Uber Rolls Out In-App Tipping Nationwide in Effort to Woo Drivers
Uber's in-app tipping is (finally) here.
In late June, the embattled tech giant announced that it had rolled out the feature to three cities: Houston, Minneapolis, and Seattle. But as of this week, it will be available to all customers requesting rides through the app anywhere in the United States.
Today is the first full day that the tipping feature will be enabled across the nation, and as an even bigger incentive, Uber says it will match all tips dollar-for-dollar for drivers working on July 18.
Here's how it works: After a trip is completed, passengers will be able to choose from preset tip amounts of $1, $2, $5 or enter a custom amount. Riders will have 30 days to add a tip. Tips belong to the driver, and there are no service fees.
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In-app tipping is a feature that Uber has resisted for a number of years. In a Medium post last year, Uber explained its reasoning against it. "We felt it would be better for riders and drivers to know for sure what they would pay or earn on each trip -- without the uncertainty of tipping," the post read.
The ride-hailing company began feeling the pressure in April when the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission introduced a proposal to require the company to provide a tipping option. Then in June, rival Lyft boasted about its new tipping prompts.
The new feature is bound to woo new drivers to its platform as Uber tries to undo the damage from PR missteps including a video of its former CEO, Travis Kalanick, berating a driver (he later apologized) and a passenger boycott promoted on social media.
The move to in-app tipping is part of a larger initiative called 180 Days of Change, a campaign that aims to make "meaningful changes and improvements" to the driving experience. Other changes Uber announced include a shorter cancellation window and driver injury protection insurance.
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