Uber is about to introduce several new changes including the ability for drivers to see how much they’ll be paid for a trip.

This new feature, called ‘upfront fares’, gives Uber drivers the amount they’ll be paid and the drop-off location for trips.

They’ll also be able to see other ride requests in the area to give them a choice over which rides they accept.

At present, these changes will only be rolling out to drivers in the US but, if successful, could be adopted in the UK.

The ride-sharing company made the announcement on Friday, saying it has ‘completely reimagined the way drivers accept rides’.

‘One thing we’ve heard loud and clear is that making the Driver app the absolute best platform to earn requires three things: more flexibility, more choice, and more support,’ the company said in a statement.

Uber hopes that giving drivers more flexibility will mean fewer cancelled trips. At the moment, drivers may cancel trips because they don’t want to go to the location or realise it won’t be very profitable for them.

According to a supporting document, the amount drivers are shown for any given trip is calculated through ‘several factors, including base fares, estimated trip length and duration, pickup distance, and surge pricing.’

Uber has a had a tumultuous history with its drivers. In February 2021, they were officially ruled as workers, meaning they are entitled to rights like minimum wage and holiday pay.

Jamie Heywood, Uber’s regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, described it at the time as ‘an important day’ for drivers in the UK.

He said: ‘Uber drivers will receive an earnings guarantee, holiday pay and a pension, and will retain the flexibility they currently value.

‘Uber is just one part of a larger private-hire industry, so we hope that all other operators will join us in improving the quality of work for these important workers who are an essential part of our everyday lives.’

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