WASHINGTON — D.C. Uber riders are some of the worst in the country according to a new ranking released by the rideshare company.
According to Uber, D.C. comes in at No. 3 on a list of lowest average rider rating in the country, behind New York and Seattle. Baltimore-Maryland riders broke the top 10 a No. 9. Uber says San Antonio, Texas, drivers are the most pleasant, with the highest average rider rating among large U.S. cities.
This may come as a shock to some, but Uber is quick to point out there is a way to check your rider rating on their app. Starting this week, today every rider (and driver) will be able to see their rating and information about exactly how it is calculated via the new Privacy Center in the Uber app.
Here's how to access the information:
- In the settings menu, tap privacy and then Privacy Center
- In the Privacy Center, swipe to the right and click on the “would you like to see a summary of how you use Uber” tile
- Scroll down to the “browse your data” section and tap on “View my ratings” to see the breakdown
There is a purpose behind the rider/driver ratings beyond wondering what you did to earn a one-star rating on your last trip.
If driver or a passenger gets consistently low scores, they could lose access to some or all of the company’s services. However, Uber doesn’t have one set cutoff point — the minimum average rating is different for each city in which the company operates. That’s because of cultural differences in how people rate each other, according to Uber.
Both riders and drivers have the ability to rate one to five stars on a trip. Your rating is the average of your last 500 trips. If you want to help improve your rating, drivers have shared some of the top reasons they hand out fewer stars:
- Pack it in, pack it out: Drivers shouldn’t have to clean up after you. Always make sure to take your trash and any other belongings with you. Don’t leave a mess behind.
- Buckle Up: Studies show that unbuckled passengers in the back seat can put the driver at greater risk of injury in a crash. So always remember to buckle up for your and the driver’s safety.
- Be ready: Remember that drivers’ time is valuable and they shouldn’t have to wait for you. A smooth pickup is better for everyone so be ready to go when the driver arrives.
- Treat everyone and everything with respect: As outlined in our Community Guidelines, we want riders and drivers to feel safe, respectful, and positive. Always treat your driver and their vehicle as you would want to be treated.
- Don’t slam the door! It is easy to accidentally slam a door if you aren’t thinking about it, and drivers have consistently cited door slams as a reason why they deduct stars.