Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi decided to try becoming an undercover rider for several months.
An Uber driver arrives to pick up a passenger at Midway International Airport on May 09, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Uber plans to cut spending and hiring in an attempt slow the company's plummeting stock price, which is down nearly 50 percent for the year.
Now, Dara Khosrowshahi decided to share all the things he experienced as an Uber driver and delivery rider.
But, most of his experiences are not good.
"I think that the industry as a whole, to some extent, has taken drivers for granted," said Khosrowshahi via NDTV.
He added that the changes he will make for the ride-hailing business will be based on the things he experienced.
Uber CEO Shares Experience as Undercover Driver!
According to Business Insider's latest report, the Uber CEO started his undercover rider mission on September 2022.
Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi speaks on stage during the second annual Uber Elevate Summit, on May 9, 2018 at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles, California. - Uber plans to deliver food by drone in San Diego as part of a wide-reaching commercial test program approved by the federal government, the Uber CEO said May 9.
Also Read: Uber Adds 14 New Cities to Comfort Electric Program, Customers Can Hire Tesla, Polestar, Ford EVs
As part of his effort, the Uber boss decided to purchase a secondhand Tesla Model Y to service passengers around San Francisco.
Aside from being an Uber driver, he also decided to make deliveries under the alias "Dave K."
However, he was surprised to have had bad experiences as an Uber driver and delivery rider.
His negative experiences allowed him to understand why Uber was having trouble signing up more drivers.
Dara stated that Uber has been focused on improving the experiences of its passengers and other consumers.
However, he realized that Uber should also consider the experiences of its drivers in order to beat its competitors, such as Lyft.
What Uber CEO Experienced
In a recent interview, Dara Khosrowshahi shared his negative experiences as an Uber driver and delivery rider.
These include the following:
- Passengers share too-personal problems or confidential corporate information that can make drivers uncomfortable.
- After a long operation, CEO experienced anxiety as he wants to maintain his perfect rating in the next few days.
- He discovered that there was the so-called tip-baiting; an act of passengers to lure drivers.
Being an undercover Uber driver was part of Uber's Project Boomerang. If you want to learn more about this program, you can click this link.
In other news, Uber Freight recently launched its first EV pilot program, which includes electric trucks.
Meanwhile, Uber and Lyft continued treating their drivers as contractors despite the court ruling in California.
For more news updates about Uber and other ride-hailing companies, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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