Malaysians are the best when it comes to time management, right?
Now, to help us get even better with our time, Uber has introduced wait time charges, which just started on January 30. However, this is only applicable in Penang for the time being. Time to be more punctual, guys!
According to an Uber blog post on January 24, passengers will be given a 3-minute grace period to meet with the driver-partner at their designated pickup location.
If you run later than the given time, nominal wait time charges will be incurred. This incentive is introduced to give both riders and driver-partners a smooth experience, helping riders and driver-partners to connect quickly and easily so they can get on their way.
Source: Uber
Here’s how it works in simpler terms;
- Once your driver-partner arrives at your pickup location, a push notification will be sent to you communicating his/her arrival
- Your driver-partner will wait for 3 minutes after arriving at the location, with wait time charges kicking in after the grace period
- Wait time charges are applicable to uberX, uberMANDARIN and uberXL
- Wait time charges will show up on your receipt after the trip. It will be indicated as ‘Wait Time’ under ‘Subtotal’ on your receipt
Source: Uber
Wait time charges are subjected to dynamic pricing. When the demand is high, the opportunity cost for driver-partners waiting increases as well. This is to compensate them fairly for time spent on the road!
What if you were running late by just a few seconds? How would the charges be calculated then?
Let’s say you request an UberXL and arrive 30 seconds after your wait time charges start. You will only be charged RM0.20, only half of the UberXL wait time charges, which is RM0.40 per minute. The additional charge will reflect on your receipt after your trip.
To ensure that riders are not unfairly charged when the drivers are not at the pickup location, the timer will begin only when the driver is at the pickup location.
If the driver has not yet reached the pickup location, wait time charges will not apply as Uber does not allow drivers to trigger the wait time charges beforehand.
Wait time charges are only applied to completed trips. So if your driver ‘tak sabar‘ and cancels the trip after 3-minute grace period, no charges will be made.
Passengers are advised to enable push notifications from Uber under their mobile settings to receive real-time notifications so that they can keep track of time. Wouldn’t want that money flying away for nothing!
Some netizens have shared their thoughts on social media, commenting that it is a good and fair move from Uber, which is also a win-win situation for both parties.
We know these ride sharing services are really handy and convenient, but let’s have some respect for the drivers’ time, too!
If you want more information, check out Uber’s blog post here!
Also read: Malaysians May Not Be Able to Use Uber in SEA Anymore, Here’s Why
