Uber announced on September 30 that it was suspending the service in Belgium in solidarity with the protest of drivers over the ban on the use of smartphones while driving. Bloomberg reports. The service was closed from 8:30 am to 11:30 am local time.
The agency cites a message that Uber users received at a time when the service was not working. “The rules that are in force in Belgium now were developed in 1995. These include outdated measures such as banning drivers from using smartphones. As a result, drivers who use the Uber app to take you to your destination receive fines and risk losing their car, ”the company said in a message to users.
In addition, the company urged users to join the protest. “If we are unable to achieve reform now, we may lose those opportunities in city mobility that you have as taxi clients,” the company said. They noted that because of the ban, the drivers of the service “fear for their work and the future.”
In March of this year, the authorities of Brussels announced a change in city legislation for drivers. Since then, Uber drivers have been banned from taking orders using the smartphone app. According to current legislation, drivers should not be distracted by smartphones while driving. Drivers who ignore this prohibition may receive a fine or even lose their license for passenger transportation.
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