Uber’s newest service has been flagged by driving and motorcycle experts for potential safety and legal problems in South Africa.
The e-hailing company recently launched a pilot scheme for its Moto service, which lets users order a motorbike for short trips.
Safety concerns
Moto is a new service in South Africa that lets app users order a driver with a motorcycle, who they can ride with by sitting on the pillion – the secondary cushion behind the main seat.
The option is intended for busy city centres and offers two main advantages over a car-based solution.
It is often much faster than a car, as a bike is able to navigate around congestion and tight city streets far better than other vehicles, and it is also much cheaper, as Moto currently charges as little as R18 per trip.
The service is currently being piloted in Johannesburg’s western CBD, after which it will likely be rolled out to other metros across South Africa provided the public reception is positive.
However, the concept has been criticized by road safety and motorcycle experts, who have major concerns regarding how Uber plans to keep both its drivers and its customers safe.
Driving.co.za managing director Rob Handfield-Jones recently told MyBroadband that the idea of “pillion-for-hire” was absurd when considering South Africa’s road death rate.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Motorcycle Safety Institute of South Africa founder and chief instructor Hein Jonker, who said it was a “foolish” idea for people with common sense.
“It’s about making money; it is not about the life carried by an incompetent and underqualified rider in an unsafe environment on a most likely incapable motorcycle,” said Jonker.
Both Handfield-Jones and Jonker cited several areas of concern for Uber Moto, from vetting the abilities of its drivers to managing and enforcing safety logistics.
Starting with the drivers, South African law requires that any person wishing to transport passengers for profit must have a valid professional driving permit.
This is the same standard that is applied to operators with closed vehicles, such as those on Bolt, InDrive, Wanatu, and Uber’s car-based services.
In addition, a motorbike rider must have a full K53 Motorcycle Licence to legally take a passenger with them.
However, neither of these legal requirements are prescribed in Uber Moto’s FAQ. Instead, the requirements are more comparable to that of an Uber Eats driver.
Handfield-Jones and Jonker also pointed out that, even if a person has both licences, they may still not be adequately prepared to transport passengers.
“Riding with a rigid box on the back is not the same as carrying a person,” Jonker said.
“It takes a whole different mindset and skillset to safely carry another person on the back of a motorcycle.”
He argued that operators should be required to undergo additional training before they are permitted to take other people.
This includes learning how to mount and dismount, brake, turn, swerve, and quickly brake while safely carrying someone on the back of their bike.
Additionally, drivers should learn basic first aid and emergency procedures in case an incident occurs.
On top of all of this, there is the matter of the passengers who may not be familiar with riding a bike themselves.
“Pillion riders have to understand body positioning and seating security in normal circumstances, during cornering, and during counter-steering emergencies, and it takes some time to learn these skills and become familiar with them,” explained Handfield-Jones.
If a passenger doesn’t sit correctly, it can jeopardize the safety of both persons regardless of the driver’s skill level.
Another area of concern is the helmets used by the passengers.
South African road users are legally obligated to wear a helmet while on a motorbike, and Uber stated that helmets would be provided for both the driver and the rider.
It is unclear how it will be able to make this work in practice though, as it would require that drivers carry multiple helmets of varying sizes with them at all times.
Alternatively, there’s a high chance that app-users will be forced to wear an ill-fitting helmet that may not provide sufficient protection in a crash.
Uber also stated that customers will be required to use hairnets when using the provided helmets, but this may not be enough to satisfy hygiene concerns.
“There is no feasible way the ride-hailing services could prevent the spread of skin infections or head lice between users via helmets, especially via contact with the skin areas of the neck and face which can’t be protected by hair nets,” said Handfield-Jones.
Even if Uber is able to supply proper helmets, it raises a new logistical issue that these helmets will need to be regularly checked by traffic enforcers to ensure they are not compromised.
Head gear is not the only safety consideration either, as passengers may not be wearing clothing that can protect them in a slide.
Motorcycle user typically wear long-sleeve clothing and pants, including a thick leather jacket or full-body overalls, which protects their skin in the event they are thrown from the bike onto the road.
It raises the question of whether customers wearing shorts, skirts, and other thin clothing may be able to use the service.
Beyond the various safety concerns, Uber Moto could face potential issues regarding insurance, as private insurers may be unwilling to cover anyone using the service.
The potential rise in injuries resulting from Moto would also be yet another burden on the Road Accident Fund and the Department of Health, with all South Africans paying the price one way or another.
Loading ...