A poll commissioned by Campaign Capital for the Australia Institute found that 70 percent of those polled would like to see Uber drivers install security cameras, similar to those in taxis.
Of 876 people polled, 73 per cent of females and 67 per cent of males agreed they should be installed.
Peter Martins, chairman of Taxi Operators Legal Defense, said the lack of security cameras was proof of the unfairness of different rules for ride-sharing vehicles and taxis.
“Ever since all these unauthorized ride-sharing companies came into being we have been saying, ‘OK, if you want to allow these people to come in on a fair and equal basis, have driver checks like we have to have, have vehicle checks like we have, have cameras and security on the same basis’,” he said. “We agree 100 per cent — they’re here but they should have cameras and security like we do. People are very security-conscious these days — in a taxi you’ve got to have driver ID up on the passenger sun visor and you’d be surprised the number of times the driver comes back to me and says I didn’t put my ID up there and people commented on it.”
An Uber spokesman said smartphone technology provides a level of security for Uber riders.
“Uber riders are able to see the name and license plate of the driver before jumping into a car and can book with the certainty that every trip is GPS tracked from beginning to end,” he said.
“We know cameras have never been required for existing pre-booked transport services in Western Australia, such as limousines, chauffeur or hire car services. This is because the identity of the passenger and driver are known before a trip starts, unlike an anonymous street hail,” the spokesman added.
Transport Minister Bill Marmion said conditions and requirements for on-demand operators and the taxi industry would be reviewed as part of the next stage of reforms of the ride hail industry.
“Unlike taxis, on-demand operators, including ride-sharing vehicles, are unable to legally accept anonymous rank or hail fares,” he said.
Existing laws require on-demand vehicles be pre-booked with the identity of the driver disclosed. The agreed upon fare is also required prior to the trip.
Last month in London, the City Council voted 7-6 to reverse a Jan. 31 decision to require Uber drivers to install cameras. Uber had threatened to leave London if the decision stood.
“Drivers typically drive for us on a short-term basis,” said Susie Heath, a spokesperson for Uber. “As a result of this flexibility, it wouldn’t be practical for us to provide them with physical assets that would have to be delivered or returned when drivers came off the platform,” she added.
The amended decision by the London City Council mandates that only vehicles which accept street hails must have cameras.
Uber officials said no other city has made security cameras mandatory.
The reversal drew the ire of the London Taxi Association, which saw the provision for in-car cameras as a win for their side.
“They bent to what Uber wanted,” says Roger Caranci with the London Taxi Association. “And that’s very troubling to me, that this council would bow down to a company and do exactly what they want them to do.”