UAE demand for Uber services not affected by India ban
Taxi services company records double digit growth in UAE
Despite safety concerns in India, there has been no drop in requests for Uber services in the UAE or Middle East, it was recently reported.
The company has not witnessed any slowdown in business in the wake of an incident in India, even recording “double digit growth every month”, in the UAE an Uber spokesperson told Emirates 24|7.
The Indian government has asked states to ban the taxi booking company, after one of its drivers was arrested for allegedly raping a female passenger in New Delhi. Uber has come under fire for not carrying out background checks on its drivers, after it was revealed that the suspect has been previously charged with similar offences.
However, the service in Dubai is only offered in liaison with government bodies like the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said Shaden Abdellatif, spokesperson for Middle East & Africa at Uber.
“Only those drivers that have registered themselves with the RTA are eligible to operate through Uber. We even request a police verification and certificate before the driver gets on the Uber network,” said Abdellatif, quoted in Emirates 24|7.
“As a technology company, we don’t employ drivers or own cars but partner with licensed limo service providers. When a driver applies, he needs to come to the office to be personally interviewed and trained by a member of our team with originals of all necessary documents. We don’t necessarily partner with every licensed driver that applies if we feel he isn’t going to be offering the best service,” she said.
Moreover, Uber follows strict safety guidelines include GPS tracking of vehicles, she added.
In a statement on the company’s blog, Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber, condemned the Delhi incident, and said the company will take steps to screen drivers more strictly in the future. “
“We will work with the government to establish clear background checks currently absent in their commercial transportation licensing programs. We will also partner closely with the groups who are leading the way on women’s safety here in New Delhi and around the country,” he said.
