Uber adopts continuous driver background checks
Thanks to driver data monitoring by Appriss and Checkr, Uber now has almost real-time background check information on its drivers.
In a move intended to increase rider safety, Uber has partnered with two companies, Appriss and Checkr, to monitor driver background checks continuously. The program has been in place for two weeks and has already led to the firing of 25 drivers, Axios reports.
Uber's partners handle two sides of the equation separately: Checkr provides the driver background checks while Appriss continually monitors safety records.
If a driver is charged with a criminal offense, Appriss can see that and forwards the information to Uber, which can then determine whether or not it should remove the driver from service. According to Axios, Uber started testing this program earlier this month in limited areas and has already caught 25 drivers who it deemed unsafe to carry passengers.
The flipside to this is that people charged with a crime who are eventually exonerated can once again apply to be drivers for Uber, thanks to the rapidly updated background checks.
This is an important step forward for a company that regularly finds itself in hot water where rider protections are concerned. This program is another one of those ideas (and Uber is famous for these) that should be applauded, but should have been in place much sooner.