Uber is offering some drivers hundreds of dollars in bonuses before the holidays, a sign it may want more cars on the road. Here is what the offers look like.
Uber is offering some drivers hundreds of dollars in bonuses as the holiday season nears, according to a Business Insider report. The deals pay extra cash for finishing a set number of trips within a short window. Drivers say bonuses like this are something they have not seen in years.
Business Insider viewed several screenshots of the offers. In one, a driver was offered $525 for completing 45 trips within a few days. Other offers paired smaller bonuses with fewer required rides. Those worked out to an extra $10 to $12 per trip.
Uber also offered some drivers referral payments of up to $1,225. The money is for recruiting new drivers or bringing back inactive ones who have not driven for a few years.
Sergio Avedian is an Uber driver and a senior contributor to The Rideshare Guy, a driver-advocacy platform. He told Business Insider the bonuses could mean Uber needs more drivers for Halloween and holiday travel. "This may tell the story that they need supply," he said. "They're saying that we need to get everybody out there."
He added that for drivers who sometimes earn just a few dollars a ride, an extra $10 to $12 per trip could make a substantial difference. An Uber spokesperson did not tell Business Insider the details of why the company was offering the payments.
This is not the first time. In 2021, ride demand rebounded after the pandemic pushed many drivers off the road, and Uber was short on drivers. In April 2021 it announced a $250 million "driver stimulus" for boosted incentives and guarantees. Examples included $1,100 for 115 trips in Austin and $1,775 for 200 trips in Phoenix.
It worked. Uber's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, said active drivers on the app rose 65% from January to November 2021. Uber later scaled back those incentives and stopped providing extra pay.
The report is based on screenshots of offers. The material does not say how many drivers received them, which cities they cover, or how long they will last. Uber has not explained its reasons.
If you drive for Uber, check your app for trip bonuses and read the time limit; if you ride, more drivers could mean shorter waits.
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