Latest news with #UberAustralia
The Advertiser
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Uber makes app changes to take more seniors for a ride
Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Uber makes app changes to take more seniors for a ride
Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Uber accepts cash in UK but rules out move for Australia
Uber is allowing UK customers to pay in cash, however the move won't be coming to Australia. (Source: Getty) Uber Australia will not be following in the footsteps of its UK counterpart anytime soon. The British version of the ride-sharing and food delivery service has revealed a significant change in the way it will operate. After trials in several locations over the past 18 months, Uber UK has decided to allow customers to pay with cash. The new frontier will apply to all cities across the UK, except for London. But a spokesperson for Uber Australia told Yahoo Finance there are no plans to bring this idea Down Under at the moment. RELATED Uber's whole operation has been cashless up until now. Whether you were trying to get from A to B or get food delivered to your door, no physical money would ever exchange hands. It has been done digitally, with Uber claiming the operation was safer for drivers and fostered a more casual experience by avoiding the transactional nature of handing over cash. Do you have a story? Email How does Uber's new cash option work? Under this new-look system, drivers will be able to opt in or out, depending on whether they want to accept and carry cash. "We believe that movement should be accessible to everyone," a spokesperson said. When you request a ride in the UK, you can now press the cash option. If the driver doesn't have the correct change, the money will be given to you as a credit in your Uber account, meaning you wouldn't be able to use that money for other purposes. At the moment, the cash option is only available for ride-sharing and isn't accessible for Uber Eats or other forms of transport. London authorities are currently reviewing the system, and it could open up to residents in the megacity in the future. The move has been welcomed by Brits, who called it common sense to have cash back as an option when getting around. "Back to nature somehow is quite convenient to get around and the satisfaction is different from the plastic," said one person. "Absolute win from Uber on allowing cash payments. I will use Uber a lot more now," added another. A third wrote: "Finally, some good sense—cash still keeps the power in the passenger's hands, doesn't it?" UK stares down major cash issue It comes as the UK grapples with a potential mandate that would force businesses to always carry and accept cash.
