Uber Reserve will make it possible for users to schedule rides with their “favourite” drivers

A week after winning Proposition 22, Uber has revealed that next week it will roll out Uber Reserve, a feature that will allow users to book a ride with their ‘favourite’ drivers. In a blog post, Product Leads Megha Jain and Geoff Tam-Scott explained that the feature will be made available across more than 20 U.S. cities. “This new ride experience provides you added control over your trip so you can focus on what matters the most” they write.

The feature won’t be available in Californian cities next week. That means Uber users in the state won’t be able to schedule any in-person apologies about voting down drivers’ employment rights. However, it’s highly likely that the feature will receive a wider roll out in the future.

Why Uber Reserve now?

Uber Reserve is positioned by the company as a feature that will give users increased levels of “certainty.” This is, according to the blog post, particularly important now because of “the unpredictability of 2020” which is “shaking up everyday life.”

The announcement blog post makes appeals to moments of individual significance or vulnerability. It claims that the feature will help users “meet those moments that call for more assurance, like a doctor’s appointment, important meeting, or when you’re heading to the airport to meet a loved one.”

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What does it do?

The new feature builds on and extends Uber’s Scheduled Rides, which was launched back in 2016. Scheduled Rides made it possible to book a trip up to 30 days in advance; with Uber Reserve you can still do that, but it also adds a 15 minute wait time and the ability to “match” with specific drivers. “After you request a trip, our technology offers it to interested drivers with whom you’ll connect in advance. This takes the guesswork out of who to expect at pickup, well before your Reserve trip starts.”

As well as that it also offers an “on-time guarantee” for trips are booked at least 2 hours in advance. If it fails to deliver on that commitment, the company will give users $50 credit.

What does it mean for drivers?

Uber suggests that Uber Reserve not only offers certainty to users but to drivers as well. “Reserve opens up even more possibilities for drivers to control how they earn on Uber’s platform. With more pre-planned options in addition to on-demand trips, drivers can select from offers that are best suited for their time on the road.”

Of course, another way to empower drivers certainty is to offer them stable employment contracts. 

Drivers won’t be forced to sign up for Uber Reserve – it will be available on a first come first served basis.