Ride-sourcing platforms such as Uber and Lyft are prime examples of the gig economy, recruiting drivers as independent contractors, thereby avoiding legal and fiscal obligations. Although platforms offer flexibility in choosing work shifts and areas, many drivers experience low income and poor working conditions, leading to widespread strikes and protests. Minimum wage regulation is adopted to improve drivers welfare. However, the impacts of this regulation on drivers as well as on travelers and platforms, remain largely unknown. While ride-sourcing platforms do not disclose the relevant data, state-of-the-art models fail to explain the effects of minimum wage regulation on market dynamics. In this study, we assess the effectiveness and implications of minimum wage regulation in ride-sourcing markets while simulating the detailed dynamics of ride-sourcing markets under varying regulation intensities, both with and without the so-called platform lockout strategy. Our findings reveal that minimum wage regulation impacts substantially drivers income, and may lead to higher fares for travelers and threaten platforms survival. When platforms adopt a lockout strategy, their profitability significantly improves and drivers earn more, although many others lose their jobs, and service level for travelers consequently declines.

翻译：以Uber和Lyft为代表的网约车平台是零工经济的典型范例，平台将司机招募为独立承包商，从而规避了法律与财政义务。尽管平台在工作时段与区域选择上提供了灵活性，但多数司机面临收入微薄与工作条件恶劣的问题，引发了普遍的罢工与抗议活动。为改善司机福利，最低工资规制政策被引入实施。然而，该规制对司机、乘客及平台的具体影响尚不明确。由于网约车平台未公开相关数据，现有前沿模型亦未能解释最低工资规制对市场动态的作用机制。本研究通过模拟不同规制强度下（包含及不包含所谓"平台封锁策略"的情形）网约车市场的精细动态，评估了最低工资规制在网约车市场中的有效性及其潜在影响。研究结果表明：最低工资规制显著影响司机收入，可能导致乘客出行费用上涨，并威胁平台生存。当平台采用封锁策略时，其盈利能力显著提升且部分司机收入增加，但会导致大量司机失业，进而造成乘客服务水平下降。