There has been a lot of important debate about flexible work and what it means to drive with Uber in California. With the passage of new laws, we’ve been carefully considering how we could further protect your access and enhance the flexibility and transparency of the Uber platform going forward. It is important for you to know that come January 1, you’ll still be able to earn with Uber when and where you want, as your own boss.
You’ve told us flexibility is the #1 reason you choose Uber: the ability to work entirely on your own schedule; to leave or return to the platform whenever you want; to work on other platforms at the same time; and for each of those decisions to be fundamentally your own.
But we’ve also heard from you that we can do more to improve the experience for Drivers so you can reap the full independence that the platform can provide. So starting today, you’ll see more information upfront that will help you earn on your own terms. We’ll also add new features to help you build your business on our platform. And in the coming months, we will also make the fare structure more straightforward so it’s clear where your earnings and fees come from.
Some of these changes are ones that many of you have suggested in the past, and some upcoming changes will take some time to get used to. Either way, we are confident that all of the changes will make working with Uber work better for you.
The following feature updates launch today and will be fully available to all California drivers by mid-January:
You’ll see trip information upfront so you can make informed decisions.
By seeing your pickup, trip time, distance, destination and fare upfront, you’ll know what you can expect to earn and where a trip will take you, all before you accept, on every trip. The dollar amount you see is the estimated amount you’ll take home, after Uber’s service fee, if you accept the trip. Your final earnings calculation will not change, and is still based on the actual time and distance of the trip.
This applies to all trips, including Pool. You’ll see the same upfront destination information when riders are added to your Pool trips (with upfront fare estimate coming soon).
As a reminder, rejecting requests for discriminatory reasons, including rejecting trips solely to avoid particular neighborhoods, violates Uber’s Community Guidelines and California law. You can review our Community Guidelines here.
Accept only the trips you want to take and your Uber Pro status won’t be affected
Your acceptance rate will no longer affect your Uber Pro status and access to Uber Pro rewards. Uber Pro points, your driver star rating, and cancellation rate will still determine your status.
And remember, if you have a safety concern after arriving at the pickup location or your rider doesn’t show up, your cancellation rate won’t change.
We’re going to build more products that help you grow your business with Uber.
You should be able to earn more by providing your customers with great service. Starting today, providing a 5 star trip for your riders will create opportunity for more business later. After a 5-star rating, your rider can now add you as a favorite.
In early 2020, riders will be able to request their favorite drivers when scheduling a trip in advance, giving you the first opportunity to accept the reservation request as soon as the ride is scheduled. If you give a rider a 1-star rating, you won’t be matched on future rides.
- What is changing on my offer card?
Starting December 3, you will begin to see additional trip details on your offer card before you accept, including the rider’s pickup and dropoff locations as well as your estimated take-home earnings for that trip. You will also see the estimated time and mileage from the pickup to the dropoff location.
Not every driver in California will have access to this update immediately on December 3 -- we will continue to update this over the course of a few weeks, and expect all California drivers to have access by January 2020.
- Is the fare estimate on the offer card guaranteed?
The estimate is our best prediction for what you can expect to earn on the trip, based on the expected time and mileage that the trip takes. Because your earnings are based on the actual time and distance of a trip, the total will be calculated after the trip ends and may fall outside of the estimated range. If trip details change, such as the route, pickup or dropoff locations, added stops, or unexpected delays, your actual earnings may be outside of the range.
- How are you calculating the fare estimate?
The fare estimate is calculated by adding the base fare, plus the expected time and distance of the trip. Other fare components such as taxes, reimbursements, and other fees are not included in this estimate.
- Is Surge included in the fare estimate?
Surge will be listed as a separate additive amount on the offer card, and will not immediately be included in the estimated fare range. You will still be able to see the full calculation of your time and distance earnings, surge, and other components on your trip receipt.
- What if my rider adds a stop or changes the destination?
If trip details change, such as the rider adding stops or changing the pickup or dropoff locations, you will continue to earn for the actual miles and minutes driven. This may cause your actual earnings to be outside of the estimated fare range.
- Why are you removing the Acceptance Rate as a criteria for Uber Pro Gold, Platinum and Diamond eligibility?
We are making changes to Uber Pro status eligibility so you are able to qualify for Uber Pro rewards while only accepting the trips you want to take. Moving forward, you can unlock higher Uber Pro status with your points, star rating, and cancellation rate.
- What will happen when a rider “favorites” me? How will I benefit from this?
Riders can now add you as a favorite driver in the app. You and other drivers will be able to see how many riders have favorited you in your profile starting next month. Beginning in early 2020, riders will have the ability to schedule a ride hours or days in advance, and you’ll have an early chance to accept their trip request. If you’ve given a rider a 1-star rating, they won’t be matched with you.
- Why is Uber making these changes?
These features are in response to feedback from drivers and the passing of new laws in the state of California. Some changes will take some getting used to. On balance, we are confident that they will improve your experience on our platform.
- Are these features only available to drivers in California?
Yes, these features are available to California drivers only. As with all feature launches, we will monitor the effects of the change to ensure the experience is working properly and doesn’t create any unintended issues for drivers or riders. We will continue to evaluate expanding these features beyond California in the future.
Posted by Uber
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