Uber Momentum driver rewards arrive amidst controversy

Uber has again been caught up in a lot of negative media attention, this time kicking off after comments made by executive Emil Michael went public. Amidst doing damage control, the company has announced a new perk for its most faithful drivers called Momentum, a rewards program that is said to be the result of feedback from thousands of drivers about what they want most. "It recognizes the tremendous service our partners provide," says the company, and will in part help drivers lower their costs of operation.

Momentum was built from the ground up, says Uber, and as of yesterday it started offering drivers that qualify access to various rewards, including personalized health insurance recommendations through a partnership with Stride Health, discounts for auto maintenance of up to 15-percent, and personal rewards for drivers and their immediate family.

Those family rewards are being offered through Verizon and AT&T, which the company says it is "working with" to get discounts for phone service ranging from 15-percent to 18-percent. The vehicle maintenance discounts will be available through 10,000+ locations across the nation at retailers like Midas, AutoZone, Jiffy Lube, and more.

The health insurance recommendations, meanwhile, will only be available to drivers in California, Illinois, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas for now, but Uber promises it'll expand to cover all states where drivers are located next year. The question remains, however: is this enough to keep drivers from jumping ship?

SOURCE: Uber