Uber tests out fees for late passengers

Have you ever offered a ride to a friend, only to find out that when you arrive, they're not ready? That's pretty annoying, even though they're your friend. Now just imagine you're a driver for Uber, and the person who requested you is nowhere to be found when you pull up. This is apparently a growing problem for drivers, and the company is testing a new method for combating it.

Currently, when you request an Uber driver, they'll wait 5 minutes for you to show up. As long as you show up during that period of time, nothing happens. If you wait too long, they might leave and take another fare. However, under the new rules that the company is testing out, drivers will be able to start charging you a fee after the first two minutes of waiting.

So far, the company hasn't stated exactly how much the fees will be. We do know that they are only currently testing out this new "feature" in Phoenix, Dallas, New Jersey, and New York. Depending on what kind of a response they receive, this is something that they could potentially expand to all locations.

In these locations, you'll also only have two minutes to change your mind and cancel your ride. If you should try to cancel after this period, you will be charged a cancellation fee. In other areas, you still have five minutes to cancel your ride without incurring any extra fees.

VIA: CNET