Uber blames software bug for charging drivers for giving rides

Uber confirmed Wednesday that the ride-hailing app experienced a software bug after drivers received charges when dropping off passengers, according to a report from CNN. 

A driver who spoke with the outlet said they submitted a fare review to Uber after he was charged $2.20 for dropping off a passenger, but a notice by Uber Support said that his fare had been correctly calculated. The driver reportedly called driver support, but no agent was available to speak with him because it was the weekend.

He also directly messaged Uber Support’s Twitter account.

An Uber spokesperson told CNN that the notice the company sent the driver claiming the fare had been correctly calculated was sent as an automated message by mistake.

The driver told CNN that after he tweeted out a picture of his receipt, a member of Uber Support contacted him to resolve the issue.

In a statement to The Hill, a spokesperson for Uber attributed the problem to glitches related to a product on the app first introduced in November 2020 that allows riders the ability to book Exec or Lux trips up to 30 days in advance. 

“Due to a software bug, fares for certain trips booked through our new Reserve product were miscalculated. This was a terrible customer experience for drivers, and for that we apologize. We’ve ensured drivers have been paid in full for all affected trips, fixed the bug, and have put new safeguards in place,” the Uber spokesperson said.

The Uber spokesperson added that support teams are available around the clock to answer driver questions via in-app messaging support.

However, the spokesperson stated that drivers who reached out to the company regarding miscalculated fares were not given the appropriate support. The spokesperson said the company is reevaluating its support process and implementing changes so that the company came take action more quickly to resolve disputes.