What drivers and couriers say and do matters most. In 2021, their feedback changed and improved Uber in ways both big and small. And this year, Uber employees – from executives, product managers, engineers and our CEO Dara – chose to sign up to drive or to deliver and hit the road.

In 2022, we want to hear from drivers and couriers even more so we can put their ideas to work. 

Listening & Fixing

2021 was a year of listening and walking (or driving) in drivers’ and couriers’ shoes — the more we listened to them, the more we were able to make changes. 

Uber employees —including Dara chose to drive and deliver on their own time and provide feedback about their experiences using the platform. That feedback resulted in more than 300 fixes that meaningfully improved the driver and courier experience.

We also launched Uber Crew, a program that lets drivers and couriers share their feedback with Uber employees so we can make real and meaningful changes. We are looking forward to expanding this in 2022. 

Among other things, we’ve worked to make first trips as easy as possible with guided prompts and clear resources, and we’ve improved the navigation experience to large apartment buildings, which couriers have told us is a challenge, and which Uber team members experienced first-hand.  Our executives and employees will be doing even more listening and fixing next year. 

Saying Thank You

It has been a top priority to ensure that employees from the CEO level on down are connecting with drivers and hearing about their experiences first hand. As we head into the holiday season, we wanted to offer employees another way to connect with them and thank them for partnering with us this year. That’s why, we hosted our first-ever Appreciation Phone Bank to thank drivers and couriers for using our platform to earn with us this year. Employees at all levels – from Dara and the entire Executive Team – volunteered and made more than 10,000 calls. 

Getting a Break on Gas 

Gas prices have been on the rise and gas is a top expense for many drivers and couriers. That’s why we partnered with GetUpside to support drivers while they’re on the road. Now, with a tap of a button in the Uber app, drivers can pause trip requests and navigate to nearby gas stations where they can get up to  25¢ per gallon back from GetUpside. We know this is critical for drivers and will continue to look for new ways to support them. 

Helping with Vaccine Access

Earlier this year, we launched state guides to help drivers and couriers across the US navigate the vaccine process. And in March, we worked with Walgreen’s to announce a partnership that allows drivers and couriers to book a vaccine appointment in the app. We’re continuously monitoring COVID-19 around the world and working to help keep those who rely on our platform healthy and safe.

Prioritizing Safety

From giving out 600,000 canisters of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes across the US and launching RideCheck for couriers who use Uber Eats, we’ve continued to use our global reach and technology to keep the health and safety of drivers at the heart of everything we do. 

We’ve strengthened our rider verification process and put more safeguards in place to validate the identity of riders who set up an account without a credit card. We also created Proof of Trip Status to help drivers and couriers quickly verify their trip status if needed. Drivers and couriers can now also add an emergency contact that Uber can call in case of an emergency.

Improving Maps

Drivers and couriers have told us that one of their biggest pain points when driving or delivering is navigation. Last summer, we announced new app enhancements for drivers and riders that are helping create a smoother pickup and drop off process. 

Going forward, our maps team will continue to improve the navigation experience. 

Education & Career Opportunities

We know using the Uber platform may be a temporary stop on someone’s career journey and we want to give them new resources that can help them achieve their dreams. In July, Dara announced that we were giving drivers and couriers around the world the opportunity to learn a new language—for free and fully integrated in the driver app through a partnership with Rosetta Stone. We are also connecting drivers and couriers to free financial literacy classes and coaching. 

Drivers and couriers are the power behind every ride and every meal that’s delivered on the Uber app. As we head into 2022, we want to keep listening to and doing more for the millions of people who make our platform work. We look forward to sharing new initiatives in the New Year!