Uber Penang Will Now Charge You Extra For Letting Your Driver Wait
Late and you pay.
By John Lim — 05 Feb 2018, 05:41 PM
Malaysians aren't the most punctual bunch. Given how we often use "otw" as an excuse for our tardiness, Uber's Penang division has started charging riders if they make their drivers wait too long.
Uber posted on its blog that it has started implementing "wait time charges" in Penang since 30 January 2018.
This comes after Uber introduced the charging system in Singapore, US, UK, and selected countries where the ridesharing company operates.
The charge will start three minutes after the driver arrives, if the rider isn't there yet
Tardy uberX riders will be charged RM0.23 per minute. For uberMANDARIN and uberXL rides, the charges are RM0.23 per minute and RM0.40 per minute respectively.
During a surge, the charges will be inflated accordingly.
Uber notes that the charges will be prorated. For example, if you request for an uberXL and you arrive 30 seconds after the grace period, you will only be charged RM0.20 – which is half of the uberXL wait time charges.
To ensure riders are not unfairly charged, the timer will only begin when the driver arrives at a pickup location
On the FAQ section, Uber states that the charges will only apply to completed trips. That means you won't be charged if a driver cancels the trip after the three minute grace period.
Wait time charges are applicable to all Uber ride options in Penang for the time being.
For more information about this system, head over to Uber's blog.
What do you think of this system? Will it help in curbing tardiness among riders? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.