3, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo of Sam Altman
SuccessWealth
Sam Altman reveals the investing advice billionaire Peter Thiel gave him that helped him amass a $3.3 billion net worth without OpenAI equity
By Preston ForeAugust 3, 2026
3 hours ago
Fortune Daily video show graphic showing host Ellie Austin
C-SuiteFortune Daily
Welcome to Fortune Daily
By Ellie AustinAugust 3, 2026
4 hours ago
cs
AIEducation
The computer science major is dying so that the AI literacy minor can be born: ‘we have to democratize it’
By Heather Hollingsworth and The Associated PressAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
Middle East
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
By Jason MaAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
2 days ago
Trump just invoked a 1930 tariff law no president has ever used — against Canada
Commentary
Trump just invoked a 1930 tariff law no president has ever used — against Canada
By Caleb PetittAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
The average worker would need to save for 52 years to claw their way out of the middle class and be classified as wealthy, research reveals
Success
The average worker would need to save for 52 years to claw their way out of the middle class and be classified as wealthy, research reveals
By Orianna Rosa RoyleAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
Success
He was homeless at 16. Now he sits on the board of David Beckham's wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
By Emma BurleighAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.