The popular ride-hailing service Uber added a tipping option to its app for the first time Tuesday, in a concession to drivers and in response to its top competitor, Lyft, which already allows passengers to leave a gratuity.

It was among more than half a dozen changes announced today, including some new fees, during a period of instability at the San Francisco-based company.

In an email to its drivers nationwide, Uber said tipping is available as of Tuesday in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Houston.

“We’ll be adding more cities over the next few weeks, and will make tips available to all U.S. drivers” by the end of next month, the company said.

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Tipping Within the App

Uber says its tipping, like everything else with the service, will be handled seamlessly within the app used to book the ride.

UberEATS customers will also now have the option to add a tip.

The company will not take a service fee from a driver’s tips, unlike with the actual fare from the ride.

Drivers may “cash out tips and earnings any time,” a fact sheet promises.

According to an image provided by the company (left), passengers will be able to select a prompt for a tip amount or enter a custom amount.

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Uber Launches ‘180 Days of Change’

It’s part of a eight major changes that the company is promoting as “180 Days of Change”

“We’ve heard you. You’ve told us what you want, and now it’s time we step up and give you the driving experience you deserve, because simply put, Uber wouldn’t exist without you,” the message to drivers states.

“Today, we’re making a commitment. For the next 180 days (and beyond) we’ll be making meaningful changes & improvements to your driving experience. Some changes will be big, some will be small — all will be the changes you’ve asked for,” the note continues.

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Uber Adds More Fees

As part of the plan, Uber also announced additional changes and fees:

• Uber is shortening the free five-minute cancellation window to two minutes; after two minutes, a rider will now be charged the cancellation fee, which is typically $5;
• Drivers will now be paid per-minute for waiting for a rider, after a two minute grace period;
• Uber is making driver injury protection insurance available for a fee; “To help you take advantage of this option, you will earn a bit more per-mile,” the company says;
• A $2 fee will be added to the base fare for teen account trips.

In its note, Uber’s head of U.S. operations, Rachel Holt, and the head of driver experience, Aaron Schildkrout, promised, “This is just the beginning.”

“Over the next 180 days we are committed to making driving with Uber better than ever. Look out for the next round of improvements in July,” the jointly-signed note concludes.

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Embattled Company Facing Instability

The company announced the decision while CEO Travis Kalanick was on leave.

Kalanick had long been opposed to the tipping function.

Hours later, he resigned after a shareholder and investor revolt, The New York Times reported.

Uber has been buffeted by recent turmoil and scandals, including an investigation that culminated in the firing of nearly two dozen employees, including some senior leaders, CNBC reported.

A board member also recently resigned.

The company is also fighting legal battles, as some of its drivers fight to be classified as employees rather than independent contractors.

A New York administrative law judge recently handed Uber a setback, granting a trio of drivers employee benefits, Law360 reported.

“I look at Uber as a workplace culture that has failed. So now we know, working at Uber is not always pleasant,” Kate Bischoff of tHRive Law & Consulting told CNBC for its report.

“It’s difficult, it seems to have this bro’ culture. Each one of these individual cases now looks more credible. So yeah, if they are treating drivers poorly, there’s a natural human response to take that seriously.”

The two Uber executives who signed Tuesday’s note to drivers seemed to acknowledge the uncertain path forward and vowed to make improvements.

“We know there’s a long road ahead, but we won’t stop until we get there,” they wrote.

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