Uber said Tuesday it is adding a tip option for its customers in an apparent attempt to rebuild its public image and regain favorability amongst its drivers.
Uber reportedly said Tuesday that it is adding a tipping option for its customers in an apparent attempt to rebuild its public image and regain favorability amongst its drivers.
The ride-sharing company has been peppered with an array of ordeals in recent months, including an investigation into workplace culture, a mass exodus of high-level executives, and a lawsuit issued by tech giant Google.
The option will be available almost immediately for riders in cities like Seattle, Minneapolis and Houston, according to CNBC. The rest of the country where Uber operates will be provided with the new feature by the end of July.
Uber has resisted adding a gratuity component to its platform since its inception. Consumers have voiced their frustrations over not being able to show extra appreciation for a driver who went the extra mile to provide good services, while drivers, naturally, want to potentially be rewarded even further for their hard work. Lyft, Uber’s ride-sharing little brother, almost always offers a tipping feature, leading many drivers who work for both tech firms to prefer working for Lyft. (RELATED: Lyft Raises $600 Million As Lane Opens With Uber’s Troubles)
The change, though, may not be solely to emulate Lyft, but rather to shake up a troubled company .
The decision seems to be the first made by the company since Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was placed on a leave of absence earlier in June.
Kalanick’s ostensibly temporary departure practically coincided with the dismissal of then-Senior Vice President of Business Emil Michael and then-President of Business in the Asia Pacific Eric Alexander, all three of whom were accused of analyzing a rape victim’s medical records.
The company is now led by a committee of 14 executives, in an attempt to ensure that so many scandals and embarrassments don’ t occur again. They plan on implementing 47 different recommendations made by former Obama-era attorney general and hired investigator Eric Holder, which include forced diversification and ridding of ideas like “meritocracy.”
Uber did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment by the time of publication.
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