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Uber – Safe?

Uber is taking over Chicago as the new innovative and inexpensive way to travel. What is Uber you may ask? Uber is a ridesharing app that has taken off in the past five years. As of September, this app can be used in 100 cities and is valued at nearly $15 billion dollars. Downloading the app is free and customers use the app to request rides and track their reserved vehicle’s location. You simply type in your location and a hired Uber driver nearby comes to pick you up. The app will tell you how much your ride will cost, give you a review of the driver, the kind of car the driver has, and much more. It has simplified traveling for people all over the world, especially Chicago. However, the system is new to many people. With the app being so new, many customers are worried about the safety of this app. The drivers are not licensed taxi drivers and typically use their own vehicle. The customers pay the drivers by syncing their credit card with the app. Therefore; the driver never has cash on them and is never paid directly by the customer. Uber takes care of it all. The concern is how safe is Uber?

Is Ridesharing safe?

Is it more or less safe than a regular taxi? Well, Uber claims to use a thorough screening process that they have developed using industry-leading standards. This includes a three-step criminal background screening for the U.S. – with county, federal and multi-state checks that go back as far as the law allows – and ongoing reviews of drivers’ motor vehicle records throughout their time on Uber.

Uber has also eliminated the need to stand and hail a cab. If it is late at night or a terribly cold day in Chicago, Uber will provide you with door-to-door service by alerting you when they have arrived through the application. This helps to keep you safe and sound wherever you are while you are waiting for your ride.

Lastly, the app provides you with a picture of the driver, his or her name, their vehicle, and license plate. This gives customers a sense of safety that they know their drivers personal information in case anything should happen.

Uber In Illinois

Governor Pat Quinn is thrilled about this new application taking over Chicago. Governor Quinn recently stated that the app was bringing over 400 jobs to the Chicago area. Also, Quinn recently vetoed a bill that would eliminate ridesharing in Illinois. The bill he vetoed would have ended any and all use of Uber in Illinois. By vetoing the bill, Governor Quinn preserved local control and allowed cities and towns to craft regulations that meet their own unique transportation needs.

The taxi lobbies are putting enormous pressure on local governments to block Uber in their cities. In Milwaukee, five taxi groups are “suing the city of Milwaukee, hoping to block an ordinance that provides a path to legalization for mobile ride-booking apps.” In California, New York and DC, Uber has faced numerous cease-and-desist order. Luckily for Uber fans Governor Quinn believes that this app is helping the economy move forward by staying innovative. Looking into the future, we can all anticipate ridesharing app’s to expand greatly.

R.F. Wittmeyer

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