A group of Uber drivers from Dordrecht are raising the alarm about the life-threatening conditions in which they have to work.
Drivers, who are part of the FNV union, have approached the Dordrecht city council with an urgent request to intervene. The drivers are sounding the alarm about Uber's controversial app function 'Tripradar', which forces them to look at their phones while driving to accept new rides. According to them, this method leads to life-threatening situations on the road.
One of the Uber drivers, who will speak at the city council tonight at 19:30 p.m., emphasizes how serious the situation is. “Uber forces us to use our phones while driving. That is dangerous for the customer, ourselves and other road users. We want to point that out to the municipality,” says the concerned driver. He refers to the 'Tripradar' function, which is relatively new in the Uber app. Previously, drivers received new rides when their vehicle was stationary, but now they have to accept or decline new rides while driving. The problem is that the message does not disappear if the driver does not make a choice, which forces them to take action immediately, even if it takes their attention away from the road.
The drivers' objections are clear: the mandatory use of the app function while driving creates dangerous situations, in which not only their own safety, but also that of their passengers and other road users is endangered. According to the drivers, it is irresponsible to let them work in this way and they fear serious accidents.
Isabelle de Klerk, campaign worker for the FNV, supports the drivers' call. She emphasizes that many complaints have been received about 'Tripradar', especially from Dordrecht, where the FNV has a large group of active members among the drivers. "Uber says it wants to look for a solution," says De Klerk. "But the drivers think this is taking too long and want politicians to intervene to tackle these kinds of dangerous situations." De Klerk further explains that Dordrecht is the first step in a broader strategy. "After Dordrecht, the plan is to also go to The Hague. It is of course crazy that the interests of a company come before the safety of society."
The drivers hope that the municipality of Dordrecht will support them in their fight against Uber's dangerous policy. They are asking for a rule that stipulates that new rides may only be offered when a taxi is stationary, as was the case in the past. According to them, the problem with 'Tripradar' is not only the fact that they have to accept new rides while driving, but also that refusing rides has negative consequences. "If you press 'reject' too often, you will be offered fewer new rides," one of the drivers explains. According to them, this creates an impossible situation in which they are forced to engage in risky behavior in order to maintain their income.
The issue has already received a lot of attention, both within Dordrecht and beyond. According to the FNV, Dordrecht is an important place to raise this issue, because there are a large number of drivers active in the region and many complaints about 'Tripradar' have been received. The drivers hope that the municipality will take their concerns seriously and take action. If that does not happen, they will continue their fight in The Hague, where they hope for national measures that will make their work safer.
Uber itself has so far indicated that it is willing to look for a solution, but drivers feel that the company is acting too slowly. They want measures to be taken more quickly to ensure their safety and that of others on the road.
