Tanzania, 31 Oct 2017 - Uber is
excited to announce a powerful set of new features that will make it even
easier for driver-partners across East Africa to choose when, where, and how
they drive. Uber is doubling up on what’s made Uber the first choice for flexible
work and making it even better.
These new features follow the
recent launch of Uber’s In-App Chat, a feature which allows driver-partners and
riders to chat right in the Uber app without having to share their phone
numbers with one another when they need to get in touch.
Alfred Msemo, Country Manager for
Uber in Uganda explains, “We are always listening and engaging with
driver-partners to ensure that we always improve and transform the driver
experience. Drivers have been very clear on what they need and based on their responses,
we will be rolling out products that can address three keys areas: more
flexibility for driver-partners when it comes to when they want to use Uber,
using our technology to create a stress-free experience, and building on
safety.”
To start, Uber will be launching
a number of products that drivers have asked for:
Driver Share My Trip: Uber already offers
a way for riders to share their trip status with their contacts, and so the
Share My Trip feature now allows drivers to share the trip information with
loved ones, without implicating the privacy of the rider or divulging personal
information or specific drop off or pick up points.
Arrival Destination & Time: Drivers
will now be able to set the time that they want to arrive at their final
destination at any time of the day with the Arrival Time feature. As
driver-partners go about their day with the destination and arrival time set,
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
Long trip notification: Information will be
sent to driver-partners to fit driving around their lifestyle, which means
drivers will now get a heads-up when a trip is estimated to be 45 minutes or
longer, so they can plan accordingly.
Rating protection: Sometimes riders might
give their trip a low rating for reasons beyond a drivers control like an issue
with the Uber App. With the new ratings policy, these type of ratings won’t
count towards a drivers score. Uber will still get the feedback to help them
improve but it won’t impact the driver’s overall rating.
‘No Thanks’ button: This new feature
provides drivers the flexibility to turn down trips without worrying how it
will affect their earnings. Currently, driver-partners can either confirm and
take a trip request or wait for the request to timeout. However with this new
feature, the ‘no thanks’ button, drivers can decline the trip right away – it’s
good news for riders too as the request gets passed on to another driver sooner
meaning shorter waiting times for riders.
What does this mean for
driver-partners? Msemo explains, “When Fatuma Mdee goes online to start
accepting rider requests, she can use the “Share My Trip” feature to share her
information about her trip with her husband such as where she is on the map.
She is in control to start and stop sharing with her husband or other contacts
as she’d like, and they can easily see her whereabouts on a map with quick-dial
contact details and the driver’s license plate number. ”
“Or take, for example,
driver-partner Omar Mohammed, who has three children and uses the Uber app to
have more flexibility and control over his/her life. With the addition of the
“No thanks” button,Omar now has greater flexibility handling his trips as this
feature provides the option to turn down trips immediately without worrying how
it will affect his earnings. This is also good news for riders too as the
request gets passed on to another driver sooner meaning shorter waiting times
for riders.
“It has been our priority to
continue building on our technology and our driver offerings so that we provide
drivers with the best experience while using Uber. We believe these new
features will improve not only their driving experience but their lives.”
concludes Msemo.
But this is only the start - by
putting driver-partner concerns and dialogue at the heart of Uber’s strategy,
Uber will continuously work on improving their experience with the app. This
isn’t just about new features - it’s about a sustained commitment over time,
and Uber is incredibly excited to apply the full strength of Uber to improve
and transform the driver experience for the 1,000 men and women who drive with
Uber every week.
About Uber
Uber’s mission is to help people
get a ride at the push of a button - everywhere and for everyone. We started in
2009 to solve a simple problem - how do you get a ride at the touch of a
button? Eight years and over two billion trips later, we’ve started tackling an
even greater challenge: reducing congestion and pollution in our cities by
getting more people into fewer cars.
The Uber network is now available
in over 600 cities in over 75 countries spanning 6 continents. To request a
ride, users must download the free application for Android, iPhone, Blackberry
7, or register for Uber at www.uber.com/go. For questions visit www.uber.com
For more information, contact:
Janet C. Kemboi - Communications
- East Africa
Tel: +254 726 390190
Email: jkemboi@uber.com
No comments:
Post a Comment