Uber and Lyft are desperate for drivers. Here's what drivers say is keeping them off the road. When the pandemic hit, Uber and Lyft drivers fled the platforms en masse. More than a year later, rideshare demand is finally picking up for both platforms, but many drivers have been reluctant to return, and the companies are having to shell out millions of dollars to incentivize drivers to start working again. Some drivers told Insider they're simply waiting for more of the public to get vaccinated, or are fine with riding it out on stimulus checks or unemployment for now.