Uber drivers in New York, New Jersey, Phoenix and Dallas have the power to tack on $5 to $10 on riders' bills if they have to wait for more than two minutes.

And today, the car-hailing giant has opened up this feature and a handful of others in cities across the US.

The update aims to allow drivers to control more of the ride process, which gives them the ability to pause ride requests, find gas stations, get paid instantly and only pick up riders on their route.

Today, Uber is rolling out a handful of others in cities across the US. The update aims to allow drivers to control more of the ride process, which gives them the ability to pause ride requests, find gas stations, get paid instantly and only pick up riders on their route

WHAT ARE THE NEW FEATURES FOR UBER DRIVERS? The update aims to allow drivers to control more of the ride process, which gives them the ability to pause ride requests, find gas stations, get instantly paid and only pick up riders on their route. Keeping in the theme of having more control, Uber has added a feature that lets drivers work while they are still going about their daily lives. Called Driver Destinations, drivers can plug in their destination twice a day, whether it is work, school, whatever, and Uber will only suggests rides that are along the way. A handful of cities can now use this tool and more will be added as the week progresses. One thing that many Uber drivers have voiced their frustration about is the only way to contact the firm is via email. But today the firm is offering in-person assistance in over 250 locations globally. The firm also launched Fuel Finder to make it easier for their drivers to find a gas station and ones with the best value. Advertisement

The announcement for fining riders who are late came out in April, which was in response to driver’s complaints about many not caring how long the rider sat waiting for them and part of the firm's new cancellation policy.

Uber knows that by implementing this feature, drivers will be able to earn more money as they can keep grabbing requests.

However, if an Uber drivers is more than five minutes late then, riders can cancel with no penalty.

'Many drivers say they choose Uber because they want to be their own boss, set their own schedule, and get work at the touch of a button, Uber shared in a recent blog post.

'There are plenty of things we can do to make driving more empowering and worth your while.'

'And beginning today, we are rolling out a number of features and rewards in more cities to help you get the most out of your time on the road.'

The update comes after a recent class actions by drivers who wanted to be considered full-time employees instead of independent contractors.

Uber said it would settle as much as $100 million to about 385,000 drivers in California, and the most recent suite comes from its New York City drivers.

Keeping in the theme of having more control, Uber has added a feature that lets drivers work while they are still going about their daily lives.

Called Driver Destinations, drivers can plug in their destination twice a day, whether it is work, school, whatever, and Uber will only suggests rides that are along the way.

UBER'S LATE AND CANCELATION POLICY FOR RIDERS The car service app started testing the new cancellation program that charges customers in certain cities a fee when they leave their driver waiting for two minutes or longer at the pickup location back in April. Uber originally gave passengers a five minute grace period. It was previously testing the program in Phoenix, Dallas, New Jersey and New York City, but will now roll out the feature to other countries across the US. Customers will also be charged a cancellation fee if they cancel a ride two minutes after ordering a car. They previously had five minutes to do so before incurring a fee. 'We've seen that two minutes is usually sufficient time for riders to determine whether they need a car', Uber wrote on its blog announcing the program. Cancellation fees range from $5 to $10 depending on the city, but will not be applied if the customer cancels a ride because it will take longer than the expected pickup time. Customers cannot be charged a no-show fee unless drivers wait the full five minutes. Advertisement

A handful of cities can now use this tool and more will be added as the week progresses.

One thing that many Uber drivers have voiced their frustration about is the only way to contact the firm is via email.

But today the firm is offering in-person assistance in over 250 locations globally.

'We're continuing to invest in our in-person locations, formerly known as Partner Support Centers,' said Uber.

Driver Destinations lets drivers plug in their destination twice a day, whether it is work, school, whatever, and Uber will only suggests rides that are along the way. Many more of them will have the opportunity to get paid instantly with the Uber Debit Card and they can see how much they make for each ride

'And with our expanded services comes a new name: Uber Greenlight locations. Our doors are open and we're here to help!'

Uber seems to have really listened to their driver's complains and have piloted many of these features priror to today's roll-out.

The firm also launched Fuel Finder to make it easier for their drivers to find a gas station and ones with the best value.

'We're glad that so many drivers continue to take advantage of fuel discounts, savings on cell phone plans, and discounts on oil changes and maintenance through our driver rewards program,' Uber said.

'Last but not least, today we're launching this blog for drivers called Behind the Wheel.'

'This will be your one-stop for news that affects you and information on driver products and perks.'

Not only is this new roll out part of Uber's class actions, but the firm is facing competition from other companies that already offer their employees these types of perks and rewards.