Uber reveals new features for its 20 lakh+ earners in India

Uber unveiled a suite of driver-first innovations at the third edition of Uber Pragati, aimed at making earning on its platform easier, safer and more rewarding. The initiatives span more flexible ways to earn, new income opportunities and stronger safety features when drivers are behind the wheel. Uber also showcased the real-world impact of its unmatched safety technology, including ambulance assistance in emergencies and in-app encrypted video recordings that have helped establish facts in disputed incidents. Aditya Kapoor, Director – Supply Operations, Uber India & South Asia, said, “Our ambition is to continue being the platform of choice for flexible earning opportunities in India. That means giving drivers the freedom to work on their own terms, the confidence of industry-leading safety protections and more ways to earn. We want to continue setting the benchmark for what drivers should expect from a platform.”

Key enhancements based on driver feedback:

Easier: More flexibility, less hassle

Flexible Drive Pass | Industry-first

Uber offers drivers maximum choice through subscription passes ranging from just six hours to 180 days, catering to the needs of both part-time and full-time drivers.

Quickstart | Industry-first in ride-hailing space

Drivers can now join Uber seamlessly through WhatsApp, making onboarding simpler and more convenient through a chat app they already use every day.

With ‘Earn First, Pay Later’, unlike pay-first models on other platforms, Uber allows eligible drivers to continue taking cash trips even when their balance runs out, within an additional credit limit, reducing interruptions to their working day. Given the preference for audio over text, Uber drivers can now communicate with the riders through Voice Notes in Uber's in-app chat. All this while using the new  simplified Driver App which brings earnings, trip details and important updates together for easier access.

Safer: From innovation to real-world impact

Ambulance Assistance | Industry-first in ride-hailing space

Accessible through Uber's 24×7 Safety Line in partnership with Dial 4242, Uber now facilitates ambulance assistance. It was pressed into service on 25 occasions in less than four months, helping riders and drivers access timely medical support following accidents.

Record My Ride| Industry-first

The encrypted video-recording feature takes guesswork out of what happens during a ride. It has already helped clarify a disputed incident involving a rider and driver, with the recording assisting police in establishing the facts.

Safety Content Flag

Uber is introducing real-time chat protections that identify potentially inappropriate language and prompt riders to reconsider messages before sending the hit button. Drivers receiving inappropriate messages can cancel eligible trips without affecting their cancellation statistics.

In addition, the in-app Driver Safety Hub brings safety tools and support together in one place, allowing drivers to keep select protections, including audio recording and trip-sharing, enabled automatically.

More Rewarding: Expanding earning opportunities

More ways to earn for Bike drivers

Uber is expanding earning opportunities beyond conventional bike trips. Bike Intercity enables shorter trips between neighbouring towns and cities, including routes such as Delhi-Meerut. With Uber Direct, bike drivers can also fulfill delivery orders for businesses, while Uber Parcel enables them to deliver personal packages within cities.

Uber Pet creates another earning opportunity for participating car drivers, enabling them to welcome riders travelling with their pets. Uber's Refer & Earn programme also rewards drivers for bringing new earners onto the platform.