Skip to main content

Professional drivers’ union claims Uber cannot offer safe service

GMB, the union for professional drivers, has responded to the news that a state court in Frankfurt, Germany, has issued an injunction preventing cab service Uber from offering its services without a specific permit under German transport laws. Steve Garelick, GMB branch secretary professional drivers branch, said "Up until now Uber seems to have adopted the route of forcing its way in to markets on a like it or lump it basis.”
September 3, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

GMB, the union for professional drivers, has responded to the news that a state court in Frankfurt, Germany, has issued an injunction preventing cab service Uber from offering its services without a specific permit under German transport laws.

Steve Garelick, GMB branch secretary professional drivers branch, said "Up until now Uber seems to have adopted the route of forcing its way in to markets on a like it or lump it basis.”

He says the hypothesis Uber puts forward is that the existing rates are high and that monopolies exist that somehow should be broken. He claims rates generally are dropped after a time and, as is the plan with Uber, as soon as a driverless solution is available, drivers will naturally be out of work.

He concludes: “There is a clear concern a company offering technology cannot really offer a service that offers complete safety and this is an issue."

Related Content

  • Debating a cost-effective means of road user charging
    July 20, 2012
    Does GPS/GNSS-based technology provide a cost-effective means of charging or tolling on a national or international level, or are the issues pertaining to effective enforcement an obstacle. Here, leading equipment manufacturers debate the issue.
  • Is the smartphone a driver's best friend?
    May 27, 2014
    The smartphone is a driver’s best friend – or so it seems: apps help them navigate, avoid congestion, identify a parking space, locate an EV charge point, find the area’s cheapest fuel, check the weather, pay tolls … the list goes on. While some have voice actuation, the whole issue of driver-related apps still concerns me. The World Health Organisation / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSA) report Mobile Phone Use: A Growing Problem of Driver Distraction says: ‘…studies suggest that driver
  • Georgia DoT showcases its connectivity
    March 3, 2020
    Georgia DoT’s regional connected vehicle programme could be a model for the rest of the US. Adam Hill speaks to two men involved in making it a reality – and takes a look at the state’s first-ever Tech Showcase
  • Quest chooses Samsara to boost fleet safety
    April 5, 2024
    AI dash cams and driver coaching tools will incentivise drivers to create safety culture