Newcastle Uber passengers named best-mannered metro city in Australia

Congratulations are in order for the people of the Hunter, with Uber crowning local rideshare users the best in the country for the second year in a row. Find out what for.

Rating data has crowned Newcastle Uber users the best in the country for being polite and respectful. Picture: Josh Edelson/AFP

Congratulations are in order for the people of the Hunter, with Novocastrians acknowledged for being polite and respectful.

Newcastle has been crowned the best-mannered metro city in Australia for the second year in a row, according to local Uber drivers.

Uber’s city-by-city rider rating rankings are back this year and the data has unveiled that the rideshare customers of the city are doing something right.

Newcastle came in on top with a rating of 4.89 stars, alongside Cairns in Queensland, followed closely behind by Wollongong and the Gold Coast.

In terms of the state average, NSW topped the list with Northern Territory and Queensland with 4.84, while the national average came in at 4.82 stars.

Newcastle Uber users have been crowned most well-mannered in the country. Picture: Robyn Beck/AFP

Newcastle Uber users have an average top star rating of 4.89. Picture: Annette Dew

“Uber ratings are calculated by averaging the last 500 ratings, showing that Novocastrians are consistently some of the most friendly and polite riders in the country,” head of rider operations at Uber Hoa Nguyen said.

“Driver partners tell us that it’s relatively simple to secure a five-star rating. In particular, they value when their passengers are punctual, clean and take their rubbish with them, say hello and generally display respect to them and their car.

“Driver partners have also cited door slams as a reason why they deduct stars.”

Last year, Uber unveiled how users can receive a breakdown of their rating history in the app so they can see exactly how many times they’ve received a five or more alarmingly, one-star rating.

Now Uber riders can see how they fare against the average Australian, and how their city or state measures against the rest of Australia.

Ms Nguyen said “kindness is free” but in a busy world it can be easy to forget.

“Many Uber driver partners say the unique conversations they have with riders as one of their favourite parts of their day,” she said.

“A simple “Hello, how was your weekend?” can really go a long way.

“Try to treat them how you’d like to be treated. As outlined in our community guidelines, we want riders and driver partners to feel safe, respectful, and positive on every trip.”

Average Rider Rating in Metro Areas

1. Newcastle, NSW - 4.89

2. Cairns, QLD - 4.89

3. Wollongong, NSW - 4.88

4. Gold Coast, QLD - 4.87

5. Sunshine Coast, QLD - 4.86

6. Darwin, NT - 4.84

7. Hobart, TAS - 4.84

8. Sydney, NSW - 4.83

9. Geelong, VIC - 4.83

10. Adelaide, SA - 4.82

11. Launceston, TAS - 4.82

12. Brisbane, QLD - 4.82

** National average 4.82

13. Canberra, ACT - 4.81

14. Melbourne, VIC - 4.80

15. Perth, WA - 4.79

How to boost your rider rating

Beat the clock: Driver partners love it when riders are ready to go from the moment they arrive. No one likes to be left waiting.

More mess, more stress: Make sure you take your rubbish and any other belongings with you to keep it tidy for the next rider to enjoy.

Be polite and say hello: Unique conversations can really go a long way.

Don’t slam the door!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Drivers want their vehicle, and their time to be respected.