Brussels prohibits Uber drivers to use smartphones to book rides

The Brussels regional government has enforced limousine legislation to Uber. As a result, Uber drivers are required to book rides three hours in advance and they are not allowed to use the geolocation of their app to pick up passengers.

For the past five years, Uber has operated in Brussels as a limousine service in order to avoid being shut down as unregulated taxi services. In the capital of Belgium, Uber provides both UbeX and UberBlack which are bound to the legislation regarding limousine services. Both Uber services work with the app developed by the company. While the limousine legislation allows customers to use the app, it does not allow limousine drivers to use the app’s geolocation technology to pick them up.

Brussels minister president Rudi Vervoot said that this regulation applies to all limousine services and Uber has ignored it for years. Public authorities are now calling to comply with the law.