Due to recent violent events involving passengers and drivers I'm asking for your help in signing this petition to provide drivers with the same protections that are given to passengers. As rideshare drivers we are at risk the same risk as passengers of being hurt or possibly worse, below are a few concessions we as drivers are proposing to help keep us safer while preforming our job for the general public.

Every single ride share driver must provide a driver's license, social security number and a photograph.  The passengers do not. Many cases of passengers attacking Uber and Lyft drivers (and no I am not forgetting about it being the other way around) and it's getting out of hand. I personally know 2 drivers who were sexually assaulted and Uber and Lyft did nothing.  As a driver we have no idea who we're picking up and I am proposing the following:

1) Uber and Lyft require a government issued Photo ID with information for law enforcement in the event of an incident. This is mandatory to use the platform.

2) Uber and Lyft require a social security number from riders to perform a soft credit check to verify the name and information on provided identification match what is on the credit file.  A soft credit check does not impact your score or show details of your credit file.

3)  Uber and Lyft prohibit using the account to request rides for other people as their identity has not been verified.  Everyone can get a prepaid debit card and obtain their own accounts.

4)  Uber and Lyft prohibit violent felony offenders from using the platform as drivers are.

5) That uber and Lyft no longer allow use of prepaid debit cards or gift cards as identification of passengers cannot be verified in a manner where proper identification can be made by law enforcement should incidents occur 

I will name only a few incidents of attacks on drivers but the information is out there.

On or about May 28 in New York City a Lyft driver was severely assaulted in the head because he would not speed up to the Emergency room:

"Before Madiedo even had a chance to pull over, the video shows him getting pummeled behind the wheel, punched repeatedly while still driving. He loses his glasses as he continues to drive, yet somehow is able to keep control of the car until he pulls over. The suspect runs off and Madiedo calls police." (Source: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/05/28/video-lyft-driver-attacked-woodside-queens/

On or about January 16, 2019:
Two young men who last week allegedly attacked an Uber driver after the man refused to give the pair a ride were arrested by Las Vegas authorities Tuesday. (Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/uber-driver-in-las-vegas-attacked-by-passengers-after-refusing-to-give-ride

A driver in Los Angeles was attacked by a rider for failing to follow directions and he had to install a camera in his vehicle to feel safe doing his job.
"Edward Caban said he installed a camera in his vehicle because he felt increasingly unsafe in his Uber vehicle."  (Source: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/84899352-157.html

These are just a few of many incidents where drivers have been attacked or even killed and ride share companies need to take ownership of driver safety and start verifying identity of the riders even at the risk of losing business.

The bottom line is, drivers have NO IDEA who they're picking up and Uber and Lyft expect us to deal with everything including laying down our life. When a driver dies they say some canned statement "We're deeply troubled by the events..." and when a passenger dies they're calling the FBI.  As a driver, an owner of a vehicle that Uber and Lyft DO NOT OWN I have a RIGHT not a privilege to know who is getting in my car and I also have a right to know that the company paying me has done what they can to insure that my safety is covered to the best of their abilities in order to get the $3 payout. 

Ride share companies need to vet their customers to protect their liability and the safety of the drivers since the drivers are the ones doing all the work while they live in their mansions and do who knows what. 

On a second note, drivers need to be finger-printed because a ton of drivers don't actually meet the qualifications in my book and many other books to be doing this job. This is a business transaction and it needs to be kept as such. NO more drivers with violent criminal backgrounds that were not detected by a level one background check, no more drivers who are drunk, stoned, do drugs and allow other inappropriate behaviors in the car. This is a business transaction and both drivers and riders need to feel safe.

I have attached a video giving one example of an attack on a Rideshare driver. It is clear that Uber and Lyft have very little concern about the drivers that keep them in business and a ton of concern about the passengers bringing in the money and clearly this type of behavior may not have happened if the rider knew his/her information was on file. Drivers make peanuts for wages they shouldn't have to feel unsafe going to work.