US ride-hailing app Uber on Tuesday announced that it will cap the number of hours its drivers can work in Britain from next week in an effort to increase safety after heavy criticism of its business practices.
The new policy means that drivers must take an uninterrupted six-hour break after 10 hours, and will not be able to log on to the app during that time.
AFP reports that the company had already been messaging drivers who were working too long to switch off its app.
“We believe this is an industry first and are not aware of any other private hire operator in the UK that has introduced such a limit,” Uber said in a statement.
“It’s another example of how Uber uses technology to help enhance driver and passenger safety,” Andrew Byrne, Uber’s head of policy, was quoted as saying.
