Ride-hailing giant Uber adds perk for drivers: Pre-set destinations
Company rolls out third chapter of its ‘180 Days of Change’
As Uber grapples with a leadership vacuum and threats from rivals, the ridehailing company also is working to shore up its often troublesome relationship with drivers.
The third chapter in its sodubbed “180 Days of Change” campaign rolled out Tuesday with an array of app updates that give drivers more control over their schedules.
For example, drivers now can choose six daily destinations, up from two, that they would like their rides to get them near. Also, those destinations can be pre-set with their preferred arrival times. The Uber app then aims to funnel rides to drivers based on those preferences. Drivers also will get an alert if an incoming ride will take more than 45 minutes.
The idea is that if a driver knows they have to be at their child’s school by a certain time, the app will offer up rides that keeps that timetable in mind.
“What we’ve heard over and over from drivers is that what they value most is flexibility,” says Aaron Schildkrout, Uber’s head of driver experience.” These changes (to the app) are as complex as you might think. They’re a heavy lift on the tech side.”
The first two chapters in Uber’s
“180 Days” push added tipping, the lack of which was a longtime Uber driver complaint (rival Lyft has always offered this option), as well as a phone hotline.
Rachel Holt, Uber’s U.S. and Canada general manager, says since rolling out tipping two months ago, riders have funneled
$50 million to drivers. Uber has roughly 2 million drivers globally. Also, the call-in line has fielded roughly 200,000 calls since debuting a month ago.
“Many drivers we’ve heard from say (the new features) have completely changed how they feel about the direction of Uber and its leadership,” Holt says. “They feel this is a new direction.”
Since its founding eight years ago, Uber has often had a combative relationship with drivers. Some have sued over their status as contractors who are not eligible for benefits, while others have complained that the company was not responsive to its concerns.
Earlier this year, CEO and cofounder Travis Kalanick was caught on a dash-cam video berating a driver for complaining. Jeff Jones, the Uber president tasked with focusing on the relationship with drivers, abruptly left the company in March, six months after taking the job. On Wednesday, tax services company H&R Block said it was hiring him as CEO.
Uber is desperately seeking a makeover in the eyes of not only drivers but also riders, investors and its own employees.
After being hit in February by accusations from former engineer Susan Fowler of harboring a sexist and cutthroat work environment, Uber lost Kalanick when investors insisted he step down. It’s also dealing with infighting on its board as its valuation drops and must contend with a self-driving car trade-secrets lawsuit brought by Googleowned Waymo.
Uber is currently being run by 14 senior executives, some of whom also are in charge of hiring a new CEO (Uber also is in need of filling other top C-suite positions). While some female executives have been considered for the post, the most recent rumor centers on former General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt.