In response to safety concerns about using its service, Uber has been secretly testing a version of a hot line for drivers and riders in select cities across the US, according to Inc. But, the company stresses this will not be an replacement for the traditional 911 hotline for police calls and dangerous situations.
The secret testing has been going on since October of last year, but Uber says they have not told the users in the areas where it was available about it because the wanted the number to be part of a test for “discovery” on the app.
The number, when dialed, does not connect with the police or local authorities, but instead to one of two “centers of excellence” located in Chicago and Phoenix. In those facilities, there are dozens of the company’s representatives trained to respond with calls to emergency services if a caller is in immediate danger, and they will be available around the clock.
A statement provided by Uber said the company was always looking for ways to improve communications with their riders and their drivers. The company wants to provide a customer service link that can respond more quickly that the traditional e-mail system, and provided an example with a customer who may have left their supply of insulin behind on their ride. E-mailing customer service would be much too slow to respond, and the response line could respond to the situation, bringing a quicker resolution.
Currently, Uber is not releasing the list of cities where the program is being tested, but according to the story, anyone who has the Uber response line number can use the service, no matter where they are calling from.
A major criticism of Uber is the company does not do enough to protect its drivers or passengers, and this move may be in response to those claims. No word was given on a further expansion of the system.