Uber to pay more money its drivers if customers keep them waiting for too long

Long wait times can be stressful for driver-partners. By the time they arrive at the pick-up location, the driver has already invested fuel, time and effort in getting to a rider. With the “Paid Waiting Time” policy, Uber will ensure driver-partners get paid per minute if a rider keeps them waiting for more than five minutes after the driver arrives at their pick-up location. With arrival times now just a few minutes, riders need only request a ride when it’s time to leave.

Aaron Tindiseega, Country Manager for Uber in Uganda  explains, “The Paid Wait Time feature is a simple addition that riders will be able to quickly adapt to, but importantly, it makes a big difference to driver-partners efficiency and contribute to that stress-free experience that we aim to achieve,” adds Tindiseega.

Last week Uber announced new features for driver-partners (Driver Share My Trip, Arrival Time, Long Trip Notification and Rating Protection) that have made it even easier for driver-partners across Uganda to choose when, where, and how they drive.

“We know that these features are addressing key concerns of driver-partners and we understand their frustrations. These features focus on three keys areas: more flexibility for drivers when it comes to when they want to use Uber, using our technology to create a stress-free experience, and building on safety,” adds Tindiseega.

Ambrose Musinguzi a driver-partner in Kampala, explains, I am most happy with the arrival time feature, as I can set the time I want to arrive at my final destination giving me more flexibility.” With the Arrival Time feature, the app will notify them when it’s time to start heading toward their destination. At that time, they’ll be connected with a trip along the same path. This allows for more flexibility and allows them to make a little extra money on the way.

Uber is committed to putting driver-partners first and has promised to continuously work on improving the app to ensure drive-partners have only a positive experience with the app and that any concerns are heard. Uber’s goal is to help riders and drivers connect quickly and easily so they can get on their way and Uber hopes these new updates provides the flexibility to test new ideas and improve the reliability of the Uber app for everyone.