There has been a growing wave of concern among private hire drivers across the UK. Numerous reports have surfaced suggesting that Uber is silently restricting cross-border work, preventing drivers from going online when they travel outside their registered regions.
With so much conflicting information circulating, one driver decided to put these rumours to the test to see if Liverpool-plated drivers are truly being locked out of other areas.
The Experiment
The investigation began by testing various locations, starting with areas neighbouring Liverpool like Knowsley and St Helens, and pushing further afield into Warrington and even Manchester.
The goal was simple: if cross-border hiring was being actively blocked, the driver should be unable to go online or receive job offers once they crossed the boundary of their home region.
The Findings
Interestingly, the test yielded surprising results:
- Regional Flexibility: The driver found they could easily go online and receive job offers in Knowsley, St Helens, and Warrington.
- Reaching Manchester: Even upon travelling into the Manchester region, the app remained functional, allowing the driver to go online and receive job offers without issue.
While some drivers have reported being kicked off the app or receiving warnings when trying to work in specific areas—such as a Wirral driver reportedly unable to work in Chester—these restrictions do not appear to be universal or uniformly applied to all drivers or all regions at this time.
Is It a Glitch or a Roll-Out?
The results of this test raise more questions than answers. It is possible that Uber is rolling out new regional restrictions slowly, on a per-council basis, or that the system is experiencing app glitches that are causing unnecessary panic. Alternatively, it may simply be that the messaging within the app has changed, leading drivers to believe restrictions are in place when, in fact, operations remain unchanged.
For now, it seems Liverpool-plated drivers have not yet faced widespread restrictions. However, the situation remains fluid, and it serves as a reminder for drivers to stay informed and share their own experiences to help build a clearer picture of what is really happening on the ground.
Have you experienced issues working outside of your home region? Let us know in the comments.
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