Uber is expanding its Assist program in a partnership with Shonaquip, a company specialising in increasing access and training for the physically impaired. The e-hailing company wants to train up to 1,200 drivers in the protocols of handling people with special physical needs, to make their experience of getting an Uber more inclusive.
Uber. Mensch.
Uber Assist is the company’s special provision for the disabled, giving them access to trained drivers who will help with luggage and any other equipment. With the help of Shonaquip‘s training programme, the e-hailing company wants to increase the number of drivers with disability awareness and rider assistance training.
The partnership was announced at a recent event titled ‘Reimagining Mobility’, hosted by Uber South Africa. The event was the stage for a conversation on “inclusive mobility,” discussing methods of making it easier for those who need more help to get around.
Mmapaseka Letsike, Deputy Minister of Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities, spoke virtually, saying, “Inclusive mobility is not a nice-to-have, it is a constitutional right and a national imperative. When platforms like Uber step up with structured action, we move closer to real equity.”
Unfortunately, these particular steps forward come at a price, literally. No doubt Uber Assist costs more than the cheapest ride the company has to offer. So only those who are willing and able to pay those prices can enjoy these benefits.
A true step forward would entail some kind of government mandate to extend these kinds of initiatives to buses and taxis. Nonetheless, an increase in awareness and methods for navigating the needs of the disabled is a net positive for us all.
