Earn on your own schedule

Rates to better value your time

July 6, 2018 / Houston

We know that consistent and dependable earnings are important to you. 
In a step toward creating a more reliable earnings experience, we’re updating our time and distance rates to make earnings more reflective of the time you put in, no matter where a trip takes you. 
You can expect that your overall trip earnings will stay the same as a result of the update.

What’s changing?

We’re increasing the per-minute rate and decreasing the per-mile rate for UberX and UberXL. Whether it’s a 2-mile trip or a 20-mile trip, your time will be valued.

UberX updates	UberXL updates
Time rate: +55%	Time rate: +28%
Distance rate: -14%	Distance rate: -7%

You can see your new rates in the Fares tab of your partner portal.

See rates

How will this affect my earnings?

You can expect your overall earnings to remain the same. We’re putting more value on time to help create more consistent and dependable earnings, no matter where your next trip takes you.

Take a look at how the update would affect 2 different trips, one that’s a short distance with traffic during rush hour, and another that’s a long distance without traffic:

Short-distance UberX trip example

From Montrose to Downtown

Old rates	New rates
Distance: 3.5 miles	Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 25 minutes	Time: 25 minutes
Total earnings: $5.25	Total earnings: $6.04

Long-distance UberX trip example

from University of Houston to IAH Airport

Old rates	New rates
Distance: 22 miles	Distance: 22 miles
Time: 30 minutes	Time: 30 minutes
Total earnings: $18.57	Total earnings: $17.78

Questions you might have
Where can I see my new rates?

You can see your new rates on the Fares tab in your partner portal.

Is this a fare cut?

No, this is not a fare cut. We’re rebalancing the way time and distance are valued by increasing the per-minute rate and decreasing the per-mile rate. The update is intended to make trip earnings more consistent and dependable, regardless of whether a trip takes you through heavy traffic or on an open highway. You can expect overall trip earnings to remain the same with the update.

Why not just increase rates?

We know how frustrating it can still be when you don’t know whether accepting a trip will be worthwhile. The goals of this update are to give you more confidence that every trip is worth your time, even when you encounter heavy traffic or unexpected delays, and to help create more dependable earnings from trip to trip. We’re working to improve your earnings experience in additional ways.

How will this update affect surge and promotions?

This update will not have an impact on the way surge or other promotions are calculated. The same emphasis on the time you spend on a trip will be put on both surge and non-surge trips, so that your time is better taken into account.

Does this update affect the per-minute wait fee rate?

No, the per-minute wait fee rate will not change. The wait fee is calculated with a separate per-minute rate that is higher than the new on-trip per-minute rate. You can find your per-minute wait fee rate in the Fares tab of your partner portal.

Why have there been so many pricing changes lately?

Our intention with these changes is to improve your earnings experience. We’re being thoughtful about the changes and deliberately working slowly to ensure we can collect and incorporate your feedback along the way. Rebalancing rates is just one step towards the goal of a better, more consistent earnings experience. We’re relying on your feedback to inform other changes that may come in the future.

Is this change nationwide, or specific only to my city?

We are evaluating our rates across many cities. That’s why we are being thoughtful about each individual city’s dynamics and thus rolling this change out gradually. This way, we can work more closely with you to understand how this is impacting your experience and to incorporate your feedback before making any broader changes.

How do I give feedback about these updated rates?

We want to hear from you as you experience the update. You can leave feedback and ask any questions you might have through the link below: