Uber, the ridesharing company based in the United States, announced that it will be bringing its app to Jamaica soon. Uber has invited people to sign up virtually at its website, since the app will soon be available in Kingston. Kingston will serve as a test market for the transportation provider. According to Uber, with the availability of the app, individuals in Kingston will have a new alternative for transportation in the city.
Uber Technologies Incorporated is a peer-to-peer ridesharing, taxi, food delivery, and transportation network firm that has its headquarters in San Francisco. The firm operates in more than 700 cities around the world. The fees and commissions at Uber generally consist of booking fees and the per-minute and per-mile fees paid by passengers. Uber drivers typically received most of the fares as the company charges a service fee of 25 percent. Uber has yet to announce the pay rate and benefits to be available for drivers in Jamaica, but according to earlier reports from the company, the new rates would be provided in addition to the free insurance coverage for illness, injury, and maternity and paternity payments that have been available to all drivers since 2018.
In past years, individuals working as drivers for Uber in the United States had to drive 2.36 miles in order to make US$10.00 before fees. Now, because Uber reduced its prices, drivers must drive 4.71 miles to earn the same amount of money.
However, a legal fight in the United Kingdom concerning the status of drivers resulted in an announcement from Uber that its drivers would receive at minimum the “National Living Wage” of J$1,761.44 per hour. Additionally, reports from the UK also stated that drivers for the company will pay holiday based on 12.07 percent of their earnings every two weeks; will be enrolled automatically in a pension plan with contributions from the company in addition to drivers’ contributions; will continue the free insurance program that has been in place since 2018; and give all drivers the freedom to choose if, when, and where they drive.
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