Guidelines that help maintain Uber’s high standard…
We want Uber to be enjoyable and safe for everyone. These ground rules are designed to ensure that riders and drivers have a five star ride when using Uber. Please take a moment to read them. Because whether you’re a rider trying to get from A to B—or a partner wanting to earn money as a driver — your behavior matters.
Respect each other
Treat your fellow riders and drivers as you would like to be treated yourself: with respect. It’s common courtesy not to shout, swear or slam the car door. And by tidying up after yourself — whether it’s taking your trash home or cleaning up a spilled drink — you’ll keep the car in good condition and ensure the next person has a pleasant ride too. Most important of all, remember that when you use Uber you will meet people who may look different or think differently from you. Please respect those differences. We want everyone to feel welcome when they use Uber.
Give riders and drivers some personal space
We all value our personal space and privacy. It’s OK to chat with other people in the car. But please don’t comment on someone’s appearance or ask whether they are single. As a passenger, if you need to make a phone call keep your voice down to avoid disturbing your driver or other riders. And don’t touch or flirt with other people in the car. As a reminder, Uber has a no sex rule. That’s no sexual conduct between drivers and riders, no matter what.
Safety first
Everyone wants to get from A to B safely. So please ensure that you follow the local law. Check out our rider safety tips. Whether you’re in the front or the back seat, buckle up when you get into the car — and please leave your guns at home. Of course, drivers have a particular responsibility when it comes to safety at Uber. That means keeping to the speed limit; not texting while driving; always using a phone mount; and never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And if you’re driving and feel tired, take a break. As the experts say, “sleep is the only true preventative measure against the risks of drowsy driving.”
Children must be supervised
Only adults can have an Uber rider account. A parent or guardian must ensure that children are accompanied by an adult at all times.
Feedback makes us all better
Whether you are a rider or driver, please rate your journey at the end of the trip. Honest feedback helps ensure that everyone is accountable for their behavior. This accountability creates a respectful, safe environment for both riders and drivers. And if something happens during a ride — whether it’s a traffic accident or an argument — make sure to report it by tapping “Help” in the app so that our customer support team can follow up.
The guidelines below help explain some of the specific kinds of behavior that may cause you to lose access to Uber as a rider or driver.
WHY RIDERS CAN LOSE ACCESS TO UBER
This policy helps explain the kinds of behavior that may lead riders to lose access to Uber. Please remember that if you’re traveling in a group, or you allow other people to take trips with your account, you are responsible for their behavior in the car.
Ensuring a respectful, safe environment for all drivers and riders
The way you behave while using Uber can have a big impact on the safety and comfort of drivers, as well as your fellow passengers. Courtesy matters. That’s why you are expected to exercise good judgment and behave decently towards other people in the car when riding with Uber—just as you would in any public place.
Here are some reasons you could lose access to Uber as a rider:
- Damaging drivers’ or other passengers’ property. For example, damaging the car, breaking or vandalizing a phone, intentionally spilling food or drink, smoking, or vomiting due to excessive alcohol consumption.
- Physical contact with the driver or fellow riders. As our community guidelines make clear, you shouldn’t touch or flirt with other people in the car. As a reminder, Uber has a no sex rule. That’s no sexual conduct with drivers or fellow riders, no matter what. And you should never hit or otherwise hurt a driver or fellow passenger.
- Use of inappropriate and abusive language or gestures. For example, asking overly personal questions, using verbal threats, and making comments or gestures that are aggressive, sexual, discriminatory, or disrespectful.
- Unwanted contact with the driver or fellow passenger after the trip is over. For example, texting, calling, or visiting someone in person after a ride has been completed. Remember, in most countries you can call and text your driver directly from the Uber app without ever having to share your personal phone number. This means that your phone number stays anonymous and is never given to the driver.
- Breaking the local law while using Uber. For example, bringing open containers of alcohol or drugs into the car; traveling in large groups that exceed the number of seat belts in the car; asking drivers to break local traffic laws such as speed limits; or using Uber to commit a crime, including drug and human trafficking or the sexual exploitation of children.
If we are made aware of these kinds of problematic behavior, we will contact you so we can investigate them. Depending on the nature of the concern, we may put a hold on your account during our investigation. If the issues raised are serious or a repeat offense, or you refuse to cooperate, you may lose access to Uber. Any behavior involving violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or illegal activity while using Uber can result in the immediate loss of your account. Additionally, when law enforcement is involved, we will cooperate with their investigation in accordance with our Law Enforcement Guidelines.
Terms of Use
As a rider, you agree to our Terms of Use when you sign up for your account. [1] We may take action against you for violating these terms, including permanently closing your account. For example the failure to maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date account information, including having an invalid or expired payment method on file; allowing a person who does not meet the minimum age requirement to use your account while unaccompanied, or if you don’t meet that age requirement yourself.
Firearms Ban
Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms in a vehicle while using our app. You can learn more about our firearms prohibition policy here. [2] If you violate Uber’s firearms prohibition policy, you may lose access to Uber.
Discrimination
Uber has a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination of any kind. This means you will lose access to your account if you are found to have discriminated against drivers or other riders based on their race, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, gender identity, age or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
Fraud or Illegitimate Behavior
Fraudulent or illegitimate behavior undermines the trust on which Uber is built. We may deactivate any account(s) associated with this type of activity, including: abusing promotions; collusion between rider and driver; disputing fares for fraudulent or illegitimate reasons; or duplicate accounts.
WHY DRIVERS CAN LOSE ACCESS TO UBER
If you are a driver, and your account is temporarily blocked or deactivated, it limits your ability to earn income. That’s why we believe it is important to have clear policies that explain the circumstances in which you may be denied access to Uber; how (if at all) you can use the app again; and if you can appeal these decisions. [3]
There will always be unforeseen events that may ultimately lead to you losing access to your driver account — and we’ll update this policy regularly—but the following are sufficient cause for Uber to take action: quality; safety; fraud; and discrimination.
Quality
Riders who use Uber expect their drivers to drive safely, and also to be courteous and professional. The higher the quality of the service, the more riders want to take trips, which in turn means more opportunities for drivers to earn money. Poor service has the opposite effect over time. There are several ways we measure driver quality, with the most important being Star Ratings and Cancellation Rate.
Star Ratings
After every trip, drivers and riders are able to rate each other on a scale of one to five stars, as well as give feedback on how the trip went. This two-way system holds everyone accountable for their behavior. Accountability helps create a respectful, safe environment for both drivers and riders. Drivers can see their current rating in the Ratings tab of the Uber Partner app.
How is my rating as a driver calculated? Your rating is based on an average of the number of post-trip stars riders gave you (from 1 to 5 stars), up to your last 500 rated trips or the total number of rated trips you’ve taken, if less than 500.
The easiest way to keep your average rating high is to provide good service on every trip. Drivers using Uber typically provide excellent service, so most trips run smoothly. But we know that sometimes a trip doesn’t go well—that’s why we only look at your average rating over your most recent 500 trips (or your total rated trip count, if under 500). This gives you the chance to improve over time.
What leads to you losing access to your account? There is a minimum average rating in each city. This is because there are cultural differences in the way people in different cities rate each other. We will alert you over time if your rating is approaching this limit, and you’ll also get information about quality improvement courses that may help you improve. However, if your average rating still falls below the minimum after multiple notifications, you will lose access to your account. We may allow you to regain access to your account if you can provide proof that you completed one of these quality improvement courses.
Cancellation Rate
A driver cancellation is when you accept a trip request and then cancel the trip. Cancellations create a poor rider experience and negatively affect other drivers. We understand that there may be times when something comes up and you have to cancel an accepted trip. But minimizing cancellations is critical for the reliability of the system.
How is my cancellation rate calculated? Your cancellation rate is based on the number of trips canceled out of the total number of trips you accept. (For example, if you’ve accepted 100 trips and 4 of them are canceled, your cancellation rate would be 4%.) High-quality drivers typically have a cancellation rate lower than 5%.
What leads to you losing access to your account? Each city has a maximum cancellation rate, based on the average cancellation rate of drivers in that area. We will alert you multiple times if your cancellation rate is much higher or if you are consistently canceling more often than other drivers in your city, after which you may be logged out of the app. If your cancellation rate continues to exceed the maximum limit, you may lose access to your account.
Acceptance Rates
High acceptance rates are a critical part of reliable, high-quality service, but not accepting trip requests does not lead to permanent loss of your account.
Consistently accepting trip requests helps maximize earnings for drivers and keeps the system running smoothly. We know that sometimes things come up that prevent you from accepting every trip request, or you may want to take a break. But not accepting dispatches causes delays and degrades the reliability of the system. If you don’t want to accept trips, simply log off.
If you consistently decline trip requests, we will assume you do not want to accept more trips and you may be logged out of the app.
Safety
Uber uses technology to keep drivers and riders safe, for instance by GPS-tracking every ride and allowing riders to share their journeys in real time with families or friends. This is all backed up by a robust system of pre-screenings of drivers. We also have a dedicated incident response team on call 24/7 to investigate safety incidents.
Actions that threaten the safety of drivers and riders will be investigated and, if confirmed, lead to permanent deactivation of your account. For example:
- Physical contact with riders. As our community guidelines make clear, you shouldn’t touch or flirt with other people in the car. As a reminder, Uber has a no sex rule. That’s no sexual conduct with riders, no matter what. And you should never hit or otherwise hurt a rider.
- Use of inappropriate and abusive language or gestures. For example, asking overly personal questions, using verbal threats, and making comments or gestures that are aggressive, sexual, discriminatory, or disrespectful.
- Unwanted contact with riders after a trip is over. For example, texting, calling, or visiting someone in person after a ride has been completed.
- Breaking the local law while using Uber. For example, texting while driving; speeding or otherwise breaking local traffic laws; and using Uber to commit a crime, including drug and human trafficking or the sexual exploitation of children.
- Safe Driving. Uber expects drivers using the app to drive safely at all times.
What leads to you losing access to your account? If we are made aware of these kinds of problematic behavior, we will contact you so we can investigate them. Depending on the nature of the concern, we may put a hold on your account during our investigation. If the issues raised are serious or a repeat offense, or you refuse to cooperate, you may lose access to Uber. Any behavior involving violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or illegal activity while using Uber can result in the immediate loss of your account. Uber will also deactivate the account of any driver who receives several or serious complaints of poor, unsafe, or distracted driving while using the Uber app. Additionally, when law enforcement is involved, we will cooperate with their investigation in accordance with our Law Enforcement Guidelines.
Zero Tolerance for Drugs and Alcohol
Uber does not tolerate the use of drugs or alcohol by partners while driving.
What leads to you losing access to your account? The account of any driver found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while using the Uber app will be permanently deactivated. Uber may also deactivate the account of any driver who receives several unconfirmed complaints of drug or alcohol use.
Compliance with Road Rules
We expect drivers using the Uber app to comply with all applicable rules of the road at all times.
What leads to you losing access to your account? Uber may permanently deactivate your account for activities such as: engaging in serious illegal activity while using the Uber app; not maintaining valid vehicle registration or driver’s license; and receiving serious traffic citations, or several traffic citations that indicate unsafe driving, while using the Uber app.
Firearms Ban
Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms in a vehicle while using our app. You can learn more about our firearms prohibition policy here. [2] If you violate Uber’s firearms prohibition policy, you may lose access to Uber.
Background Checks
All drivers wanting to use the Uber app are required to undergo a screening process to ensure safety and compliance with our criteria.
What leads to you losing access to your account? We will permanently deactivate a driver’s account if a routine motor vehicle record or background check uncovers a violation of Uber’s safety standards or of other criteria required by local regulators.
Unacceptable Activities
To maintain the transparency and safety of each trip for all users, activities conducted outside of Uber’s system—like anonymous pickups—are prohibited.
What leads to you losing access to your account? We will take action against a driver for activities such as: accepting illegal street hails while using the Uber app; harming the business or brand, like unauthorized use of Uber‘s trademark or intellectual property, or otherwise violating the drivers’ agreement with Uber; and canceling trips obtained through the app, so that the driver can charge the rider for the trip outside the Uber system.
Fraud
Fraudulent activity undermines the trust on which Uber is built. That’s why we are constantly on the lookout for fraud by riders and drivers who are gaming our systems.
What leads to you losing access to your account? We will deactivate any account or accounts associated with fraudulent activity, which may include: deliberately increasing the time or distance of a trip; accepting trips without the intention to complete, including provoking riders to cancel; creating dummy rider or driver accounts for fraudulent purposes; claiming fraudulent fees or charges, like false cleaning fees; and intentionally accepting or completing fraudulent or falsified trips.
Accurate Personal Information
The Uber app is designed to give riders identifying information about drivers and their vehicles, like their name, profile picture, vehicle model and license plate number, before the trip begins. Inaccurate or outdated information creates confusion among riders and can diminish their experience with Uber.
What leads to you losing access to your account? We will deactivate your account for activities such as: providing Uber with inaccurate information; allowing someone else to use your account; and taking a trip using an unapproved vehicle.
In addition, we will take action to prevent any driver whose required documentation becomes invalid — like a driver’s license that expires — from going online until the driver provides Uber with updated information.
Discrimination
Uber’s mission is to connect riders to reliable transportation, everywhere for everyone. We have a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination of any kind at Uber.
What leads to you losing access to your account? It is unacceptable to refuse to provide services based on where someone is going, or characteristics like a person’s race, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, gender identity, age or any other characteristic protected under relevant federal, state or local law. Actions like these will result in permanent deactivation of your account.
We want to help increase the transportation options for riders with disabilities. That’s why we have information available for drivers on this topic. See here for more on Uber’s commitment to accessibility. We expect drivers using the Uber app to comply with all relevant state, federal and local laws governing the transportation of riders with disabilities, including transporting service animals.
Getting Back on the Road After Deactivation
If your account has been deactivated for quality reasons like low star ratings, you may have the opportunity to get back on the road. Check with your local Uber team or help.uber.com to find out more.
UBER B.V.
Last updated: 30 June 2017
[1] The Terms of Use can be found here for each country: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda.
[2] To the extent permitted by applicable law.
[3] This policy does not apply to drivers using the Uber app for UberRUSH and UberEATS.
