Prevalence Forms and Impacts of Racism in Uber

This project investigates experiences of racism in Uber, among both riders and drivers in Melbourne, Australia. The research was conducted between November 2022 and February 2023, and consisted of two case studies:

Case study 1 investigated racism in the experiences of Uber riders (passengers)using field testing methodology. It generated the first Australian data on differential outcomes for Uber riders across three ethnic groups: white Australian, East Asian Australian and African Australian. It also provided data on thegeographic distribution of the rides based on the ethnicity of the riders.

Case study 2 employed focus groups to investigate Uber drivers’ experiences ofracism. It explored migrant Uber drivers’ positive and negative experiences ofdriving, including experiences of racism, in another first for understandings ofridesharing and racism in Australia.

Key Findings

Case study 1 showed an unexpectedly low level of reported rider racism, and racism based on cancellations in South-Asian or African riders, although African riders experienced a higher level of discourteousness, a subjective measure of racism.

The low level of rider racism may be because an average of 86.7% of drivers were non-white (South-Asian or African).

Geography may also play a role, as riders and drivers of the same ethnicitiesmay be sharing the same geographies.

Case study 2 showed that flexibility and ease of entry were the primary reasons that migrant Uber drivers in this study chose to pursue employment with Uber.

85% of the Uber drivers experienced racism at some time while driving Uber.

Migrant Uber drivers also tolerated a high level of more generalised ‘rider bad behaviour’.

Rider bad behaviour was tolerated due to fear of a low star rating or bad report leading to deactivation of their account.

Fear of deactivation resulted in profound precarity where the migrant Uber drivers in this study either put up with rider bad behaviour or risked loss of self-employment. As most Uber drivers in Melbourne were non-white (see case study 1) this precarity is also indicative of systemic racism.

Recommendations

Findings from this project should inform regulations of the relevant government agencies, such as the transport and employment related ministries in Australia. They can also inform Uber’s efforts to improve their racism prevention and response policies and procedures.

Recommendations from this report are as follows:

1. Improve Uber driver feedback through regular reviews and conversations withdrivers.

2. Improve Uber’s training for drivers to inform them about safety features andtheir rights.

   a. Make training accessible to non-English speaking drivers.

   b. Include refresher courses.

3. Increase safety features in Uber, for example allowing cameras in the cars, and training on their use.

4. Improve Uber’s star rating and reporting systems for drivers.

   a. Make Uber’s rating requirement for riders and drivers equivalent.

   b. Give drivers a warning for a first reported offence before deactivating their account.

5. Monitor the impact of 2024 Australian government Gig Economy legislation onUber drivers working conditions and wages.