Uber sticks by its guns with “foolish, bizarre” cheap service

Uber has continued to pilot its motorcycle ride-hailing service in parts of Johannesburg despite warnings from road safety experts that the offering is “foolish” and “bizarre.”

The local Uber Moto pilot was rolled out on the western side of the city’s central business district in mid-January 2025, offering rides starting from R18.

While Uber initially announced the pilot in a blog post, this was removed shortly after reports of the service began doing the rounds.

However, the company has recently confirmed that the trial continues to run, without providing reasons for why it removed the announcement of the pilot.

While Uber emphasised that safety was a top priority for the service, Motorcycle Safety Institute of South Africa founder and chief instructor Hein Jonker is not so convinced.

“It’s about making money; it is not about the life carried by an incompetent and underqualified rider in an
unsafe environment on a most likely incapable motorcycle,” Jonker told MyBroadband.

“There are just too many variables to address and too few laws or regulations to effectively manage such a programme,” Jonker said. “I can say with confidence it will fail.”

His concerns were echoed by Driving.co.za managing director Rob Handfield-Jones, which said Uber Moto was a “bizarre” idea that sprung from the failures of the South African government in improving public transport.

Handfield-Jones also warned that services like Uber Moto would add further strain on taxpayers as the resulting accidents would lead to more claims against the Road Accident Fund.

One issue the duo pointed out was that people on the back of motorcycles must behave in a certain way to avoid endangering the vehicle.

“Pillion riders have to understand body positioning and seating security in normal circumstances, during cornering, and during counter-steering emergencies, and it takes some time to learn these skills and become familiar with them,” Handfield-Jones said.

“Failing to position correctly as a pillion rider can jeopardise the safety of the motorcycle regardless of the skill of the rider, and I doubt that the average commuter has the least idea what is entailed in getting on the back of a motorcycle.”

Another major issue is that South African law requires that motorcyclists and their passengers to wear correctly-sized helmets to protect them in the event of an accident.

“I see no way in which the riders could carry along a selection of helmet sizes in order to accommodate the head sizes of all likely passengers,” Handfield-Jones said.

Jonker added that even if the Uber Moto drivers had the necessary range of helmets, which would potentially require driving around with a small trailer, their conditions and certifications were not regulated or checked by traffic authorities.

Handfield-Jones said users would have no way of knowing whether the helmet had potentially been dropped, which is generally regarded as the end of that helmet’s life.

“Any serious motorcyclist knows that if you drop your helmet, its life is over,” he said.

“You claim from insurance, have it destroyed, and buy a new one. How many prospective paying motorcycle passengers are aware of this risk?”

However, Uber remains adamant that the service is a safe option for those seeking affordable ride-sharing options.

“As part of the pilot, all riders are provided with helmets as well as guidance on safe pillion riding, including correct mounting, dismounting, and helmet usage confirmation before each trip,” the company said.

“We will continue assessing the pilot’s performance while working closely with stakeholders to ensure Uber Moto is a convenient transport option.”

The company did not comment specifically on whether or how the helmets it provided to riders were able to fit the head sizes of any potential riders.