Uber will soon start booting riders for having a consistently low rating

With its latest update, which includes crash detection and rider deactivation features, Uber aims to make things better for both drivers and riders in Canada.

Rider Deactivation

The ride-sharing company plans to publish its rider deactivation policy in Canada soon, which outlines how bad a rider has to be to get kicked from its app.

Uber plans to implement the new policy in Toronto first and then the rest of Canada in the weeks after. This means that riders with a consistently low rating in Toronto will start to receive notifications warning them that if they don’t raise their score soon, they might lose access to the app for up to six months.

Uber says it’s going to give riders multiple chances to raise their rating, but if it consistently stays the same, the company will eject them from its platform.

Uber is updating its community guidelines to reflect the new policy. In June, Uber will publish a policy explaining why riders can lose access to Uber for having a low rating as well.

Ride Checks

Uber is piloting a new feature in Toronto called ‘Ride Checks’ too. This feature will use GPS and other smartphone sensors to detect if a driver and rider have been in a crash. If the app detects a crash, it sends a notification to everyone in the Uber asking them if they’re ok. If they respond yes, the app opens its a ‘Safety Toolkit’ to give the user quick access to 911 and their emergency contact.

If the users tell the app they haven’t been in a crash, the ride will continue as normal. If no one takes action on the notification for 30 minutes, then Uber will call the users to find out if they’re ok.

Updates for Drivers

There are a few changes coming to the Uber Driver app too. First off, the company is adding speed limit notifications to the app, so drivers are easily able to stay within the speed limit.

Drivers are now expected to have at least two years of driving experience instead of one.