Uber in June announced plans for a "180 Days of Change" initiative that added a new long-desired tipping feature for drivers.
Tipping was initially limited to Seattle, Minneapolis, and Houston, but Uber said tips would be available to all U.S. drivers by the end of July, and the company is making good on that promise.
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Starting today, tipping is rolling out in 121 cities across North America, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and several cities in Canada. TechCrunch has a full list of all of the areas where tipping is now available.
The tipping feature will continue to expand to additional cities throughout the month of July, and Uber says it is still planning to have the feature available to all U.S. drivers by the end of the month.
Tips are optional for Uber riders, and the tipping screen will show up after a driver has been rated following the conclusion of a ride. Passengers have up to 30 days after a ride to provide a tip, and there are three custom preset tipping amounts ($1, $2, and $5) along with an option for a custom tip total.
Uber long resisted tipping even as competitors like Lyft implemented tips for drivers, with the excuse that it kept the service hassle-free. Uber is now aiming to bolster its public image and improve working conditions for drivers through the addition of tipping and other "180 Days of Change" features, such as a per minute waiting fee for riders, a shorter cancellation window, and a new Driver Injury Protection insurance option.
Top Rated Comments
I tip where it is expected, such as at a restaurant or when having food delivered because I'm not a prick. But the point is, I shouldn't have to. All that should go away and be replaced by their employers paying a decent wage. Instead, now we are expanding tipping to services that didn't used to have them.