The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission is introducing a proposal on Monday that would require Uber to give passengers the option of tipping their drivers within the ride-hailing app.
The proposal follows a petition from the Independent Drivers Guild, a union-style association of drivers recognized by Uber, The New York Times reports. The petition said drivers were losing out on cash because riders can’t leave an extra tip within the app. In regular New York City taxis, riders are given an option to add a tip when they use a credit card machine, and Uber drivers want their customers to have the same option. Users of Uber’s main competitor, Lyft, can already choose a tip when using a credit card.
“This rule proposal will be an important first step to improve earning potential in the for-hire vehicle industry, but it is just one piece of a more comprehensive effort to improve the economic well-being of drivers,” New York City Taxi Commissioner Meera Joshi told The Times.