Uber South Africa has announced its new “paid wait time” feature.<\/p>\n
The feature,Uber says is part of its ‘commitment to\u00a0putting driver-partners first’, will ensure drivers get paid per minute if a rider keeps them waiting for more than five minutes after the driver arrives at their pick-up location.<\/p>\n
This means that drivers don’t have to waste\u00a0fuel, time and effort in getting to a rider, and with arrival times now just a few minutes riders need only request a ride when it\u2019s time to leave, the company said in a statement on Monday.<\/p>\n
Paid wait time follows a number of new features Uber announced for driver-partners in October\u00a0(arrival time, long trip notification and rating protection), which Uber said have made it easier for driver-partners across South Africa to choose when, where, and how they drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe paid wait time feature is a simple addition that riders will be able to quickly adapt to, but importantly, it makes a big difference to driver-partners efficiency and contribute to that stress-free experience that we aim to achieve,\u201d said Alon Lits, GM for Uber sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that these features are addressing key concerns of driver-partners and we understand their frustrations. These features focus on three keys areas: more flexibility for drivers when it comes to when they want to use Uber, using our technology to create a stress-free experience, and building on safety,\u201d said Lits.<\/p>\n