Every day, thousands of Uber drivers across Australia accept trips without knowing exactly where they are going. They are expected to make split-second decisions while being denied information that is fundamental to their personal safety. This is unacceptable.
Uber’s refusal to disclose a passenger’s destination and other key trip information before a job is accepted is not merely an inconvenience, it is a serious workplace safety issue. No worker should be expected to accept a job blindfolded.
Drivers can unknowingly be sent into high-crime suburbs, isolated industrial estates, or unfamiliar neighbourhoods at the wrong time of day or night. Many finish their shifts in the early hours of the morning when streets are quiet and personal safety risks are significantly higher. Female drivers, in particular, often face additional concerns, yet they are expected to accept trips without knowing where they are being sent.
The recent introduction of cash payments adds another layer of concern. Whether or not a driver has accepted cash fares, an Uber vehicle may be perceived by criminals as carrying cash simply because it displays Uber branding. That perception alone can make drivers targets for robbery or assault.
No other worker should be expected to accept an assignment without first knowing where they are going. Yet Uber drivers are routinely expected to do exactly that. Drivers are effectively forced to choose between protecting their acceptance rate and protecting their own safety.
This situation cannot continue.
Immediate TWU and FWC Action Is Needed
While negotiations continue over pay and other working conditions, driver safety must not be left waiting a minute more.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) should immediately make full trip transparency its highest-priority interim safety demand. Uber should be required to provide the destination and relevant trip information before a driver is asked to accept a trip. This simple change would allow drivers to make informed decisions about their own safety and could be implemented without waiting for the completion of broader negotiations.
At the same time, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) should urgently intervene to encourage the parties to implement this immediate safety measure. Drivers should not have to wait months or years for a basic workplace safety protection while industrial negotiations continue. Where an obvious and practical safety improvement exists, every effort should be made to implement it without delay.
Didi already implements these safety mesures and so are any taxi or hire car organisations operating in Australia. Why is Uber exempt?!
Every day this issue remains unresolved is another day drivers are unnecessarily exposed to avoidable risks. Safety cannot become a bargaining chip.
RSDU Will Continue Fighting for Drivers
Rideshare Drivers United (RSDU) is an independent, driver-led organisation dedicated to improving the lives of rideshare drivers. We advocate for fair pay, safer working conditions, greater transparency, and genuine respect for every driver.
For years, RSDU has spoken out on the issues that matter most to drivers and continues to campaign for practical reforms that improve both driver safety and the long-term sustainability of the rideshare industry.
If you believe drivers deserve better, now is the time to stand together.
Visit the RSDU website, register as a supporter, and subscribe to our free newsletter. The more drivers who unite behind a common cause, the stronger our voice becomes when demanding meaningful change.
The Time for Action Is Now
Driver safety cannot wait.
Uber should introduce full trip transparency immediately to all drivers.
The TWU should make it its number one interim safety demand.
The Fair Work Commission should use its influence to encourage immediate implementation while broader negotiations continue.
Every driver has the right to know where they are going before accepting a job. Every day that this basic right is denied is another day drivers are placed at unnecessary risk.
Enough delay. Enough excuses. The time to act is now. Drivers’ safety is seriously at risk!
