Uber has run into some heat around sexual harassment accusations, a troubled former CEO, and drivers with questionable records, among many other issues that have plagued the company. However, the ride service's UberACCESS division is working to stir up some good PR by offering free rides to polling stations for handicapped voters in the United Kingdom during Thursday's election.
According to a recent press release, Uber will be partnering with Whizz-Kidz, a ride service for disabled children and young adults, to ensure new voters are able to get to the polls this Thursday to exercise their right to vote. Both companies understand the difficulty handicapped voters face when it comes to reaching the polls.
Uber's UK General Manager Jo Bertram said, "Accessing convenient, safe and affordable transport can sometimes be a challenge for wheelchair users. That’s why we’re proud to offer a fully wheelchair accessible option in London, Birmingham and Manchester with many more cities to come. Everybody should be able to have their say on election day, so we’re delighted to work with Whizz-Kidz to offer young wheelchair users an easy way to get to the polls."
Rides will be taken care of by two separate £10 ride codes for handicapped customers to apply towards rides both to and from the polling place, with Uber assuming full financial responsibility for the program. It's nice to see such a large company taking notice of a fairly small population of customers—especially in the name of such a good cause.