Uber hasn’t had the best relationship with London official since last year when the company’s license was revoked. Now, Uber has announced that it was making a number of major changes to the way it reported violent incidents in the UK.
In an effort to make relations better with London officials, Uber will now report serious incidents directly to the police, after the company was heavily critiqued for leaving reporting to the victims to the incidents. The company will also be creating a 24/7 telephone hotline for riders and drivers.
Last September, the Transportation for London, the city’s transportation authority, announced that it would not be renewing Uber’s operating license in the city, citing the company’s lax approach to safety of both riders and drivers. Uber then appealed the decision, but CEO Dara Khosrowshahi vowed to work with city officials to make all of the necessary changes that were needed to get the company’s operating license back into full functionality.
Today’s decision by Uber is a bit step forward, the company says. “We’re determined to change the way we do business, so we’ll carry on listening and plan to make other improvements over the coming months,” said Tom Elvidge, general manager of Uber in the UK, in a statement. The company says that it’s already implemented its new policy of reporting violent incidents to the police in London, and is discussing with police departments across the UK on how it can best expand the program. The company will provide drivers’ licensing details to riders as part of their electronic trip receipts, and the ability for drivers to share a live map of their trips with their friends and loved ones so that they’re up-to-date on their trip.
