Uber adds in-app tipping in 5 Canadian cities, plans to add Canada-wide

BUSINESS

Uber adds in-app tipping in 5 Canadian cities, plans to add Canada-wide

The Canadian Press Published Friday, July 7, 2017 1:23PM EDT

A man leaves the headquarters of Uber in San Francisco on Dec. 16, 2014. (AP / Eric Risberg)

Text:

TORONTO -- Uber has rolled out an in-app option for riders to tip their driver in five Canadian cities and plans to implement the feature across Canada and the U.S at the end of July.

The new feature, which went into effect Thursday, is available in a total 121 cities in Canada and the U.S.

Uber says the feature was implemented after requests from drivers and riders for the option to tip on the app, rather than in cash.

Drivers were only recently allowed to ask for cash tips following the settlement of a US$100 million class-action lawsuit in 2016, which further clarified the status of their drivers as independant contractors, rather than employees.

Uber drivers will not be able to see how much you tip them until they give you a passenger rating.

The tipping feature is currently available in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Windsor, Ont. and Kingston, Ont.