safety – Uber Scandals

December 22, 2024December 22, 2024

Suspended Uber Teen service rather than comply with CPUC requirements

In February 2024, Uber launched Uber Teen service without the requirements that regulator CPUC had mandated. When CPUC reiterated and clarified the requirements, Uber suspended the service.

As part of suspending Uber Teen, Uber contacted its users, encouraging them to complain to CPUC to voice their disappointment. Uber said CPUC had made “new and onerous changes” which left Uber “no choice” except to suspend service. Ben Edelman argues that Uber could have complied, and had ample time to do so.

December 22, 2024December 22, 2024

Launched service for unaccompanied minors over regulator’s objection

Since 2016, California regulator CPUC had told Uber that additional approvals were required to transport minors, and Uber had agreed to do so. Nonetheless, in February 2024 Uber launched Uber Teen service without approval from CPUC, yielding CPUC proceedings that ultimately led Uber to suspend the Uber Teen service (rather than comply with CPUC requirements).

November 14, 2024November 16, 2024

Sought to reduce attorneys fees in civil cases

Uber backed a Nevada ballot question that would limit how much Nevada attorneys can charge in civil cases. Attorneys said that these limits would prevent them from taking on risky cases such as claims by victims of sexual assault against Uber and its drivers.

November 8, 2024November 8, 2024

Self-driving car ran a red light, but Uber falsely said an employee was driving

During the period in which Uber operated self-driving cars in California without a permit, a bystander observed an Uber vehicle run a red light without stopping. Uber initially claimed the incident was human error. But the self-driving car was in fact driving itself, according to two Uber employees and based on Uber documents viewed by the New York Times.

November 8, 2024

Uber employee feared rape, and manager offered company health care, not help

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 240) describes an experience of a female employee in Malaysia who noticed men following her from work, leading her to fear she would be raped. She texted multiple people seeking help, including her manager, the local Uber general manager. Rather than rush to the scene or call the police, the manager texted: “Don’t worry, Uber has great health care. We will pay for your medical bills.”

November 8, 2024

Levandowski’s colleagues touted “safety third”

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 226) reports that colleagues of Anthony Levandowski made stickers touting “Safety Third” — indicating that safety was not a top priority for self-driving truck company Otto or its founder.

November 8, 2024November 8, 2024

Brazilian thieves and taxi cartels anonymously attacked, robbed, and even murdered drivers

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 216) reports that in Brazil, Uber had a particularly light sign-up process: No identify documents, no credit card (since cash was more widely used), and just an email address or phone number. Thieves and taxi cartels could therefore sign up for Uber anonymously — then steal or burn cars, attack or rob drivers, and sometimes commit murder. Among the victims was Luis Filho, who was stabbed to death as passengers stole his vehicle.

November 8, 2024November 8, 2024

Mexican taxi operators beat, robbed, and even murdered Uber drivers

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 215) reports that taxi drivers in Mexico were frustrated at having spent spent thousands of dollars on licenses, permits, training classes, and other regulatory requirements — only for Uber to take their business. As cabbies grew more desperate, they beat and robbed Uber drivers — and killed one Uber driver in Guadalajara.

November 8, 2024November 8, 2024

Detailed taxonomy of sexual misconduct and assault

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 207) that complaints about sexual misconduct and assault (typically though not exclusively between drivers and passengers) were so common that Uber created a twenty-one category classification system for these problems.

November 7, 2024November 8, 2024

“Safe Rides Fee” did nothing for safety

Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped (p. 172) reports that in 2014, Uber added a “Safe Rides Fee” — but used that revenue for general purposes, with no specific investment in safety. He quotes a former employee: “We boosted our margins saying our rides were safer. It was obscene.”