Uber focuses on Earnings improvements in latest driver-side changes

Uber has modified some of the core ways earnings work for its drivers, as the latest chapter in its ongoing ‘180 Days of Change’ program. Uber debuted its 180 Days campaign earlier this year, with the long-awaited introduction of in-app tipping for drivers, and it has subsequently rolled out a range of other features, as well.

These changes to earnings continue the theme of adding features that Uber hopes will increase driver satisfaction and retention, both of which it has had challenges with in the past. Earnings is an area that could have a tremendous impact on satisfaction, for obvious reasons, and all of these changes focus on delivering higher earning capacity for drivers across most types of rides.

Drivers will now begin earning more for long pickups, with a special additional fee that applies when they have to travel a longer distance with a longer ETA to collect a rider. Uber suggests this will help on the driver side by incentivizing drivers to accept rides when they see long pickup ETAs.

Drivers will also be able to earn more from late cancellations, specifically around long pickups with last-minute cancellations. Drivers will earn either the standard cancellation fee, or a distance and time fee for the long pickup fee, whichever is greater, whenever these cancellations occur.

Another area where drivers currently lose out is around longer wait times, and starting now they’ll earn more on a per minute basis after the initial two minutes whenever a rider makes them wait for a pickup.

Finally, Uber is going to start incorporating tolls directly into fares, which will mean that drivers don’t have to pick up the bill when it comes to fares that involved driving across tolled routes.