Slashdot Mirror
Uber Says UK Drivers Will Take Mandatory Breaks (cnet.com)
Uber is introducing a new policy on drivers' hours across the UK next week, which it says will help to increase safety for drivers and passengers. From a report: Drivers for the ride-hailing service will have to take a continuous six-hour break after the time spent on trips with passengers and on their way to pickups reaches 10 hours. The company announced the decision Tuesday, saying it believes this move is an industry first in the UK. The company has been criticized in the past over its handling of workers' rights and has faced resistance in the UK. Uber lost its license to operate in London in September. In October, a London court ruled that its drivers should be classified as employees instead of as contractors
Seriously? After 10 hours they should be down for at least 10 to sleep. Not that it matters, they can just get another account.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
The time they're calculating doesn't include sat around waiting for a job, and that is the way their drivers spend a lot of their time.
There's a reason they can get you a cab in less time than a proper taxi, and that is it. They are sitting around empty, being tempted to pick up illegally to get work.
Unfortunately for the customers and other road users, if they run into someone or something whilst going along a one way street the wrong way (they're famous for it over here) and they have picked up a passenger without a booking through the phone program, they're not insured!
Customers need to learn and understand all the crazy things about this toxic company and their predatory pricing, oversupply, complete disregard for road safety and the disdain for properly regulated authorities investigating their illegal business.
Can't wait to see the back of them in the UK.
Do not meddle in the affairs of geeks for they are subtle and quick to anger
It is an industry first indeed. The rest of the UK taxi industry obey the fucking law.
https://www.gov.uk/drivers-hou...
10 hours a day, not 10 hours then a 6 hour break. Fucking uber.
so does on their way to pickups = on the clock for pay by hour now + mileage?
...a simple matchmaking app. The driver sets the price. No requirements to what car you use. No background checks. The app maker takes a small cut. Any issues between driver and rider, well that is what courts are for.
This is good news for Lyft, since those drivers will focus on fulfilling requests on that app during their Uber downtime
Note that this is speculation about Uber and Lyft in the UK. If this break comes over to the US, that's exactly what will happen for sure since so many drivers work for both
Isn't this just another point which shows that the drivers are employees, not contractors?
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
Isn't this just another point which shows that the drivers are employees, not contractors?
No. Safety regulations normally apply to both employees and contractors.
Have you ever seen a sign at a construction site that said "Hard hats required unless you are a contractor"?
make uber drivers take the knowledge test!
2 set's of logs just like truckers.
1 is for the cops / DOT the other is the real one.
Competition is great, innit? :)
Atleast in the US, most drivers use both Uber and Lyft. So how will the authorities enforce a driver alternating between the two or driving one for the maximum and then switching over to the other?
If this were a move to improve conditions for drivers, it would not be bound by geography. This would be a global policy for the benefit of all Uber drivers.
Instead, these seems to only be just enough of a concession to try to appease British regulators and lawmakers to get them off Uber's back.
Still not re-installing the app.
Basic human need? Irrelevant.
This is so unfair to our robotic coworkers who are not given breaks. The robots should strike (or take over civilization) until they get breaks at least a long as human breaks.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
Will give them greater opportunity to also drive for Lyft.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
That's not quite the same.
It's a requirement to go onto a site and applies to everyone, irrespective of their relationship with the site management.
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
Uber drivers work with their own equipment, whenever, wherever they want, whichever long they want. Except some safety restrictions. If this is employment, then what is contract work?
Mandating breaks obviously takes rights away from workers. One might argue for mandatory breaks to promote the safety of other road users but certainly not that this is a good thing for workers.