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A tough week for Uber continues. After a ban in London (UK), Uber Quebec has threatened to leave if the provincial government enforces the new training and background check requirements. October 14, 2017 is the deadline, as per the ‘Uber warning’.
Uber has been operating in Quebec under a year-long pilot project. The pilot project is on its last leg and the provincial government wants to attach new rules, which include 35 hours of training (up from 20) and police background checks (as opposed to going through a private company).
Uber employs about 50 full-time employees, and ~10,000 partner-drivers in Quebec which includes the second largest city in Canada – Montreal. They argue that since most of their drivers are part-time workers, 35 hours of training is an excessive requirement.
Take Away
As an avid Uber user, I do not find the 35 hour training requirement to be excessive. In fact, I am surprised that Uber is even contesting it. Have experienced many Uber drivers that could use the extra hours of training. I am also disappointed to learn that the background checks were not being carried out by Police all this while. The threat seems hollow and I would be very surprised if they do roll up their operations by October 14, they employ/partner with a lot of drivers in the province. At best, it is Uber’s way of garnering media attention and drumming up public pressure on the government.
1 comment
I’ve been an Uber driver for about a year; but now no longer. It is an entirely unethical company that does not value the safety of it’s drivers nor passengers. It only cares about the bottom line. It values quantity over quality, misinformation and evasion of the law, and stealing information from it’s competitors (namely Lyft) to stay ahead. But it’s greed and ongoing ethics violations will hamper them immensely. It is well-deserved!