News
Uber Australia has withdrawn a controversial $5 surcharge on its Uber Assist service after widespread criticism from disability advocates and organisations.
The surcharge, introduced in May, was intended to improve the reliability of Uber Assist, a ride option designed for people who need additional support, including passengers with disability, older Australians and pregnant women.
In announcing the decision to remove the fee, Uber Australia managing director Emma Foley acknowledged the company "didn't properly account for the additional financial burden" it placed on riders and said Uber "absolutely should have listened more and consulted more broadly."
The decision has also renewed scrutiny of the company's consultation process.
Uber previously said it consulted more than 1,000 people with disability, carers, accessibility experts and Uber Assist users before introducing the surcharge. However, Guide Dogs Australia and Vision Australia say they were not consulted before the change was announced.
Uber has confirmed it will establish an Accessibility Advisory Group to help inform future accessibility initiatives and improve engagement with the disability community.