Uber has today announced the launch of a series of new features designed to streamline and improve the Uber experience for driver-partners across Dubai.

The features, which are being rolled out across the Mena region, aim to address three key areas: Flexibility, Efficiency and Earnings – demonstrating the company’s willingness to translate feedback into direct action.

To start, Uber will be rolling out a series of new products which drivers have asked for. These include:

a. Arrival destination and time: Drivers can now set their own personal arrival destination and time so that when accepting a trip, they can still get where they need to be even while dropping a rider off on the way – allowing for more flexibility to when they have time to use the Uber app and allows them to make a little extra money on the way.

b. Long trip notification: Drivers will now get a heads-up when a trip is estimated to be 60 minutes or longer, so they have the information they need to fit driving around their life, and not the other way around.

c. Paid waiting time: Long wait times can be stressful for drivers. By the time they arrive at the pick-up location, the driver has already invested time and effort in getting to a rider, so now we are ensuring they get paid while they wait, after a grace period for the rider.

d. In App Chat=: The aim of this technology is to make the pick-up experience as frictionless as possible, both for the rider and the driver. Streamlining the whole experience, the In-App Chat allows drivers and riders to coordinate the pick-up faster, since there’s no need to switch between apps to get in touch. For drivers, chats are read aloud and one tap to the app will send a “thumbs up” confirmation to their rider to ensure they can stay focused on the road.

Commenting on the new features, Chris Free, general manager, Uber UAE said: “Over the past year, we’ve listened to the feedback from drivers right across Dubai and the Mena region and these changes are proof that we are taking direct action. And this is just the start – more change is on the way. Over the next few months, we will continue to launch even more products and initiatives to improve the Uber experience for drivers using the uber app, and to make sure the app works best for them”

At Uber, the health and wellbeing of drivers using the app is a priority, which is why Uber is partnering with Zulekha Hospital to offer free cardiac checks to drivers across the emirate. As well as undergoing a set of tests including an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram or stress test (treadmill test) and a consultation with a specialist, each driver will also be checked for any evidence of existing heart disease and offered helpful advice about positive lifestyle changes. Drivers will be able to take these tests at one of Zulekha Hospitals’ two facilities in Dubai and Sharjah.
 
Over the next couple of months, Uber aims to launch even more products which can improve the driving experience. As part of the company’s commitment to change, and to continuously improving the overall experience on the app.

Uber has recently made a number of key announcements in Dubai, including the most recent launch of its UberONE, an electric vehicle offering in partnership with the DTC. Additionally, the pilot of UberX ; a more affordable option earlier this year. - TradeArabia News Service