Car service Uber has come under fire after it has been revealed one of its drivers left a heavily pregnant woman in labour on the side walk when she asked him to take her to the hospital – and he charged her anyway.
According to a report from Fortune David Lee alleges he and his wife and their birthing coach were abandoned by the Uber driver when the expectant mother was sick before getting into the car. Despite being reassured she would not need to retch again during the short ride to the New York hospital the driver said he would stand to lose $1000 USD a day if she was sick in the car. After pleading from the first time parents, including an offer to pay the fees if she was ill, the driver still refused and reportedly said no other Uber would pick up a woman in labour.
The driver left but charged Lee and his wife, who does not want to be named, $13USD for his time.
Thankfully the parents to be summoned another Uber and later that day were delighted with the delivery of a healthy baby boy.
However the whole hospital ride ordeal still left the couple feeling bothered at the car service driver’s actions and Lee complained.
“I don’t blame Uber for one driver’s poor actions, since bad apples can appear in any organization, but I do think that when a company has a culture of bullying their way past laws and regulations, as Uber seems to do, they begin to think they can act with impunity in anything,” Lee told Fortune.
Lee, a lawyer, alleges his initial complaints were met with a refund but no apology. He says even asked Uber for more information about the driver so he could make a complaint to the New York taxi regulator but a representative for the company refused citing “a driver privacy policy,” and eventually stopped responding to his emails, reports Fortune.
But when Lee went public with what he says happened Uber responded to enquires from Fortune with the following statement:
“Denying service to a passenger in labor is unacceptable: it goes against our code of conduct and the standard of service our riders rely on. We extend our deepest apologies to both riders and have taken action to respond to this complaint. We are glad that the rider’s next driver was professional and courteous.”
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