Ideally, Uber has transformed the way people commute in many countries. There are however misconducts of the drivers that are causing harm to the agency leading to big losses.
There are principles that govern the progress of Uber for the agency to deliver the best to the customers. Focusing on the customer is one of the principles. Customers want a ride that is reliable and affordable. Initially, when the uber-agency started, there were no customers since they did not know anything interesting about the Ubers. The agency was obliged to offer a better deal to a customer's ad give them a memorable experience ( Suder and Weaver, 2016). This involves fair prices, using attractive cars and driving at a speed that is convenient for the customers. With this experience, the customers anticipate for the service. "Don't plan, act" is the second principle in the uber-company. This principle applies when facing the unknown; the driver should consider the customers first. Writing a huge business plan is a waste of time (Paul, 2017). Talking to other people seeking help and advice misleads. Attend your customers and learn from them. “Disrupt yourself” is the last principle that leads to achieving success. This is by use of technology to streamline the daily operations.
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Drivers are taken as employees and not independent contractors therefore uber is liable for the conduct of the drivers. Uber has a lot of drivers and among them; some do things that are illegal. The drivers may commit crimes against passengers and the defendants sue the Uber agency. There have been cases reported by uber riders against the agency which include abuse, rape cases, overcharging and being taken to the wrong destination by the drivers ( Brazil and Kirk, 2016). Uber drivers drive passengers during the late hours and cases of theft and murder have also been reported. An example is a case in Dallas where a woman reported that an Uber driver followed her into her house and he sexually assaulted her. She filed a lawsuit against Uber and asked for 1 million dollars in damages. A lot of cases have been reported against Uber and they have been forced to pay a large amount of money as a result of the conduct of their drivers.
To limit its legal exposure, Uber should take certain precautions for the conduct of its drivers. First of all uber should obtain insurance against the risks so that Uber’s business cannot be threatened even after losing a case. It is also the responsibility of the agency to ensure that the drivers have a valid driver’s license and they have no criminal records. This will reduce the cases filed against the agency. Legally, the agency should come up with a list of things whereby if such violations happen; the driver should be held responsible for his own mistakes. With this kind of a law, the drivers will not commit intentional crimes such as rape, murder, and theft because they are the ones to be held responsible and pay for the damages.
Recommendations
Uber should come up with clear rules that show the relationship between the agency and its drivers. This will prevent liability on the principle which is the agency. Uber should also hire competent drivers who have a legal driving license and a certificate of good conduct ( Davis, 2017) . This will prevent some cases such as rape and murder. Some cases that have dangerous effects should also be filed against the individual contractor and not the agency. Ultimately, the agency should fire any driver who is reported with a case of misconduct to avoid further losses.
References
Suder, M. P., & Weaver, K. N. (2016). Recent Developments in Automobile Litigation. Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal , 51 (2), 289.
Davis, R.W. (2017) "Uber Safe." U.S. Patent Application No. 14/822,375.
Brazil, N., & Kirk, D. S. (2016). Uber and metropolitan traffic fatalities in the United States. American journal of epidemiology , 184 (3), 192-198.
Paul, S. M. (2017). Uber as For-Profit Hiring Hall: A Price-Fixing Paradox and Its Implications. Berkeley J. Emp. & Lab. L. , 38 , 233.
