The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has sent a notice to Uber for asking users to pay a tip in advance to get faster service, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday.

Joshi called this move "unethical" and "wrong." He said tipping should be a choice and done only after getting good service, not before. So far, Uber has not responded to the notice. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Joshi said: “Asking users to pay a tip before the ride, just to get quicker service, is unfair. A tip should be a way to thank someone, not something forced.”

Users asked to pay more for faster rides

When booking a cab on Uber, users see a message offering them to add a tip of ₹50, ₹75, or ₹100 to get picked up faster. The message says: “Add a tip for faster pickup. A driver may be more likely to accept this ride if you add a tip.” It also says the tip can’t be changed later and the full amount goes to the driver.

Past complaints about unfair pricing

This isn’t the first time Uber has faced complaints. In January, the CCPA also questioned Uber and Ola over claims they charged different fares for the same route, depending on whether a user had an iPhone or an Android phone. Both companies denied this and said their pricing doesn’t depend on the type of phone used.

Uber's metro tickets facility

In another update, Uber has launched metro ticket booking in Delhi-NCR through the ONDC platform. Users can now buy QR-code-based metro tickets using the Uber app. This is the first time Uber is offering metro booking in India.

Uber has also added delivery services like Courier XL in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. Through ONDC, other businesses, even those not using the Uber app, can now use Uber’s delivery service for last-mile logistics.