Uber lost a high court battle on Friday with public body Transport for London (TfL), which means the company’s private drivers having to pass a written exam when applying for a minicab license in London.
When London’s transport authority imposed the rules, Uber took legal action after insisting that the standard of reading and writing was too high.
In the High Court, Uber had cited TfL data that the new language rules would mean that up to 33,000 drivers working in London would fail to renew their licenses over the next few years. The company claimed the rule would lead to “indirect racial discrimination”.
“Writing an essay has nothing to do with communicating with passengers or getting them safely from A to B,” said Uber’s General Manager in London Tom Elvidge in a statement.
“We intend to appeal this unfair and disproportionate new rule.” he added.
The test includes several essay questions including “Write an essay (100-130 words) for your teacher about a festival in a country you know”.
Another sample question on the test reads: “A friend in another town is going to study at your college and wants to know about the college rules. Write a letter to your friend (100-130 words).”
London mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the court’s decision, saying the sector needed to be better regulated.
“From my first day at City Hall I have been determined to drive up standards and improve safety for every taxi and private hire passenger travelling in London,” he said.
“Drivers being able to speak English and understand information from passengers and licensing requirements is a vital part of ensuring passengers get the high standard of service they need and deserve.
“This could include discussing a better route, talking about a medical condition, or ensuring every driver is fully up to date with new regulations.”