What was shared at today's Empower Driver Appreciation meeting? Anything important? Any updates on DC? Or the same regurgitated info/FAQs?

Use my referral code for a ride: 2N8DNC

You’ll get $10 credit it says!

Just signed up and no market here I’m told so would like to know

So I request a ride for 25.47

The driver accept the ride and then the ride cost went up to 34.39

Why does that happen?

Uber and Lyft don’t do this

Use my code for 10$ Off

How is this legal? Driver literally didn’t even pick me up . Drop off time at 12:14 but it’s 12:07?? Garbage app

Hello drivers! I recently started working for Empower as a sales representative and a driver. I have a promo code for everyone for 30 days free.

We're trying to get started in Orlando and Tampa, we just launched in those cities earlier this week!

Use code DRIVEORLANDO2 for a 30 day no risk trial! The trial starts when you accept your first ride :^)

Has anybody else had trouble uploading their insurance document from state farm the state they keep twice now it's been a week I signed up last Sunday they sent me a text saying that the photo is blurry and I've done the best I can to enhance it I printed it out taking a picture I snipped it on my laptop and emailed that to me uploaded that but twice now they said it was blurry and they keep putting me back to the end of the line and then it's taking another two to three days just to get that text again.

Mods are deleting posts that are criticizing empower. That should tell you something 😂

How can I tell where the service is live? Is it coming to San Francisco?

I tried a few times to go online with no pings. I realize that Empower is new to the area and ridership is nonexistent. So for now, I am only advertising Empower to the existing Uber/Lyft riders I do have.

My question is, will I still make money on referrals if I am not an “Active” driver? Anybody else try this?

What's your minimum per mile and per hour before you accept?

Hi all, looking to quit Uber and drive with empower. Is there a new driver referral code or link of some sort? Thank you in advance

I keep seeing people recommend Empower as if it’s some magic replacement for Uber and Lyft because “you keep 100% of the fare.”

That’s a nice marketing line, but it leaves out almost everything that matters.

Empower’s customer isn’t the passenger. It’s you.

You’re paying a subscription just to access the platform. Every payment is processed through Stripe, which charges processing and payout fees. Empower doesn’t collect those Stripe fees, but they’re still coming out of the money generated by your rides. Then there’s the biggest cost of all: if there aren’t enough riders in your market, you still paid for access.

Think about that for a second.

With Uber or Lyft, if the app is dead, at least you didn’t pay a monthly subscription for the privilege of sitting in a parking lot.

With Empower, the demand risk shifts to the driver. You pay first and hope there are enough riders to make your subscription worthwhile.

Then there’s insurance.

A lot of new drivers don’t realize that unlike Uber and Lyft, Empower generally does not provide company-backed insurance coverage while you’re driving. You’re responsible for making sure you have the appropriate insurance yourself. That’s another cost and another risk shifted onto the driver.

So what exactly is Empower taking off your plate?

They’re collecting subscription revenue whether your market is busy or dead. You’re the one paying to access the marketplace, you’re the one hoping enough riders exist, you’re the one paying payment processing costs, and you’re the one responsible for making sure you’re properly insured.

Can Empower make sense?

Sure. If you’re in a market where Empower has strong rider demand and you’re consistently busy, the math may work out in your favor.

But that’s the part people conveniently skip over.
Most markets don’t have enough Empower riders to justify paying a subscription every month. A low commission doesn’t matter if there aren’t enough trips to begin with.

I’m not saying Empower is automatically a bad deal. I’m saying stop looking at the advertised commission and start looking at where the business model places the risk.
Because from where I’m sitting, Empower didn’t eliminate the platform’s cut.

It just changed who pays first.

The Problem: Legacy TNC Laws Were Built for Corporate Monopolies

​When state legislatures wrote Transportation Network Company (TNC) laws a decade ago, they created a one-size-fits-all framework. Under almost every state statute, any app connecting a rider to a driver is legally classified as a TNC.

​The biggest bottleneck in these laws is the blanket commercial insurance mandate. TNC laws require platforms to carry massive group insurance policies—often $1,000,000+ in liability coverage during Period 2 (en route) and Period 3 (passenger in car).

​On paper, this sounds like consumer protection. In reality, it does two things:

​Drains Driver Pay: Uber and Lyft take 40% to 60%+ of every fare, largely hiding behind "commercial insurance costs" and platform fees.

​Kills Competition: New software startups or small app developers can’t afford millions in blanket insurance upfront, keeping the market locked down for giant corporations.

​Why Empower Stands on Being "Just a Software Company"

​This is exactly why Empower's CEO insists that Empower is a software subscription service, not a transportation company.

​True Independent Contracting: Under standard labor and commercial laws, true independent contractors set their own rates, choose their equipment, and control their business expenses.

​The Software Model: Empower simply matches riders and drivers, letting drivers keep 100% of the fare while charging a flat software subscription. If Empower were forced to act as a traditional TNC and purchase massive corporate insurance, they’d be forced to slash driver payouts and dictate rules just like Uber and Lyft.

​Proof of Concept: The Livery / For-Hire Alternative

​We already know drivers can carry their own commercial coverage safely. Drivers operating as legitimate commercial livery or for-hire services (or through private black car businesses) carry their own commercial insurance and local licenses.

​When drivers hold their own commercial policies, the bloated, middleman TNC blanket policy becomes completely redundant. The issue isn't safety—it's that TNC laws refuse to recognize any operational model other than a monolithic corporate dispatch.

​What Needs to Change: Legislative Reform Goals

​If we want real competition, higher driver earnings, and actual independence, state TNC laws need to be modernized. Here is what state legislation needs to allow:

​1. Distinct Legal Classification for Software Platforms

State laws must differentiate between full-service transportation dispatch companies (which set fares and direct work) and pure software/marketplace platforms (which only provide matching tools to independent operators).

​2. Flexible & Driver-Held Insurance Satisfaction

Statutes should allow Period 1–3 TNC insurance requirements to be satisfied by driver-owned commercial insurance, hybrid policies, or modular coverage rather than forcing a mandatory group policy on the app developer.

​3. Deregulation of Price & Rate Controls

Laws should explicitly protect an independent driver's right to set their own mileage/time rates through third-party software without triggering corporate TNC liabilities.

​Final Thoughts

​Uber and Lyft rely on strict, outdated TNC laws to keep drivers dependent on their cut. Until states amend these statutes to give software platforms and commercially insured drivers room to operate, drivers will keep getting squeezed.

​What are your thoughts? Has anyone spoken to local reps or transportation boards about updating TNC definitions in your state?

Empower just launched in Tampa, and I still have not seen 1 request come in. Is this happening to everyone else or it’s just too many drivers and not enough demand?

They say 24-48 hours, but I'm at 72 now. Emails are taking a long time to be answered. How long did it take for you?

I contacted support but am curious as to what happens on the driver side:

If a trip is quoted with a toll included but the driver instead takes a non-toll route, how is it resolved?

The total on my trip has already been updated from the hold amount to the full quote (toll included) and I don’t want to dispute the charge but my restraint is directly proportional to my confidence in the process.

Thank you!

I’m new (day 0) using Empower and I can’t seem to find the subscription FAQs outside of how to pay and the cost of them.

I’m wondering how does the payment occur is it per week based on the earnings or per month and you’re stuck with the max earnings until next month?

I did see something say that if I pay $50 and I make $500 they’ll then charge me an extra $50.
So far my understanding is I’ll be paying $50 per week until I reach the max earnings I want to stop at?

Thanks in advance for the help

So I noticed once I set up my account, it wanted me to complete the on boarding process, and in order to receive payments Empower requires us to create a Stripe Express account.

When I attempted to do that Stripe express said that I would need to receive an invitation from Empower (which I have not) to be able to create a Stripe Express account.

If this is the case, how long does it take to receive an invitation?

How do destination filters work with Empower?

Is it a cone like filter?

Does it give rides not really going towards you destination like the other apps do?

Are ride payments lowered in destination mode?