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back to article Uber bros pull out wallet, $32.5m later the 'Safe Rides' row is over

Uber will pay $32.5m to settle a California class-action lawsuit alleging it was charging customers a fee on their rides for a background check service it was not providing. The ride broker told the California Northern District Court that it had struck a new settlement deal in the case over its "Safe Rides Fee." Under the …

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  1. DNTP

    The goal is safety

    So part of the settlement is that Uber has to start doing effective background checks, right? (Or more like, "YEAH RIGHT")?

    Meanwhile here in Boston we are just starting to see ads for the rollout of Safr, a women-only ridesharing service that I highly approve of after hearing stories from four or five female friends and colleagues about male Uber drivers that actively made them feel uncomfortable.

    3 0 Reply
    1. Jr, 4242
      Reply Icon

      Re: The goal is safety

      That would definitely be a "YEAH RIGHT".

      2 0 Reply
    2. dan1980
      Reply Icon

      Re: The goal is safety

      @DNTP

      "So part of the settlement is that Uber has to start doing effective background checks, right?"

      I would think not, considering:

      "[Uber] will stop using the term "Safe Rides Fee" to describe the surcharge it passes on to customers for the cost of running background checks on drivers."

      If I understand that correctly, Uber can simple collect the surcharge and change nothing except the name. Which seems the likely course of action for them. Maybe they change some part of the checks or who does them but any such changes would more than likely be cosmetic.

      7 0 Reply
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Uber, the local neighborhood cunt....

    ..."Uber accused of pocketing those fees and then failing to deliver on the advertised claims of "industry-leading" background checks"....

    1 0 Reply
    1. lglethal Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: Uber, the local neighborhood cunt....

      Hey hey hey... Uber does way more checks that the industry average. It just happens that their industry is effectively racketeering, but I assure you, Uber das way more checks than the Mafia... Way more....

      1 0 Reply
  3. Chasola

    I just don't understand why carrying out checks to make sure that drivers are not a danger to passengers would be an extra charge.

    Surely it's part of Uber's basic duty of care to their customers.

    5 0 Reply
    1. Alumoi Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Surely it's part of Uber's basic duty of care to their customers.

      Which customers? As I see it, Uber has 2 customers: the drivers and the passengers. The drivers pay for a dispatcher and the passengers pay for the ride.

      Uber's basic duty, as any other company, is to its shareholders/investors/whatever. The customers? Fck them, we only want their money.

      3 0 Reply
  4. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Uber is a scam.

    5 0 Reply

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