365telugu.com online news,Bengaluru, 15th July 2022: Uber hosted the second meeting of its National Driver Advisory Council (DAC) today in Bangalore. Launched as an initiative to take direct, undiluted feedback from drivers across product categories to improve their experience of driving on Uber, the DAC convened for its second edition where drivers from Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore shared their feedback and took stock of the initiatives announced earlier.Uber announced changes rooted in the Council’s feedback including the roll-out of an unconditional upfront drop-off destination across India, hassle-free app login, and enhanced support for drivers on the Uber platform.
The Driver Advisory Council was launched in March 2022 to facilitate a two-way dialogue between Uber and drivers across 6 metro cities to address key issues. The discussion is monitored by a third-party review board led by Aapti Institute, a Bengaluru-based think tank to provide independent oversight on the Council’s work. Every few months, drivers who are part of the Council meet the Uber India leadership team to give feedback, share ideas, and discuss issues that impact them. Parallel to the Bangalore meet, a concurrent meeting of the DAC was held in Gurugram with drivers from Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi NCR.
A slew of changes were announced by Uber on the basis of driver feedback and recommendations by the independent board:Unconditional upfront destination for all: To enhance transparency and remove frustration for riders and drivers, drivers on the Uber platform across India will now be able to see the trip destination before they decide to accept the ride. Encouraged by the reduction in the number of trip cancellations after the pilot launch in May 2022, Uber has decided to do away with the trip acceptance threshold and rolled out the unconditional feature to all cities. Uber will continue monitoring feedback from drivers and riders and make changes if required.
Enabling easier login: Uber has now introduced an OTP-based login that will help drivers to log in to the app in a hassle-free and convenient way without the need to remember passwords or other details. This is a result of feedback from a large section of drivers who raised the issue of log-in difficulties and voiced their need for an easier method so as to avoid the loss of valuable on-platform time.
Enhanced driver support: Uber also took cognizance of common issues faced by drivers and provided solutions. Uber Auto & Moto drivers will now have a Home phone button added to their Uber app to call for support when required. To address feedback from Moto drivers about lack of awareness about waiting charges, Uber will now send a push notification to riders about waiting charges when they book a trip. Drivers at the airport often faced an operational challenge as they had to pay for airport charges upfront and later get reimbursed.
However, now Uber has introduced cashless operations at airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. After the first meeting of the Driver Advisory Council, Uber introduced several changes which have been appreciated by drivers: Fare increase across cities: Up to 15% increase in fares to offset the cost of rising fuel pricesLong-distance pick-up fee: To compensate drivers when they travel a long distance to pick up ridersDaily pay: Payment frequency changed to all weekdays for drivers to receive online payment transfer Displaying payment method: Sharing the information about cash or online payment mode with the drivers up front to help them make informed choices while accepting rides.
Commenting on the sidelines of the event, Shiva Shailendran, Director, Supply and Cities operations, India and South Asia, said, “Uber’s interests are aligned with what’s best for our drivers and we are committed to building the most rewarding platform for drivers who are looking for flexible work to make a sustainable earning. The Driver Advisory Council is our earnest attempt to get authentic feedback from drivers and deepen our engagement with them. We have got a very positive response from the first meeting and are confident that the new changes will go a long way in further improving the experience for all.”
Sharing her views on the launch, Dr. Sarayu Natarajan, Founder, Aapti Institute, said, “The Driver Advisory Council was put together as an endeavor to go from existing pathways for seeking feedback to building out a participative, co-creation space with drivers as a key stakeholder. This is a paradigm shift from mere feedback to collaborative decision-making. We are pleased with the initial response from drivers and feel that the DAC platform will strengthen the relationship between Uber and drivers on its platform. We are already seeing positive changes basis feedback from the Council Members. Each session is a reminder of the journey to be completed.”
The Driver Advisory Council comprises 37 drivers chosen from 6 metros after a carefully crafted three-part process run by an Independent Review Board. These drivers work across a range of product offerings available on Uber including cars, auto-rickshaws, and motorbikes, and represent the interests of tens of thousands of drivers on the platform. The selected drivers will represent their community for a year, after which the selection process will be repeated.