Uber App Gains Long-Desired Tipping Option

Uber today announced a new "180 Days of Change" initiative that's designed to improve working conditions for its drivers and bolster its public image. As part of the upcoming changes, Uber plans to implement tipping, a feature that drivers have long desired.

Tipping is currently available in the Uber app in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Houston, with Uber pledging to add more cities over the next few weeks. Tips will be available to all U.S. drivers by the end of July, says the company.

For end users, when a ride is complete, there's a new option alongside the star rating to add a tip of $1, $2, $5, or a custom amount. The new in-app tipping option is a huge change, as Uber has long resisted tipping with the excuse that it kept the service "hassle-free," even as competitors like Lyft implemented tips for drivers.

Along with tipping, Uber also announced several other changes that are being implemented starting today. Driver Destination trips will count towards promotions and are available for all U.S. drivers, $2 has been added to the base fare for all teen account trips, drivers will earn a per minute fee for waiting over 2 minutes for riders, a cancellation fee will be implemented if a rider cancels after two minutes (it was 5 minutes), and there's a new Driver Injury Protection insurance option offered by Aon.

Uber plans to announce and implement additional changes over the course of the next six months.

Tag: Uber

Top Rated Comments

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farewelwilliams

16 months ago

no thanks. tipping should be banned.
yes i get it, you work in a service industry and you don't get paid enough. but if your employers charged more and passed the profits onto you, we wouldn't need to figure out this whole tipping ********.

good video here:
[MEDIA=youtube]q_vivC7c_1k[/MEDIA]

Rating: 28 Votes

RCS31

16 months ago

Tipping is a ridiculous system. I think it's disgusting guilting customers into paying companies' employee's wages. When I order a service or product, I expect to be paying for everything. I don't expect to then have to pay extra for their employee's service.

Rating: 26 Votes

Q-Dog

16 months ago

No thanks. Tell me how much you want to get paid for your service before I accept said service. If you don't make enough, charge more.

Rating: 14 Votes

keysofanxiety

16 months ago

Tipping is more of a personal reward for good service to the person rather than the company/employer. It tells a person “your service was great, here’s an extra reward”.

That would be true in Europe which doesn't really have a tipping culture. A tip is surprising and not at all expected.

In the US, a tip is almost mandatory. You feel like an asshat if you don't tip because you're guilted in knowing that they don't make enough and tipping is to be expected as a 'courtesy'.

It's very cultural.

Rating: 14 Votes

mrow

16 months ago

Ugh great. Are the drivers able to see who tipped and who didn’t? Otherwise this is basically going be mandatory if you don’t want your rider rating to tank.

Rating: 11 Votes

MacGuffin

16 months ago

Does it let you tip the executives when they refrain from sexual harassment?

Rating: 6 Votes

BornAgainMac

16 months ago

No tip necessary when the car is completely automated.

Rating: 6 Votes

mariusignorello

16 months ago

Tipping is more of a personal reward for good service to the person rather than the company/employer. It tells a person “your service was great, here’s an extra reward”.

Rating: 6 Votes