If you’re tired of seeing headlines about Uber, know they wont dissipate anytime soon. Uber is working feverishly to reverse its bad image now that founder Travis Kalanick has one foot out of the company, so you’ll see a lot of new updates in the coming months.
Uber recently announced its “180 Days of Change” campaign—basically an apology to drivers and employees who’ve dealt with the company’s toxic work environment, mistreatment, and neglect amid all the sexual harassment allegations and other scandals in the past year.
The ride-share company is attempting to wow drivers by offering them more benefits, including a 24/7 support hotline and a new “delivery fee” for passengers who leave things behind.
“We’re making a commitment to you,” states Uber on its website. “For the next 180 days (and beyond) we’ll be making meaningful changes to your driving experience. Some changes will be big, some will be small—all will be the changes you’ve asked for.”
The delivery fee requires passengers to pay $15 if they want their lost items returned. It’s only fair that drivers get paid to return forgotten objects, since sometimes they’re miles away from where their passengers live. It’s not only a waste of gas, but also time.
As for the hotline, Uber said in a blog that it’ll help drivers with a “quick question or an incident to report.” Other benefits Uber has promised drivers include in-app fare fixes, rating protections for when they are rated unfairly, and faster document reviews so their “earnings aren’t interrupted.” Uber is also rolling out tipping—years after drivers first complained about the missing feature.
While all these new perks sound nice, Uber still has a lot more ill will to compensate for. But the company seems to realize that fixing things will require something more than just swapping in a fresh CEO.