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Nine-hour Uber ride a risk to public safety

Media Release: 28 April 2017

Nine-hour Uber ride a risk to public safety

The “nine-hour straight” $1000 Uber fare from Auckland to Wellington at the end of a driver’s shift was a risk to public safety, says Blue Bubble CEO Bob Wilkinson.

“Whilst we applaud the young driver for trying to do the right thing, we are concerned about how long this driver had worked without a sufficient break and in contravention to the law. Any driver who is fatigued puts themselves and others on the road in danger,” he says.

Small Passenger Vehicle drivers can only work a maximum of 14 hours, with regulated breaks, in any 24-hour period.

“In media interviews this week the driver said that he had accepted the job with just 5 hours of his shift remaining, meaning he had already worked 8 hours. Even with a 2 hour nap before driving home, this means that the driver could have worked 29 hours.”

“Not only would he have been fatigued, but he was also driving through the worst weather we have experienced for some time and, as the passenger stated, he was “trying to go as fast as he safely could”. This situation certainly put the passengers and the public at risk,” says Bob.

“Public safety should never be compromised. This is our key concern with the Land Transport Amendment Bill – drivers should have to pass the NZQA Unit Standard ‘Demonstrate knowledge of fatigue management, work time and driver logbook requirements’ to ensure the safety of all New Zealanders. Understanding these is important for the safety of both passengers and other road users.

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“We are watching with interest to see what happens to the company that gave the job to the driver. A taxi company would be liable for sending a job in these circumstances and could receive harsher penalties than the driver.

“Imagine the public outrage had the driver, instead of being in a Toyota Prius, been in a fully loaded Logging Truck or an Airbus A320.”

About Blue Bubble:

Blue Bubble Alliance Ltd is a group of 16 Taxi Companies throughout New Zealand. We operate around 2,000 taxis in 16 cities across New Zealand, and have around 3,000 drivers. Blue Bubble offers a range of services to the community including 24/7 availability; booking through our app, phone, online or hail; we accept Eftpos, Credit Cards, TaxiCharge and cash; airport transfers; vehicle options including vans and mobility vehicles; hybrid vehicles and Carbon Zero Certified cars; and a companion service for medial or shopping needs.


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