Uber Technologies Inc. mentioned on Tuesday drivers had been steadily returning to its ride-hailing platform, permitting for a modest lower in passenger wait instances as the corporate seeks to benefit from a post-pandemic return in journey demand.

Uber mentioned the week of Might seventeenth marked a brand new report for drivers returning to the street for the reason that begin of 2021, with lively driver hours rising 4.4 % from the earlier week.

Total, Uber mentioned 33,000 drivers joined its U.S. platform throughout the week of Might seventeenth. Most of them had stopped working final 12 months over well being considerations and an absence of consumers.

Uber declined to say how that quantity in comparison with pre-pandemic instances, however in California alone Uber reported 209,000 quarterly drivers by way of the tip of 2019.

“With the financial system bouncing again, drivers are returning to Uber in power to benefit from increased earnings alternatives from our driver stimulus whereas they’re nonetheless obtainable,” mentioned Carrol Chang, Uber’s head of U.S. and Canada driver operations, in a press release.

Getting drivers on the street rapidly is essential for Uber’s efforts to recoup revenue and achieve its target of adjusted profitability by the tip of the 12 months.

The corporate additionally faces prospects who complain on-line about lengthy wait instances and excessive reserving prices.

Uber has tried to lure drivers back through COVID-19 vaccine partnerships and mentioned in April it might make investments $250 million to spice up driver earnings and provide fee ensures.

Together with these incentives, median hourly driver earnings in a number of U.S. cities exceeded $35 earlier than ideas, Uber mentioned. The corporate has urged drivers to benefit from the incentives earlier than pay drops to pre-COVID-19 ranges as extra drivers return to the platform.