Uber Will Now Charge You Late Fees for Making Drivers Wait

If you take your sweet time getting out the door to your waiting Uber, you’ll have to pay the price. The ride-sharing company is expanding its late fees, which debuted in a few regions in April, to 12 more cities, as The Next Web reports. More cities will follow, Uber said in a press release announcing several other changes meant to benefit drivers.

The fee applies to riders who show up more than two minutes after their driver pulls up to the curb and is meant to reward on-time drivers; this way, drivers don’t waste their potential earnings waiting for tardy riders. (Many riders don't realize that drivers must wait for their passengers for five minutes before canceling; that way, according to The Next Web, "they can declare a customer a no-show and charge them a cancellation fee.") Houston and Portland, Oregon, are just two of the cities that will join pilot regions like New York, New Jersey, Dallas, and Phoenix in the late-fee program.

Though it may be an inconvenience for riders, the move makes perfect sense for drivers, who have a hard enough time turning a profit after driving expenses and all those “dead” miles they spend looking for people to pick up.

[h/t The Next Web]