Uber is releasing new features as part of its "180 Days of Change" campaign designed to give drivers more flexibility.

As part of the campaign, Uber will now charge users if their driver has to travel more than eight minutes, on average, to pick them up.



Uber says it will now charge passengers an extra fee when it takes a driver about eight minutes or more to pick them up, the company announced on Tuesday.

When exactly the fee will kick in is subject to change based on the market, but it will typically go into effect between eight and 11 minutes, according to The Verge, which first reported on the change.

One example Uber provided was that of a user who was charged an additional $5.77 after a driver had to travel 4.2 miles (an 11-minute trip) to pick them up. The move is meant to better compensate drivers who have to travel longer distances to pick-up passengers.

The change will have the biggest effect on users attempting to hail cars in less populated areas.

But the move could encourage Uber drivers to leave cities for suburban pickups, Aaron Schildkrout, head of driver product at Uber, told The Verge.

The new fee is one of several released under Uber's "180 Days of Change," a program that went into effect following a string of scandals. The campaign is designed to give Uber drivers more flexibility, the company said.

Riders will also now be charged if their Uber driver has to wait more than two minutes for pickup, a feature that has been piloted in cities such as New York and Phoenix. Uber will also adjust cancellation fees based on time and distance, so users will have to pay more if they cancel a ride at the last minute.