Uber in India Cutting Down Trip Cancellation

Uber India, a ride-hailing app, said on Thursday that it has raised prices over the past few weeks to protect drivers from the effects of rising fuel prices in many Indian cities. It also said that it now shows trip destination to drivers before they accept a ride to help them make an informed decision.

In an effort to reduce trip cancellations after booking, Uber announced on Thursday that its drivers would be able to see the passenger’s ultimate destination before accepting the ride.

The action was taken in response to comments the ride-hailing service got from its National Driver Advisory Council, which was established in March 2022 to promote two-way communication between Uber and drivers in six metro cities to solve important concerns.

Drivers on the Uber platform across India will now be able to see the trip destination before they decide to take the journey, according to a statement from Uber. This will increase transparency and reduce irritation for both users and drivers.

The business said that it had conducted a trial project on the subject in May that had resulted in encouraging reductions in trip cancellations. “The trip acceptance threshold has been eliminated by Uber, and the unconditional feature has been made available in all cities. Uber will continue to track driver and passenger input and, if necessary, make modifications “ride-hailing company stated.

Uber has now released an OTP-based login that will enable drivers to log in to the app in a hassle-free and simple method without the need to remember passwords or other details, thereby facilitating ease of doing business on its platform.

Uber also recognised typical problems encountered by drivers and offered remedies based on the conversation at the second meeting of its driver advisory group.

In order to contact for assistance when necessary, Uber Auto and Moto drivers will now have a Home phone option added to their Uber app. According to the statement, Uber will now send push notifications to passengers informing them of waiting charges when they book a trip in response to feedback from Moto drivers concerning customers’ lack of understanding of waiting charges.

“As they had to pay for airport fees up front and then receive reimbursement, drivers at the airport frequently encountered operational challenges. However, Uber has now implemented cashless operations at airports in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi “said Uber.

Following the first meeting of the Driver Advisory Council, Uber made a number of changes, including up to a 15% increase in prices to cover rising fuel costs, a long-distance pick-up fee to reimburse drivers for long trips to pick up passengers, and a change in payment frequency to every weekday for drivers to receive online payment transfers, among other things.

37 drivers were selected for the Driver Advisory Council from six metro areas through a meticulously designed three-part procedure overseen by an Independent Review Board.

These drivers represent the interests of tens of thousands of drivers on the platform and operate across a variety of Uber product offerings, including automobiles, auto-rickshaws, and motorbikes.

The company added that it had increased tariffs in recent weeks to protect drivers from the effects of rising gasoline prices in numerous Indian cities. The new increase in prices, according to Uber, “will immediately raise their earnings per trip,” adding that the company “always seeks to make driving with Uber a feasible and attractive alternative for drivers.” Also read Uber on Charges of Flouting Laws | Full Statement – Won’t Make Excuses, Judge Us by What We’ve Done Over the Last Five Years.

In a statement announcing a flurry of new product features to enhance the rider and driver experience, the business stated that the increase in fuel prices had an impact on everyone, particularly ridesharing drivers who felt the squeeze of increased fuel expenses.
The first-ever Uber Driver Advisory Council met in March of this year, and the council’s driver members cited this as a major concern, according to the statement.