Longest tenured Uber driver in Phoenix talks about new option to tip drivers

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A major change is being rolled out for Uber customers, as the ride-sharing service now allows riders the option to tip their drivers.

Riders can tip, using the app, and Uber doesn't get any of the money. For years, the only way to let your driver know they did a good job was by rating them.

The new tip service has been available in other cities for weeks, but only went live on Monday in the Phoenix area.

For Judith Gordon, driving for Uber is her dream job, and it was a job that literally began with a dream.

"After three months, I had a dream and my dream said I could make money doing this," recounted Gordon. "So that turned me on to it, and I went right down and picked up the Uber phone that day."

Gordon has spent the past three years shuffling people in and around town, and she's logged more than 12,000 trips, and driven more than 92,000 miles during that time.

Just to put it into perspective, that's enough to drive around the Earth, three times.

For Gordon, the best part about driving for Uber is the freedom.

"The freedom of having your day to yourself," said Gordon."Planning where you want to drive, when you want to drive. If you want to go offline and have lunch, if you want to go shopping, or if you just want to enjoy your day and not go to work."

Now that Uber is allowing customers to tip their drivers, Gordon believes it will actually make the service better, especially as more and more drivers work to get a five-star rating. It's a rating Gordon said is much more than just having a clean car and fast service.

"They're watching you and how you come to their place," said Gordon. "They're going to judge you on how your driving them and where they're going."

For Gordon, tipping is just icing on the cake.

"I think it's going to be fabulous," said Gordon. "People always want to give a tip but they don't always have the money to do so. So, tipping on the app will be just great."

Once again, tipping is optional. Gordon said, however, she received her first tip Monday. Gordon went on to add that her biggest expense as a driver is the car's maintenance, as well as gas. The tips could help defray those costs.