Uber Just Upped Your Side Hustle Earning Potential

Uber driver smilingThe past few months have been pretty rocky for Uber. In fact, if the company were an Uber driver, you’d probably give them one star for the nausea-inducing wild ride they’d have taken you on. But the ride-sharing pioneer and sometimes Silicon Valley darling is looking to make a U-turn, starting with the addition a feature that will certainly interest current and prospective Uber drivers alike.

For the first time, Uber will now offer in-app tipping. This comes after years of the company’s main competitor Lyft often citing their allowance of tipping as a way to gain drivers. As I alluded to, this change of heart comes on the heels of CEO Travis Kalanick’s resignation from the company, topping off a laundry list of PR nightmares and internal struggles at Uber.

But enough about what led to this change,  here’s why it’s a big deal. First, prior to now riders who wanted to tip their driver had to do so in cash. Considering that Millennials — a notoriously digital clan on the whole — make up the majority of  Uber’s clientele, you can imagine what an inconvenience that was. Making matters worse, Uber is specifically designed to be a cash-free exchange, so the absence of a tipping option always made some uncomfortable. However, now that Uber is matching Lyft and allowing guests to simply tack on a few dollars to their fare at the end of their ride, it stands to reason that drivers will be seeing a lot more tips coming their way.

Of course, there are a couple potential downsides to Uber’s new tipping initiative. For one, in the eyes of some good-hearted but short on funds riders, taking an Uber where tipping was less customary may have been a selling point over Lyft. Similarly, there’s a small chance that riders were compensating for a lack of tip by giving drivers a better rating than they may have felt was actually deserved. This could mean that, from here on out, riders may feel obligated to offer some sort of tip but might be a bit more stingy with the five-star ratings.

On the other hand, for passengers who wished to reward their drivers monetarily, it was always a pain to find cash (let alone small bills) before taking an Uber. In that way, this addition is a convenience for riders as well. Plus, with Uber and Lyft now on the same page, both companies will have to find new ways to innovate and stand out to customers.

Uber’s tipping feature is currently available in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Houston as of this week. As for the rest of the country, the company says in-app tipping should be completely rolled out by the end of July. So if you’ve ever considered starting a side hustle and driving for Uber, now may be the perfect time to get on board.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Kyle is a freelance writer and author whose first book, "The E-Ticket Life" is now available on Amazon. In addition to his weekly "Money at 30" column on Dyer News, he is also the editorial director and a writer for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

Fellow Ode 2 Coffee Grinder

My Quick Review of the Fellow Ode 2 Coffee Grinder

A couple of weeks back, in my column on Fioney, I somewhat lamented a recent splurge purchase — not because I was necessarily upset with what I bought but what the process of doing so said about some of my personal finance failings. The item in question was the Fellow...

Should You Buy, Lease, or Finance Your Next Smartphone?

Remember a few years ago when you thought that friend of yours who always had the latest model iPhone was crazy for spending that much? That’s changed in recent years as carriers and others now allow you to essentially lease your device. Taking a page from the auto industry, you...
Bilt and Curve credit cards

Bilt Has Seemingly Shut Down Rewards on Curve Transactions

Ya know, some weeks I really struggle to find a quick tip post to share. And then there are weeks like this that are so overflowing with news that I don't even know where to start. So, since I trust you've already read about the big news regarding Delta SkyMiles...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles
Fellow Ode 2 Coffee Grinder

My Quick Review of the Fellow Ode 2 Coffee Grinder

A couple of weeks back, in my column on Fioney, I somewhat lamented a recent splurge purchase — not because I was necessarily upset with what I bought but what the process of doing so said about some of my personal finance failings. The item in question was the Fellow...

Should You Buy, Lease, or Finance Your Next Smartphone?

Remember a few years ago when you thought that friend of yours who always had the latest model iPhone was crazy for spending that much? That’s changed in recent years as carriers and others now allow you to essentially lease your device. Taking a page from the auto industry, you...
Bilt and Curve credit cards

Bilt Has Seemingly Shut Down Rewards on Curve Transactions

Ya know, some weeks I really struggle to find a quick tip post to share. And then there are weeks like this that are so overflowing with news that I don't even know where to start. So, since I trust you've already read about the big news regarding Delta SkyMiles...
model of the American Express Centurion Lounge at EWR

Travel Tuesday: Amex Centurion Lounge Coming to EWR in 2026

When I was a kid, my family would travel between Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey at least once per year. Because of this, I have plenty of distinct memories from both hubs — but especially EWR. I still think about the signs at...