The Union has expressed safety concerns over new taxi app Uber, arguing an alleged lack of driver security could put students’ safety at risk.
Uber Taxis, which launched in Leeds last month, uses a GPS tracking system to connect the passenger directly to a driver nearby, allowing users to book and pay via a cashless system.
The app, called UberX, has been criticised for allegedly avoiding licensing regulations and undercutting taxi firms.
The Union’s Community Officer George Bradley told The Gryphon, ‘Concerns have been raised about Uber, specifically the UberX service, which allows unlicensed drivers to be able to pick people up off the street without an advance booking. This raises obvious safety worries’.
He added, ‘LUU has a partnership with Amber Cars which aims to ensure that students can get home safe, even if they’ve run out of money. As long as they have their student card, they should be able to hand it over and get it back from the Union at a later date. If students are experiencing problems with Amber’s process, however, let us know, and we can take it back to Amber and work out how to improve it’.
Uber have assured customers that all its drivers in the UK have passed background checks, are licensed by a regulator and are insured as private hire vehicles.
Addressing concerns, Marketing Manager at Uber Leeds, Patrick Deane said, ‘This is certainly not the case (that Uber is unsafe). The fundamental priority of Uber is that of the safety of both our riders and our partner drivers. There is no way an unlicensed cab can pick up a passenger as they will not have access to the PDA app’.
The Uber app has been banned in several cities including Berlin, where authorities argued not enough was being done to protect passengers against unlicensed drivers.
One student said, ‘I used them back in Manchester and got a free ride with the friendliest driver I’ve ever met!
A University spokesperson told this newspaper, ‘We would advise students to follow LUU’s ‘five steps’ taxi advice and policy: only use a licensed taxi or pre-booked hire vehicle; wait for the booked car to arrive; always check the driver’s badge; ride with friends; and, if you have any doubts, do not get into the vehicle’.
Charlotte Mason
Photo courtesy of Will Stanley