Uber updates UberPool rating system.

Uber makes UberPool rating system fairer…to drivers.

It’s nice to write something nice about Uber for a change. This past week, they did something right that actually helps drivers. They have modified the UberPool rating system to take into account things beyond the driver’s control.

From Uber:

With POOL trips, there are things outside a driver’s control that impact how riders rate the experience. For instance, was a rider unhappy with the match our algorithm made or was their co-rider too chatty?

We believe that drivers’ ratings shouldn’t be affected by things outside their control, so we’re adjusting the POOL rating system to make it fairer for drivers. Now, when riders rate a POOL trip less than 5 stars, they can select additional reasons why. And when the reason is something like the route or co-rider behavior, we won’t count the rating toward the driver’s average.

Changing the UberPool rating system addresses a key driver complaint

This is fantastic. A lot of drivers are not fans of UberPool. It’s not only that it pays less for the same work. It’s also that when Uber launched the service, they pitched it to drivers as a way to make more money! This turned out to be untrue. Sorry Uber, you can’t buff a turd, but keep trying.

In addition to being paid less, drivers had to deal with being rated for things out of their control. For example, what if a passenger annoyed the other riders? While many would think the other riders wouldn’t give a poor rating, it happens often. My personal favorite is when someone takes an UberPool when they’re late, and then gives a low rating because there were additional pickups on the way. Please riders, don’t take UberPool or Lyft Line when you’re late. That’s not what they’re for.

So, kudos to Uber on this day for changing the UberPool rating system. Now, one more thing.