Uber breaches Sydney lockdown restrictions, drivers up in arms
Uber drivers who are residents of the heavily locked-down areas of western and south-western Sydney have complained about Uber offering them trips that will force them to move outside of their local government areas (LGA). This is clearly in violation of the current Greater Sydney lockdown where a driver cannot leave their LGA. The exceptions are certain conditions like driving essential healthcare staff or workers to their workplaces, but Uber's app does not follow these restrictions.
The Uber drivers have said that there is a lack of clarity in the Uber app in distinguishing between trips inside or outside the LGAs. This leads to a situation where they are being offered trips that breach lockdown restrictions.
As new Uber drivers have not earned enough points to unlock special benefits on the app, they are not able to see the final destination of the trips until they accept the ride, adding to the problem. Cancelling trips or turning down rides by Uber drivers affect their performance or ratings in the Uber app, aggravating their financial woes. Uber drivers can also lose their in-app advantages and features if they reject two or three trips. Resolving this issue, Uber changed this norm and clarified that the drivers who had unlocked the benefits would not lose them during the lockdown.
An Uber spokeswoman, in defence, said the app cannot be changed overnight but she maintained that drivers were not punished or faced any consequences for rejecting trips during the lockdown or cancelling trips on safety grounds that took them outside their LGA. Uber also urged the government to prioritise vaccinating its drivers and other delivery people.
Michael Kaine, National secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union said that rideshare drivers should also be included as authorised workers by the NSW government as there is clearly a need for their services in and out of COVID-19 hotspot areas. He also asked to start a vaccination drive for rideshare drivers.