VIC NEWS: Uber is Not Safe!

The New South Wales (NSW) Point to Point Transport Commissioner has relinquished a report exploring the multiple facets in which Uber is not safe. The Commissioner accentuated their main concerns surrounding Uber’s lack of safety to include; driver fatigue, incident management, driver training, and notifiable occurrences. These factors, among others, help us to outline how Uber is providing a perilous mode of passenger transport, which raises our eyebrows.

Specifically, let us look at notifiable occurrences. This phrase refers to how quickly, or not, Uber notified the Commissioner of paramount incidences, such as: death, rape, sexual assault, serious illness or injuries. We found it exceptionally alarming when we learnt that the Commissioner’s audit service fined Uber over $200,000 for not reporting notifiable occurrences in a practical, timely manner.​

Moreover, this fine encompassed Uber’s failure to adequately report over 500 serious incidents in the last 18 months alone. A complete violation of not only industry laws, but our trust.

Following this, the Commissioner authoritatively mandated Uber to conduct an independent quality assurance audit in an attempt to ensure their complex systems are appropriately integrated. However, there does not seem to be any genuine penalty surrounding the possibility of Uber’s lack of completion of these task. Rod Barton MP also exhibited his deepest concerns regarding the NSW Commissioner’s audit of Uber. He explains that whilst Uber has the resources and funds to adhere to fundamental industry safety requirements, they decide not to. Uber’s lack of compliance to adhere to these laws, to save pennies here and there, is simply costing us our own safety.

Unlike NSW (and every other State in Australia), the Victorian regulator has ingenuously extended the Multi-Purpose Taxi Program (MPTP) to Uber. The MPTP defines a multi-faceted program whereby the government subsidises CPV fares for Victoria’s most vulnerable. And now, the government has decided it is a good idea to include Uber, a proven unsafe giant, in this program. To be fair, the reasoning was good. Can you hear the sarcasm dripping from my mouth?

For context, Uber had a 100% satisfactory rate resulting from a total of four passengers in their MPTP trial last year. On this alone, Uber was added to the program. Are you thinking this is strange? Because you are not alone. Ultimately, adding Uber to the MPTP is, in a way, exculpating them from all the bad things that they have done. It is completely unjust.

Our safety, especially the safety of those most vulnerable, in our society should not be wagered away. We need to recognise the clear-cut safety risk Uber poses to us, as demonstrated by the voluminous fines, disregard for rudimentary safety laws, lack of cameras, driver fatigue, etc. We simply cannot trust Uber to be there for us.

More news in our September 2021 Edition here.