Yahoo News 'Hero' Uber driver probed over working hours after 400 mile journey to help couple stranded by cyclone in New Zealand
An Uber driver who was hailed as a hero in New Zealand for driving an American couple across the country on a nine-and-a-half hour trip after they were stranded by a cyclone is under investigation by authorities over whether he took regular breaks as required.
Harpal Kang, a driver in Auckland, made the 400-mile trip through the storm in the middle of the night to ensure that Lisa and Matt Kottke, from Missouri, arrived in Wellington, the capital, for an urgent business meeting. The fare came to £556 [$NZ1,033].
"I didn't do it for money, I just helped them out of the kindness of my heart," Mr Kang told The New Zealand Herald.
However, the New Zealand Transport Agency has confirmed it is investigating the trip because it believed Mr Kang broke a rule requiring commercial drivers to take a break every five and a half hours.
An agency spokeswoman said: "We don't condone drivers exceeding the permitted working hours or failing to take required breaks.”
Mr Kang was widely praised for making the journey during Cyclone Debbie earlier this month but the trip prompted several complaints to the transport agency.
At least two of the complainants were rival taxi companies.
Mr Kang was required to show his logbooks to the agency and said he took two breaks during the trip.
However, he said he may have breached the rules because his total return trip took about 16.5 hours – three-and-a-half hours more than the maximum permitted.
Mr Kang, who moved from India to New Zealand six years ago, said he hoped the agency would do no more than issue a fine. But he said he may return to India if the agency took him to court.
“[If the agency issues] a fine, I will ask Uber to pay, I'll say to them ‘why did you send me this job’,” he said.
Mr and Mrs Kottke arrived in Auckland during the cyclone and hailed an Uber ride after they were unable to find a flight, bus or taxi. They arrived at their meeting about 30 minutes before it was due to start.
