Uber will launch a pilot program Thursday in Chicago and 11 other cities around the U.S. to verify riders on the app for increased safety for drivers.
The new safety feature means riders using Uber will be verified on the app and have a blue checkmark badge added to their profile for drivers to see, according to a news release. Most accounts will be verified automatically using details already on file, so users won’t have to take any additional steps to become verified.
For accounts that aren’t immediately verified, the user can upload a picture of a government-issued identification card, such as a driver’s license or passport, and verify their account that way. Uploaded documents will be encrypted and not show up on a user’s profile.
Heather Childs, chief trust and security officer for Uber, said in an interview Wednesday the new feature is “something drivers have been asking for” to promote safety on the platform.
“Drivers want to know more about the people who are entering and exiting their vehicle,” Childs said. “We want to know that riders are who they say they are, and we have to send a clear message that if you’re looking to do harm, Uber is not the place to do it.”
Ride-share drivers have long grappled with the potential dangers of the job. In December, a driver was shot and killed on the job in the Austin neighborhood. In February of last year, another driver was fatally shot while a passenger inside the vehicle was injured in the Little Italy neighborhood.
A group of local Uber and Lyft drivers have been advocating for an ordinance in City Council to protect driver safety and wages that includes a demand for passenger verification. The Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety ordinance is sponsored by Ald. Mike Rodriguez.
Drivers are already subjected to background checks, Childs said.
Uber has introduced several safety features in the past, including the ability to record an audio file during a ride in the event of a conflict. In 2021, the app rolled out a nationwide verification program for riders using anonymous forms of payment such as prepaid debit cards, gift cards or Venmo.
Childs said the plan is to monitor the rollout of the rider verification in the initial 12 cities to fix any bugs and get feedback then ultimately launch nationwide. Other cities piloting the new safety feature beginning Thursday include Detroit and St. Louis.
Uber uses “trusted third-party databases,” Childs said, to verify accounts automatically by checking details on the account such as names and phone numbers.
For those that aren’t verified, Childs said they can still order an Uber.
“The driver will be able to know that a person is verified or not when they decide whether to accept the ride,” Childs said. “It’s a good thing because drivers want the confidence that they’re going to be safe when accepting rides.”
