Just a decade after going card cashless, Uber is turning the tables in Britain and people are kinda shook. The ride-hailing behemoth has launched an 18-month pilot where consumers can now pay for their journeys in cash. This big change has opened up a few questions like how will this new process even work? And, like, more importantly, what do the drivers think? Will they be cool with it or just stick to online payments?
The company, which does its thing through its smartphone app, said it was trying to hook users up with more transport options. Uber Brings Back Cash: A U-Turn in How We Pay for Rides. So, like, this 18-month pilot program that was tested in certain urban spots is gonna be available all over Britain now, except for the capital city. Uber’s initial test in cities like Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, and Stoke showed that some riders were all about using cold, hard cash to pay for their trips.
This new payment option will show up in the app, but drivers can opt out of taking bills and coins if they can’t give change or have safety concerns about carrying cash. If drivers don’t give back the extra money, Uber will just credit the rider’s account in the app. How the Cash Pilot Works And Why It Matters Now. This move comes after the Treasury Committee peeped that more and more businesses are saying no to cash transactions. The Committee, made up of folks from different political parties, warned that the UK could become a ‘two-tier society’ if they don’t deal with this, potentially leaving vulnerable peeps out in the cold.
“We think everyone should be able to get around, so after some successful test runs in UK cities over the past year and a half, we’ve decided to let passengers outside London pay with cash,” an Uber spokesperson said. Ron Delnevo, who heads the Payment Choice Alliance, told the BBC that Uber’s move “shows that they’re now down with cash in the UK.” He’s asking the Government to step up and make it a law that shops and services gotta take cash payments.
A Win for Payment Freedom or a Step Back? The Treasury Select Committee recently told the public to stash some cash at home in case of cyberattacks or power outages. The Committee suggested this big move, expressing concern about the trend of ditching coins and paper money. MPs said businesses should be legally required to accept cash to stop the UK from becoming a cashless society by accident.
According to a study by the ATM Network Link last year, half of all shoppers had come across a place that didn’t want their cash. “About 20% ran into this in a cafe, restaurant, or while paying for parking, and 10% on public transport or in a bar.” Peeps in tough spots who rely on cash, like older folks, those with learning issues, and survivors of domestic violence, told the Committee that they’re being forced to pay more for stuff since fewer places take cash.
Echoes Of Caution. The Committee suggested that the Government might tell peeps to stash some cash in case things get rough nationwide. “In doing its job for national security and resilience, HM Treasury needs to think about the value of cash in emergencies,” the report said. “This could mean suggesting that peeps keep cash on hand for emergencies and thinking about how cash distribution could help in a major payment system crash.”
While the benefits for riders seem pretty clear, whether this cash payment trial is a hit will mostly depend on if Uber drivers are down. Early reactions online give us a peek into their thoughts and maybe some concerns. ‘Can’t Be Arsed With Coins’: Drivers Push Back on the Rollout. On the UberUK subreddit, a user started a chat called ‘Cash journeys live?’ saying, ‘Got the emails and messages about cash journeys starting May 1st (NW region), but last I checked, there was no option to say no to it.’
The original poster said they weren’t working that day and couldn’t say if the feature was live. “It’s in Preferences now, I just said no thanks,” one Reddit user replied. “Just saw it,” another user added. “Also said no thanks – don’t feel like carrying enough change and dealing with the security issues of cash.” “Plus, the weird way of giving change as Uber ‘credit’ is gonna cause a bunch of mess-ups and fights.”
In another chat called ‘UK Uber Drivers: Will You Opt Out of Accepting Cash Payments?,’ UK drivers shared similar feelings. One Reddit user said, “If it ever comes to London. Definitely not.” “Card only, don’t wanna carry cash, deal with coins, just gonna slow things down even though it probably won’t happen often that someone wants to pay with cash,” another user added.
Based on these convos online, while Uber is trying to give riders more payment options across Britain, many drivers aren’t too excited about taking cash. Worries about handling change and safety risks tied to carrying cash seem to be the main reasons peeps are saying no.
