Have you ever felt like you should be tipping your driver, but don’t have any cash? Well, your problem could be solved in the near future (at least in NYC). The Independent Drivers Guild (the group that represents Uber drivers) presented the petition to add a tipping option for Uber customers and received over 11,000 signatures on it.
The general argument is that the drivers are losing thousands of dollars because there is not a tipping option that is accessible electronically, only cash. Many passengers do not pay with cash so most drivers don’t receive tips. In contrast, NYC taxi drivers have been able to receive tips electronically. People would tip if given the option, as Lyft has always included the option to tip electronically and have earned $200m on those tips according to the New York Times.
This advancement could be very important going forward for not only Uber drivers in New York City, but also around the country as more and more cities will follow suit. The addition of the tipping option could grow the company further as drivers can earn more and would draw more interest to become a driver for the company. This would not be a part-time job, but possible a full-time one. The impact could be very important for the company.