Take note, Uber riders: If it takes a driver longer than eight minutes to meet you, you will have to pay for it.
As part of its “180 Days of Change,” Uber will now charge fees for longer distance pickups as a way to give drivers more flexibility and opportunities to make money. Hopeful to attract more drivers—and convince current ones to accept the longer rides—Uber is implementing changes that will benefit its employees both personally (offering more choices in rides) and financially.
Per its website: “You’ll start earning standard time and distance rates after a period of time on your way to the longest pickups in your area. The fee will be on top of the standard trip fare.”
While customers may find this extra charge unfair, they may end up benefitting as well. More drivers will be willing to accept rides that are further out, thus making the riders’ wait times shorter. This is especially beneficial for riders who are in remote areas where Uber tends to be scarce or take forever to get to. If a few extra dollars mean your wait time goes from 25 minutes to 10, many will be willing to pay that convenience fee.
Those living in metropolises like New York City or L.A. will be less likely to see these charges due to the quantity of drivers nearby, but they will experience another new policy: late [rider] arrival fees. If your driver has to wait longer than two minutes once they reach the pickup location, you will be charged a late fee. The fee is dependent on the length of time drivers have to wait, and will hopefully incentivize riders to be more respectful of their driver’s time.
Uber will also begin charging for late cancellations, meaning that if a rider cancels, the driver will earn the standard cancellation fee or the standard time and distance rate for their driving before the cancellation, whichever is greater.
Uber’s “180 Days of Change” program should be fully implemented across the United States by the end of 2017.
Photo: MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com
