Two features that attracted me to Uber were the no-tipping policy and the ability for riders and drivers to rate each other. No tipping made it a frictionless transaction — you get to your destination and quickly hop out. The rating system weeded out bad drivers and also allowed drivers to pass over bad riders.

If tipping is allowed, the rider rating will simply become a measure of the size of their tip so it will — in essence — become mandatory, not optional. If that is the case, Uber should just raise the rates by 10 percent or 20 percent and have 100 percent of that go to the driver.

Charlie Tillett

Wayland