Business Travel – Uber Confirms Safety Measures After Success Against TfL

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• Business Travel – Uber Confirms Safety Measures After Success Against TfL

29 September 2020

With the news that Uber can continue to operate in London after a successful court appeal, what security measures is the company taking to reassure its passengers?

Yesterday (28 September 2020) Uber was granted a new 18-month operating licence in London. Transport for London (TfL) had previously refused Uber’s application for a new license on the grounds of several safety breaches.

However, as reported by the BBC, Westminster Magistrates' Court said Uber was now a "fit and proper" operator "despite historical failings".

The alleged safety breaches TfL initially raised included problems with Uber’s IT infrastructure, leading to unauthorised drivers accessing the system, and delays with barring drivers from the app who had previously committed sexual offences.

Uber has since sought to reassure their customers of their safety measures in a statement on the company’s website, citing that they are “strengthening our systems and processes and partnering with safety organisations on important campaigns.”

What Measures is Uber Taking?

• All drivers in the UK are required to use Real-Time ID Check, and take a selfie to verify their identity before they can start using the app.
• Riders can designate up to five friends and family members to follow their journey with live trip details.
• In an emergency, riders can connect directly with emergency services with real-time location and vehicle information.
• In addition to mobile numbers, riders’ specific pick-up and drop-off addresses are now concealed
• Check Your Ride alerts help make sure riders are getting into the correct licensed vehicle.
• Cycle lane alerts notify riders to check for cyclists before opening the door near a cycle path.
• Limits to driver hours mean that a licensed driver can only spend 10 hours en route to, and on-trip with, a passenger before they are required to log out.
• Uber is a signatory of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, working with UK SAYS NO MORE to help women feel safer.
• Uber also says that it’s partnering with organisations to assist with society’s broader safety challenges like modern slavery, the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, and working with the Home Office to help tackle County Lines drugs and human trafficking.

Post-COVID Business Travel Contingency Plans

For obvious reasons, business travel hasn’t taken centre stage in terms of COVID contingency planning for employers. With the majority of the workforce being encouraged to work from home, major cities under restrictive lockdowns, the new Rule of Six and England’s current 10 pm pub and restaurant curfew, it would seem that employees are unlikely to be out attending meetings or travelling overseas.  

However, employers may have to begin to look at internal business travel policies at the point where cities come out of lockdown, and some of their employees return to travelling for business throughout the working day.

With face coverings now mandatory for passengers in taxis, and across all forms of public transport, might employers have to set additional restrictions for employees travelling for work?

What do you think post-COVID business travel might look like? Join the conversation on Linkedin and Twitter and let us know your thoughts.

Picture: a photograph of a person entering a waiting uber vehicle

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 29 September 2020

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