Photo: Stock Catalog (Flickr)
Uber and Lyft partner to share data on banned drivers
16 March 2021
by Christopher Carey
Ride-hailing firms Uber and Lyft will share data on drivers who have been banned from their platforms in the US for serious safety incidents, including sexual assault and physical assaults resulting in a fatality.
The Industry Sharing Safety Program will be overseen by workforce solutions provider HireRight, which will collect, match and share data between the companies to ensure both are abiding by best practices and industry standards.
Lyft and Uber will share information related to the five most critical safety issues within the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s (NSVRC) Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Taxonomy, along with physical assault fatalities.
“Uber and Lyft have demonstrated thoughtful leadership with the Industry Sharing Safety Program. By putting aside competition, they are placing users first and building a safer rideshare community for all,” said Scott Berkowitz, President and Founder of anti-sexual violence organisation RAINN.
“Sexual violence thrives in secrecy. Thanks to this initiative, perpetrators will no longer be able to hide or escape accountability by simply switching ridesharing platforms.”
Safety record
The announcement comes more than a year after Uber released its first safety transparency report in response to a 2018 CNN investigation into rideshare drivers in the United States who had been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing their passengers.
Uber’s report revealed that it had received 464 reports of rape on its platform, among 5,981 reports of sexual assault in 2017 and 2018. In the report, Uber said it was “committed to finding a way to share the names of drivers who have been banned from our platform for the most serious safety incidents with our ridesharing peers.”
In September 2020, legal proceedings were launched by a woman in New York who claimed the ride-hailer’s failure to properly vet drivers and monitor their interactions with passengers resulted in her sexual assault in 2018.
The woman, who is not named in the lawsuit, accused Uber of negligence and deceptive business practices for promising safe rides, particularly to women, despite being aware of a “clear pattern” of sexual assaults over the years and not taking steps to protect passengers.
“You should be safe no matter what ridesharing platform you choose,” said Tony West, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Uber.
“Tackling these tough safety issues is bigger than any one of us and this new Industry Sharing Safety Program demonstrates the value of working collaboratively with experts, advocates and others to make a meaningful difference. We encourage more companies to join us.”
Jennifer Brandenburger, Head of Policy Development at Lyft, said: “Sexual assault is drastically underreported, making these crimes less likely to show up in our rigorous background check and screening processes.
“With the Industry Sharing Safety Program, Lyft and Uber are working together to further enhance our screening capabilities, as well as the safety of the entire rideshare industry.”
Image: Stock Catalog (Flickr)
