Uber is experimenting with cheaper fares for those willing to wait

An account executive at Uber may have prematurely let the cat out of the bag about a new feature that rewards patient passengers.

Uber employee Gregory Jacobs first revealed the new feature, perhaps accidentally, yesterday. The image showed an option that allowed Jacobs to wait a little longer for a ride in exchange for a cheaper fare. He could get the ride now (4:46pm local time) for $10.18, or wait four minutes and pay $8.15 — a savings of about 25 percent.

“If you’re OK with leaving later, we’ll request your ride for 17:00 for a lower price,” the app stated.

Jacobs has since deleted the tweet and set his account to private but you can view the original tweet here.

An Uber spokesperson told Quartz that the feature was being tested among Uber employees in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

She continued:

Affordability is a top reason riders choose shared rides, and we’re internally experimenting with a way to save money in exchange for a later pickup.