Mayor Brandon Johnson  

Commissioner Ivan Capifali  

Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP)  

Attorney General Kwame Raoul  

Office of the Illinois Attorney General  

Subject: Urgent Complaint Regarding Uber's Unjust Deactivation of Chicago Livery Drivers Due to Misrecognition of Updated BACP Documents.

Mr. Mayor Johnson,

Commissioner Capifali, and

Attorney General Raoul,  

We the Chicago livery owners and drivers are writing to formally complain about Uber's ongoing practice of deactivating licensed livery drivers in Chicago based on erroneous assumptions that their official documents are fraudulent. 

This issue has arisen directly from the City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) updates to livery vehicle licensing requirements, which took effect on February 1, 2026. 

These changes, including adjustments to license terms, fees, and expiration dates, appear to have introduced new formats for Hard Cards and potentially affected the recognition of existing insurance certificates. 

However, Uber's outdated verification system continues to reject valid, city-issued documents, wrongly labeling them “Fake Documents” triggering mass deactivations. These 2026 changes at Uber support which is full of glitches have devastated the lives of livery owner and drivers, trapping them in a vicious cycle of never ending, frustrating loop with no clear path to resolution.

We urge immediate intervention to halt these deactivations and mandate the reactivation of all affected drivers deactivated in 2026 for this reason.  

As Chicago livery owners and drivers we have witnessed firsthand the soul-crushing devastation impact of these deactivations on drivers who rely on rideshare platforms like Uber for their livelihood. 

We have witness drivers getting approved access to the platform (Uber App) purchasing a $100,000 truck and in three days getting deactivated because of a glitch in the app. The driver is now trapped with a big $100,000 truck sitting useless in the driveway. The driver now has to make the truck payment from his pocket with no income to cover.

The BACP's amendments to the Municipal Code of Chicago, effective February 1, 2026, include:  

- Increasing the livery vehicle license fee to $1,200 for a two-year term.  

- Adjusting license expiration dates, with existing Hard Cards printed with a "12/31/2026" expiration remaining valid despite the updates.

-New hard cards have a white background at the expiration date.

- New hard cards have expiration date: 12/15/2026 on even number or 12/15/27 if an odd number.

- New hard cards have different color coding. Color codes clearly indicating on    Notice No. 26-008

- Requirements for current certificates of insurance to be filed with BACP prior to license issuance.

These modifications and existing rules were intended to streamline and update the licensing process, but Uber has not updated its verification systems accordingly causing immense hardship to Livery owners and drivers. 

Drivers submitting the new-format Hard Cards or older but still valid insurance certificates are being flagged as submitting “fake documents”. This has resulted in permanent deactivations without proper investigation or appeal processes, despite the documents being legitimate and issued by the City of Chicago.  

Recent reports indicate that over 20,000 Chicago rideshare drivers have been deactivated from 2019 to 2024 (NBC Chicago), often without warning or clear justification, and this trend has intensified in 2026 following the BACP changes.

Drivers, including many from marginalized communities, are losing their income abruptly, exacerbating economic hardship in our city. Specific cases in 2026 highlight Uber's failure to recognize valid documentation, leading to accusations of fraud with no evidence provided. This not only harms individual drivers tremendously but also disrupts Chicago's transportation ecosystem, affecting residents who depend on reliable livery services.  

Uber's actions may violate consumer protection laws, fair business practices, and potentially anti-discrimination statutes, given the disproportionate impact on certain groups. As leaders responsible for protecting Chicago's work force and enforcing the law:  

- **Mayor Johnson**: We request that you issue an executive order or directive compelling Uber to immediately cease deactivations based on these “Fake  Documents” issues and to reactivate all drivers deactivated in 2026 under the "fake documents" category. Additionally, collaborate with BACP to provide Uber with official guidance on recognizing and authenticating documents. Stop updating TNP with Uber deactivations since Uber AI support is unreliable with lot of glitches and has become a low trust, driver support system.

- **Commissioner Capifali**: Please investigate Uber's compliance with BACP regulations and work with the rideshare company to ensure their systems align with the February 2026 changes. BACP should publish copies on an exclusive website to clarifying the validity of existing Hard Cards and insurance certificates to prevent further misinterpretations by the glitchy Uber support team / system.  

- **Attorney General Raoul**: We urge your office to launch an inquiry into Uber's deactivation practices for potential violations of Illinois consumer protection laws, including the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Seek injunctive relief to stop these unjust deactivations and require Uber to implement transparent appeal processes.  

This is lives destroyed; families shattered, dreams crushed all because Uber refuses to update its system to match the City of Chicago’s legitimate 2026 BACP changes and its documents.

This matter requires swift action to restore fairness and save Chicago's working drivers and their young and old families. Every passing day for deactivated drivers is like drowning in slow motion while the lifeguards argue over paperwork instead of throwing a rescue rope. We are available to provide additional details or documentation and request a response within 14 days outlining the steps your offices will take.  

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.  

Sincerely,  

The Undersigned 

Livery Owners and Drivers.