
Introducing Cash Trips: A New Way for Riders to Pay and for You to Earn
March 6 / USAt Uber, we believe transportation should be accessible to everyone. However, not all riders have easy access to a bank account or credit card. In fact, about 15% of US households are considered underbanked and often rely on other payment methods—especially cash. Some riders simply prefer using cash as well.
To ensure payment isn’t a barrier to transportation and to give you more earning opportunities, we’re introducing cash trips as a new payment option for riders in select cities.
How Do Cash Trips Work?
Cash trips function just like any other Uber trip, with a few key differences:
- You’ll know upfront when a trip is cash-based.
- At the end of the trip, you’ll collect the fare directly from the rider in cash.
- Your earnings summary will reflect cash payments differently than digital transactions.
Let’s walk through what this means for you
1. Verified Riders & Trip Offer Card
Only verified riders can use cash as a payment method. These riders have passed certain identity checks, such as sharing a government-issued ID with Uber.
Before you accept a trip, your offer card will display:
- A “Verified” badge showing the rider’s identity has been confirmed.
- A “Cash” badge so you know upfront that the trip will be paid in cash.
- The rider’s rating for additional peace of mind.
📌 Note: Cash trips will only be available between 6am and 10pm, local time.
2. Ending the Trip & Collecting Payment
At the end of a cash trip, tap “Collect Payment” in the app. You’ll see the expected fare amount, and you’ll enter the exact amount the rider hands you—even if they overpay or underpay.
⚠️ Important: For your safety, never argue with a rider about payment. If there’s an issue, Uber will handle the remaining balance. See the FAQ section for more details on overpayment or underpayment.
3. Trip Receipts & Earnings Balance
Once a cash trip is completed:
- Your Trip Receipt will show how much cash you received. This amount will appear as a negative payout since you’ve already collected it directly from the rider.
- In your Earnings Summary, cash payouts will be listed as negative amounts. If your balance is negative at any point, it’ll be adjusted with future earnings from digital payments.
4. How to opt out
If you don’t want to accept cash trips, you can opt out anytime in Preferences. All eligible drivers are automatically opted in when the feature launches, but opting out takes just a few taps. You can opt back in whenever you like.
Prioritizing your safety:
We understand that handling cash comes with additional safety considerations. That’s why we’ve designed this feature with your security in mind. Here are a few important safety recommendations:
✔️ Never argue over payment. If a rider doesn’t have enough cash, collect what they can pay, and Uber will cover the rest. You’ll always receive what you’re owed.
✔️ Whether you carry cash for change is up to you. You can tell any rider that Uber will provide their change as Uber Cash in the app
✔️ Store cash securely. Keep it out of sight from riders and others.
✔️ Deposit regularly. Minimize the amount of cash you carry by making frequent deposits.
✔️ Cancel if you feel unsafe. You always have the option to cancel a trip before pickup.
✔️ Cash trips will only be available between 6am and 10pm, local time.
✔️ Use Uber’s in-app safety features, including:
– Live Help with a Safety Agent
– Record My Ride, which lets you record audio and video for added security
– 24/7 Safety Incident Reporting
For more safety tips, check out the Learning Center in the Uber Driver app.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are cash trips offered in my city?
You’ll know you are part of the local cash trip Uber experience if you receive an announcement email and you are able to opt out in the Preferences section of your Uber app.
- How do I know if a trip is going to be paid in cash?
Down Small On your offer card, you will see the rider’s “Verified” badge. You’ll also see their rider rating and a “Cash” badge to let you know before you accept whether the rider will pay in cash. We would also recommend you to confirm with the rider before you start the trip by asking the rider, “Is this a cash trip?”.
- What if a rider doesn’t have enough cash to cover the trip?
Down Small Never dispute transactions with riders. Safely finish the trip, collect the payment the rider is able to make, and Uber will handle the collection of any remaining funds directly with the rider.
- What if a rider pays too much cash?
Down Small You are not required to give change to the rider. You can keep the extra cash, and we will make a negative deduction from your Uber account balance to cover for the extra change you received. Uber will then credit that same amount in Uber Cash to the rider as change.
- Can a rider still tip on a cash trip?
Down Small While a rider will not be able to leave a tip in-app, they can still tip directly with cash. The rider must let you know the amount they are tipping, and you will subtract it from the total fare the rider has given you for the trip.
- What if a rider tries to pay cash on a non-cash trip?
Down Small Uber prohibits cash payments for non-cash trips. If a rider wants to pay cash at the end of a trip, but it’s not indicated to you as a cash trip, you should kindly refuse to take the cash. Uber will ensure you are paid for the ride.
- How do cash trips work with tolls?
Down Small Any tolls you've been charged during the trip will be included in the fare that the rider will pay you in cash at the end of the trip.
- Are there any fees or deductions?
Down Small There are no additional fees for cash trips, and if your rider is using a promotion or has another discount, this will not affect how much you should earn for that trip.
Posted by Mishu Baldwa
Get a ride when you need one
Start earning in your city
Get a ride when you need one
Start earning in your city
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