---
title: "Piloting estimated earnings per active hour on trip requests"
description: "Uber’s pilot, now ended, tested an estimated earnings per active hour badge on trip requests for some drivers in select cities. The badge appeared on Trip Radar and Exclusive requests, while drivers still received upfront fares and were paid per trip, not by the hour. Active time covered driving to pickup, waiting for the rider, and completing the trip, excluding time spent online between requests. The estimate divided the upfront fare by estimated pickup, one-minute average pickup wait, and trip time, then scaled the per-minute amount to 60 minutes. Uber described it as a comparison benchmark, but noted that timing estimates use historical data and traffic conditions, actuals can vary, and the figure is not a guarantee."
---

# Piloting estimated earnings per active hour on trip requests

[Uber](https://yomu.fyi/company/uber) · May 14, 2026

**Type:** Announcement

## Summary

Uber’s pilot, now ended, tested an estimated earnings per active hour badge on trip requests for some drivers in select cities. The badge appeared on Trip Radar and Exclusive requests, while drivers still received upfront fares and were paid per trip, not by the hour. Active time covered driving to pickup, waiting for the rider, and completing the trip, excluding time spent online between requests. The estimate divided the upfront fare by estimated pickup, one-minute average pickup wait, and trip time, then scaled the per-minute amount to 60 minutes. Uber described it as a comparison benchmark, but noted that timing estimates use historical data and traffic conditions, actuals can vary, and the figure is not a guarantee.

## Context

The pilot was available to some drivers in a few select cities and on markets with upfront fares. It was unavailable for xShare and Reserve requests, with additional availability noted for Uber Black requests in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee, and Houston.

## Approach / What changed

The feature displayed a badge calculated from the upfront trip fare, divided by estimated time to reach pickup, a one-minute pickup wait, and estimated trip completion time, then multiplied the resulting per-minute rate by 60. Pickup and trip-duration estimates used historical data and current traffic conditions.

## Takeaways

- Active hour includes travel to pickup, pickup waiting time, and trip completion, but excludes time spent online while waiting for a request.
- The calculation uses a one-minute pickup wait based on the rounded national average; actual wait, traffic, and trip times may differ.
- Drivers continue to receive payment per trip according to the upfront fare, and estimated earnings per active hour is a reference rather than a guarantee.

## FAQ

### Where did drivers see the estimated earnings per active hour badge?

The pilot showed the badge on trip requests for some drivers in select cities, including Trip Radar and Exclusive requests. Drivers continued to see the upfront trip fare, while xShare and Reserve requests were excluded.

### How was the estimated earnings per active hour figure calculated?

The estimate divided the upfront fare by the total estimated time for pickup, a one-minute average wait at pickup, and trip completion. It then multiplied that per-minute amount by 60.

### Were drivers paid by the hour during the pilot?

No. Drivers continued to be paid per trip based on the upfront fare shown on the offer card. The active-hour figure was only a comparison reference and was not guaranteed.

**Tags:** [Pricing](https://yomu.fyi/topic/pricing)

- Source: [Uber](https://www.uber.com/us/en/blog/piloting-estimated-earnings-per-active-hour-on-trip-requests)
- Source URL: https://www.uber.com/us/en/blog/piloting-estimated-earnings-per-active-hour-on-trip-requests
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-09-16T20:00:49.341Z

[Read original post](https://www.uber.com/us/en/blog/piloting-estimated-earnings-per-active-hour-on-trip-requests)