Starting September 19, Uber users in Australia and New Zealand will need to stay above a minimum star rating or face account deactivation.
Uber has been trying to clean up its act after a rough year, and now they want their riders to do the same, passing new guidelines in Australia and New Zealand that will force riders to stay above a four star rating or face losing access to the app entirely.
In a blog post from Uber Australia and New Zealand, the ride service said the new rules, which will come in to effect on September 19, aim to protect drivers and promote mutual respect during the entire taxi experience.
"Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself. It's a universal truth - and something that's important here at Uber," they wrote.
"This is important because when driver-partners use Uber they do more than simply drive: they're sharing their own car, their space, their time and a slice of who they are with passengers."
The company goes on to say that the new community guidelines set basic standards for conduct and that anyone who falls under a certain minimum rating will receive multiple warnings before being kicked off the app.
Susan Anderson, Uber's regional general manager for Australia and New Zealand, told the Sydney Morning Herald that minimum ratings varied by country and region but that across Australia, it would be four stars.
She reminded readers that nine out of ten Australians on Uber have a 4.5 rating or higher and that multiple warnings or tips will be sent to a user before they are removed.
"To get to a number as low as four there really needs to have been multiple instances of one star ratings, and complaints from a number of different drivers. But there are a small proportion of riders who aren't behaving in the right way, and we have no place for that on our platform," she told the newspaper.
She added that drivers had complained about a number of bad passenger behaviors, including riders sexually harassing and stalking drivers after a trip, abusive language, door slamming, lack of greetings or courtesy, and riders waiting in the wrong place or in unsafe areas. Riders had also been accused of breaking laws during rides and asking drivers to speed or commit crimes with them.
The issue of Uber driver treatment has gained prominence in the US as the app's popularity has grown. Most recently, star NFL quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended and forced to apologize after he grabbed a female driver's crotch n 2016.
Uber drivers who fall under a certain number of stars can be fired from the service, so the rule has long been in place for them. Despite the guidelines, Uber still has a notoriously difficult time screening its drivers and continues to face criticism over its background check practices.
Before the new rules were passed, riders could only be denied by drivers for extremely low ratings but would not be removed.
"Australia/NZ is the second country globally to roll this out, and we think it's an important update to help ensure every Uber journey is enjoyable and comfortable for both riders and driver-partners," Uber told Mashable in an email.
As long as users keep clean, stay kind and respect drivers, Anderson said they wouldn't have to worry about the new rules.
"We all know of driver-partners who go above and beyond to create a five-star experience for their riders: from helping an elderly person get into and out of the car, to offering water for the trip or making sure that riders get home safely while listening to some fun tunes after a night out," they wrote in their release.
"Everyone can enjoy a five-star ride when people respect each other's differences and treat their travelling companions the way they'd like to be treated themselves."
*this article was featured on Download.com on September 5, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/uber-in-australia-and-new-zealand-will-start-banning-riders-with-low-ratings/