Uber Technologies Inc CEO says the company is expanding a program in the United States to show fares and routes to drivers before accepting drivers, part of their efforts to attract more drivers more driver. Uber is expected to announce its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday.
In May, the ride-hailing company said its ridership was at a post-pandemic high. It has faced criticism for its treatment of people behind the wheel of Uber vehicles.
“Sometimes we focus more on building self-driving car rather than focusing on our real drivers, and our drivers are ultimately irreplaceable,” Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said at a driver event on Thursday.
The feature, which the company began testing in February and will expand to nearly 30 regions in August, allows drivers to see how much they will earn and where to pick up and drop off their passengers before accept ride.
Matt Hughes, who has been driving for Uber since 2016, said he wanted to make sure he was getting a good fare before accepting a passenger. “It has to make it worth your time, so upfront pricing is important information,” he said.
Uber says it’s also rolling out systems in cities like its “Prepaid Fares” feature, to let drivers choose from a list of rides and receive weekly earnings summaries, including including Uber’s cut from completed trips.
To reduce the impact of higher gas priceThe company has introduced a new debit card that will give drivers up to 7% cash back on gas depending on their loyalty status.
The company said it will also reintroduce its Uber Pro driver rewards program with new features in November that allow drivers to choose the region they operate in.
(Reporting by Gigi Zamora; Editing by Peter Henderson and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
