Mr D'Urso said that there were fewer Uber drivers four years ago than there are now, which had increased competition. Extra costs including GST and higher commissions had also been introduced since he first started driving. Mr D'Urso said driving a fuel-efficient car and having a good accountant had helped keep his costs down. He said he clears about $570 a week after costs. Loading A new survey of 1100 Uber and other ride-share drivers to be released on Wednesday has found that they earn an average of $16 per hour before costs. The survey conducted by the national Transport Workers Union and the Ride Share Driver' Co-operative, of which Mr D'Urso is a member, found that one out of ten drivers report they have been physically assaulted.

The survey also shows that more than 60 per cent of drivers say they cannot save enough money for superannuation or annual leave. The survey received 969 reports of harassment and assault, with 37 per cent of drivers saying they had received threats. One out of 10 drivers said they have been physically assaulted and more than six per cent said they had been sexually assaulted. Some drivers had received deaths threats, threats of rape and racial abuse. Some had been punched in the face, held at knifepoint or had car windows broken or cars stolen. Uber said all of such incidents would be clear breaches of its policies and pointed to safety measures, such as emergency buttons, it used to help protect drivers. Employment law lecturer Michael Rawling from the University of Technology Sydney law school said the survey represented "important information from workers".

Dr Rawling, who has been researching the gig economy, said the survey identified that almost half the respondents were driving full time and not just supplementing their income. "They are driving full time for almost three dollars below the national minimum wage rate of $18.93," he said. Loading "That is a pretty poor rate of pay given that they have to pay for all their on-road costs." Dr Rawling said a legislative response was needed to ensure ride share drivers were paid proper rates and conditions.

The TWU's Tony Sheldon said the survey results were "shocking and disturbing". "More than two out of three full-time drivers earn below the ABS weekly average earnings of $1,586," he said. The survey was conducted between July and October and respondents worked for ride share companies including Uber, Ola, Taxify and DiDi. Most worked for Uber. Uber drivers earn an average of $16 per hour, a new survey has found. Credit:AP A spokeswoman for Uber said its driver-partners valued the flexibility of the job, but declined to comment on the union survey finding that the average hourly rate was $16 or provide its own estimate.

In September, Uber conducted its own survey of more than 1700 Australians who had driven on the Uber app in the preceding month. Of those surveyed, 93 per cent said they used the Uber app because it provided flexibility in work hours and a way to supplement their income. Of those surveyed, 79 per cent said they would be unlikely to continue driving with Uber if they had to drive fixed shifts. "Driver-partners can choose to use the app for hours that suit them and their families - for some that might be 9-5, but for others it can be during their morning commute, weekend evenings, or the early hours of the morning. They are also free to drive for other ridesharing apps," the Uber spokeswoman said. "We want driver-partners to be successful which is why we invest in innovations to get more riders using the app and by sharing information with driver-partners to help them identify which parts of a city are busier than others at various times. "Uber is committed to the safety of drivers-partners and we continue to work on promoting the safe use of our app and tackling tough issues."

The spokeswoman said Uber drivers are able to share their trip information with others and access an emergency assistance button. "Violence is not tolerated and is in clear violation of our Community Guidelines," the spokeswoman said.