Uber could be making your trips with drivers a bit more interesting.
The ridesharing company on Monday announced that Uber riders will now have the option to rate, compliment, tip, and share feedback with their drivers while they’re still in transit. Instead of forcing you to wait until your ride is over to rate a driver, the feature means you can be sitting in the backseat and either tipping the driver halfway through a trip or informing Uber that the person needs to work on his or her driving skills.
When you share good news with Uber about your driver, the company will use it for a new initiative it’s launching next month that will “recognize top-quality drivers and encourage continued outstanding service.” Poor reviews will of course be shared with the drivers, but Uber said it will also use the information to find ways to improve the technology that governs how its navigation and pickups work.
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Of course, riders grading drivers and drivers grading riders is a core function in the Uber experience. The feature is a way for users and drivers to police each other and ride only with those with whom they feel comfortable.
To be clear, the new rating option is just that—an option. If you’d rather not rate or tip a driver while you’re in the car but would rather wait until you’re out, that’s still possible. Uber’s move is essentially another way of rating your driver.
