As a result of the calculation error, the Uber service systematically lowered the fees of New York drivers from 2014. The company pleaded guilty and agreed to pay each taxi driver compensation in the amount of $ 900. The total amount of compensation will be about $ 45 million.
Uber will pay compensation.
The company Uber reported that it was underpaying its drivers in New York, the United States, for several years, and now intends to remedy the situation by paying everyone about $ 900. In total, the service will have to spend about $ 45 million. , Because in this city he employs about 50 thousand. Taxi drivers, reports the Independent Guild of Drivers (IDG).
Costing Error.
The company claims that understated driving fees unintentionally. From the amount that the passenger pays for the journey, the service keeps the commission in its favor, the rest gives to the driver. Usually the commission is about 25%. At the same time, under the terms of Uber's service, it is written that the commission is levied after the deduction of taxes - this rule was introduced in 2014. , During the renewal of conditions.
However, due to erroneous calculation in New York, the commission was charged before taxes, that is, it was more by about 2.6%. The company noticed an error during the revision of the terms of payment for travel by the passenger - the service intends to increase the cost of the trip, if it is carried out on the demanded route.
Payment procedure.
Uber has already begun to notify drivers who have worked with him for the past 2.5 years that they are entitled to compensation. Taxi drivers who have made at least one trip in the last 90 days have automatically received money to their bank account. Those drivers who do not work in the service for the last 3 months must first confirm the company's bank data.
"We are committed to paying each driver every penny that he owes, plus interest, as quickly as possible," said Rachel Holt, regional director of Uber in the US and Canada.. She also mentioned that the company is working to restore trust on the part of drivers.
Similar cases.
This is not the first time that Uber admits that it has underpaid drivers and agrees to issue compensation. In particular, in January the company agreed to pay about $ 20 million at the suit of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The commission caught the service in that the salaries promised to them when hiring drivers are very different from the real ones.
As an example, the FTC results in an ad for 2015. About a set of taxi drivers in New York and San Francisco. New York taxi drivers site Uber promised an average annual income of $ 90 thousand. , And drivers of San Francisco - $ 74 thousand. In fact, the average annual earnings of drivers in these cities from 2013. To 2014 g. Amounted, respectively, less than $ 29 thousand. And less than $ 21 thousand.
In addition, according to the plaintiffs, Uber in his advertisement offered the drivers to take the car for leasing at a price of $ 20 per day, that is $ 140 per week. However, the average weekly car fee from November 2013. Until April 2015. Was $ 200 for drivers.
Other complaints.
Drivers cooperating with Uber repeatedly complained that the service for various reasons is underpaid by them. For example, at the end of April a taxi driver from Los Angeles, the USA, filed for a company with a local court. The plaintiff asserts that Uber sets for the driver and passenger a different cost for the same trip, and the passenger pays more than the driver receives.
For example, for the same trip the customer paid $ 54.8, but the driver was informed that its cost is $ 43.55. After deduction of compensation, the taxi driver received $ 32.89.
This situation has developed after the company switched to the generally accepted scheme - began to tell the passenger the cost of the trip even before the start of the journey. The plaintiff insists that his lawsuit should be treated as a group, filed on behalf of all Uber drivers in the state of California.