Moving forward, it won't just be drivers getting the boot for being rude, unruly, and unprofessional — Uber will start deactivating accounts with low ratings.
For years, drivers have groaned about riders not being put in the same strict standards as them, but rude riders' happy days are over. Uber has announced that anyone whose rating dips below average risks being banned from the app.
Uber Will Start Banning Riders Too
This repercussion isn't new to drivers, of course. Since Uber first launched, drivers have known full well the importance of maintaining a high rating since dipping too low might result to them being shut out from the service completely. But now, Uber is extending those same principles to riders, with the company confirming it'll start deactivating users who don't improve their behavior.
They won't be shut out off the bat — Uber says it will give them plenty of opportunities to change.
"Riders will receive tips on how to improve their ratings, such as encouraging polite behavior, avoiding leaving trash in the vehicle and avoiding requests for drivers to exceed the speed limit," said Kate Parker, Uber's head of safety brand and initiatives. They will get a handful of opportunities to improve their rating before completely losing access to Uber apps.
Uber's Rating System
Drivers risk being deactivated when their rating falls below a certain range. According to leaked documents from 2015, it's 4.6. Uber didn't say what the threshold is for riders, though. The company has been experimenting with various methods of giving feedback to riders for years. In 2017, it rolled out a feature that let drivers offer additional comments to riders with regard to their behavior. They are able to choose from a slew of "tags," including "wait time," "patience," "number of riders," and more. If a rider gets the same tag within 30 days, they are notified that their behavior is affecting their rider rating. However, there are no real repercussions tied to this system. Essentially, riders are free to be rude and terrible without appropriate sanctions. Until now, of course.
"Respect is a two-way street, and so is accountability," said Parker.
Uber said it expects this change to impact only a very small number of riders, though.
Thoughts on this change? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
