Uber vows to probe delivery deaths

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi says his company will launch an internal investigation into a recent spate of food delivery driver deaths and ramp up its safety protocols.

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi says his company will launch an internal investigation into a recent spate of food delivery driver deaths and ramp up its safety protocols, after the NSW government announced a probe into the so-called gig economy after five deaths for the industry in just two months.

Mr Khosrowshahi told The Australian the recent fatalities should represent a wake-up call for the entire delivery sector, and that his company would probe the incidents alongside the NSW government investigation announced on Tuesday.

“We’re essentially launching an investigation internally to determine what if anything we could have done to avoid these events,” he said. “And maybe we could have avoided them, maybe we couldn’t have, but we want to know, and we want to get into a dialogue with the government of NSW, because ultimately we think we can learn from this, but the category can learn from this.”

The NSW government announced on Tuesday a task force would investigate the gig economy, though Labor and Greens MPs have called for “emergency regulation” after an unnamed Uber Eats delivery driver was killed in Surry Hills on Monday night. Xiaojun Chen, Dede Fredy and Chow Khai Shien died in October and September. Another Uber Eats food delivery worker, Bijoy Paul, was killed in Sydney on Saturday.

“We’re sorry … This is a huge tragedy,” Mr Khosrowshahi said in a message to the families of the victims.

Mr Khosrowshahi added that safety for Uber had been a top priority since he joined the company three years ago, and said the company had been working several initiatives including driver and courier training, annual safety tests and fatigue management features.

“These tragedies just confirm our work is not done,” he said.

The Transport Workers’ Union has lashed out at Uber following the incidents, leading a vigil and flower laying in memory of the five riders on Wednesday. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine has written to Attorney-General Christian Porter calling for a new independent tribunal that he said would recognise the flexibility of Uber’s workforce, as well as the level of dependency that includes protections and rights.

“I’m glad Uber is saying there’s more to do,” Mr Kaine said. “This is the first time they have said anything like that.

“People are dying, they’re rushing to get their work done and the laws are completely out of date.”