A driver employed by the urban car-sharing company Uber was tricked by approximately 40 taxi drivers into going to Uccle on Monday. Once the Uber driver arrived, he was harassed and verbally abused by the large crowd of taxi drivers, revealed the Brussels prosecutor on Tuesday, confirming news published in the daily paper La Capitale. The magistrate requested no ticket be issued against the Uber driver, as a judge ruling against another Uber driver is not completely final yet.
The Uber driver received a call asking him to come to Rue Rouge in Uccle, not far from the police station. The man drove there at approximately 01:50am and was greeted by approximately 40 traditional taxi drivers who verbally abused him. Police officers came and asked the taxi drivers to leave.
The American company Uber sends cars with drivers to individuals requesting them via an app on their smartphones. Taxi drivers in Brussels obey very strict regulations when it comes to being paid to transport people and they feel Uber represents unfair competition.
On May 4th an Uber was charged for violating regulation related to paid transport by the Brussels police court. It was the first time a driver from Uber was brought to court since the American company started working in Brussels just over a year ago.
(Source: Belga)
