Uber drivers don't want to wait around, they want to hit the road.
Uber
You may soon have 2 minutes to jump into your waiting Uber instead of a more leisurely 5, as the ridesharing company experiments with a shorter waiting window.
Currently, an Uber driver will wait for you for 5 minutes with no fee. Under the new policy, which is being tried out in the US in Phoenix, Dallas, New Jersey and New York, drivers can charge a fee after 2 minutes. If you're unavoidably held up getting to the car, drivers will still wait 5 minutes before abandoning the fare.
Under the new policy you will also have 2 minutes to change your mind after booking a ride, instead of the current 5. If you cancel the booking any later than that you will be charged a cancellation fee.
The move is designed to encourage passengers to meet their cars faster, cutting down on the unpaid time drivers spend waiting around and allowing them to fit in more fares. While it must be frustrating for drivers to be left twiddling their thumbs -- especially when Uber cuts their rates -- 2 minutes isn't a long time to spot an unfamiliar car, especially if your phone's GPS is slightly off or you have to, say, cross a busy street to get to it.