UBER ISSUES SAFETY GUIDELINES TO RIDERS ACROSS EAST AFRICA

Uber has launched a safety campaign that gives guidelines that encourage all users to take advantage of the company’s innovative technology that has enabled the app to foster the safety of riders and drivers. The safety guidelines are now available to all users in Nairobi, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and Kampala.

The safety guidelines highlight Uber’s commitment to creating simple, intuitive technology that not only makes the lives of riders and drivers easier, but also keeps everyone safe throughout their journeys.

Riders have been advised to countercheck the vehicle’s registration number with the one that pops up on their phone, as well as the driver’s picture before getting into a vehicle. Drivers have been taken through safety training, besides having access to a toll free line through which they can report any safety threats.

Uber’s Country Manager for Tanzania Alfred Msemo said: “Uber has been providing safe reliable transport for Tanzanians year. We have been trusted to move people around every day. Through our innovative technology Uber has integrated safety into our service from beginning to end: before a passenger even gets into the car, throughout the journey and after they have reached their destination.”

The safety tips also encourage riders to always remain on the app as the trip is GPS tracked from start to finish so that they can see their route, location of the car, and if the driver is headed the right way throughout the journey. Uber’s app also has a  feature also allows riders share their details of individual trips in real time, including route and expected time of arrival with family or friends.

Earlier this year, Uber also published community guidelines in East Africa, a document that aims to provide guidance on how drivers and riders should behave and treat each other during a trip on the app.

See below safety measures that riders are encouraged to follow:  

In-app Help: This is aa tool is designed to help riders get a prompt response to their queries in the shortest time possible. The support system can be accessed by navigating to the “Help’’ section on the menu, which helps riders and driver-partners alike to communicate their concerns they might have during a trip and get an instant response.

Sharing Trip Details: Uber’s technology has made it possible for all trips to be tracked using GPS. While en route the rider is able to monitor their own trip in the app as well as share their Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) with their loved ones. This will help friends and family keep track of where they are on the trip and they can do this without even downloading the Uber app!

Know your ride: Riders should always take the time to review the safety features available to them in the app, remember Uber rides can only be requested through the Uber app, so users should never accept street hail solicitations from those claiming to be with Uber.

When riders are ready to request a ride, it is important for them to avoid spending unnecessary time outside alone with their phone in their hand. Instead, it best for them to wait indoors until the app shows their driver has arrived.

Know your driver: When a driver accepts a riders request, the rider is able to see the drivers first name, photo, license plate number, type of vehicle as well as the vehicle colour. You’ll be able to see this from within the app itself – on the map. The rider should always make sure that those match before they enter the vehicle and ensure they ask for the drivers name when they open the door.

Follow Intuition: When using Uber the rider should be aware of their surroundings, if they feel like something's not right they should trust their instincts and use their best judgement. Riders should be cautious when sharing any personal information and should always confirm that the driver-partner is in fact the one they saw on the app, and if they ever feel they're in an emergency situation, they are advised to alert the local emergency services immediately.

Give Feedback: Riders should always give feedback on how their trip went. This helps improve the Uber experience for everyone, maintain a high quality service and provide accountability. Uber has a 24/7 global support team which reviews the feedback and follows up with appropriate action regarding reports of conduct that violates Uber’s Community Guidelines.