Uber is a lead generation company.
They are not a transportation company, they transport no-one.
They are not an employer of drivers, they hire no drivers.
They are not a technology company. They utilize technology to deliver their product.
They have one product, leads.
Uber drivers are small business owners. They may not have driven people before Uber, and started when Uber came on the scene. They did that because Uber supplies a steady supply of leads, nothing more.
Uber is a lead generation company.