Uber is rolling out a slew of new features to placate frustrated drivers while not raising fares for riders. The changes are set to take place nationwide this month.
Uber, valued at nearly $68 billion, is seeking to pacify its drivers after the San Francisco company, much to its drivers’ collective displeasure, slashed fares in most cities in January following the holiday season, according to Bloomberg.
To appease drivers without increasing fares, below are some of the new changes, according to Business Insider.
– Drivers can pause incoming ride requests, instead of manually declining them, before finishing their shift.
– Drivers waiting for their riders will be compensated by charging riders starting two minutes after their Uber arrives.
– Drivers can search for cheaper gas prices within the app instead of using Google’s Waze navigation app. (In the future, Uber may negotiate with gas stations to offer coupons through its app, like Waze, per Bloomberg.)
– Similar to Uber competitor Lyft, drivers can be set up with riders headed in a similar direction. This feature will only be offered in about a dozen cities in the U.S.
– Uber drivers in some cities will receive a discount on their own Uber rides when they’re not working.
– Like Lyft, Uber will now offer drivers the ability to be paid immediately across the U.S, per Bloomberg.