As some 650 taxi drivers demonstrated this Tuesday against Uber, Uber-Belgium General Director Joost Verdriesen stressed that “all professional drivers have a role to play in improving mobility in Brussels”. “The new services must offer a credible alternative to individual cars and be developed to compement public transport,” he said in a written statement, “but taxis and chauffeured car rental (LVC) drivers must play a central role in this change of habits and enable everyone to enjoy better mobility.”
“While we are fully committed to working with the entire sector – including the taxis – to improve mobility in Brussels, the regulatory restrictions limit the advantages of our app to LVC drivers,” he said, recognizing, however, that Uber “made mistakes” in wanting to change the way people move around.
"We wish to change the way we conduct our activities, by placing integrity at the core of our decisions, and we are working to deserve the trust of the cities where we operate,” Verdriesen added. “Brussels is not an exception.”
“We believe all professional drivers have a role to play in improving mobility in Brussels and we wish to be a constructive partner in all reforms that serve the interests of passengers and the city of Brussels,” he concluded.
The Brussels Times
