Skip to main content

Concern over Uber’s vetting processes after US shooting

The arrest of an Uber driver in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has prompted renewed interest in the company’s driver vetting process. Uber has confirmed that Jason Brian Dalton, accused of injuring two and killing six people over the 20-21 February 2016 weekend in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an Uber driver who had passed the background checks with no criminal records. The company’s website says that Uber operates an extensive driver screening process which includes collecting detailed information from potential d
February 22, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The arrest of an Uber driver in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has prompted renewed interest in the company’s driver vetting process.

Uber has confirmed that Jason Brian Dalton, accused of injuring two and killing six people over the 20-21 February 2016 weekend in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an Uber driver who had passed the background checks with no criminal records.

The company’s website says that Uber operates an extensive driver screening process which includes collecting detailed information from potential drivers, including address, age, social security number, driving licence, vehicle registration and insurance details. These are then checked by the investigation service Checkr, which also checks the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, National Criminal Search and several different databases used to flag suspected terrorists.

Uber says it also uses technology to enable a safer ride by giving passengers information about their driver, tracking all trips using GPS from beginning to end and incorporating feedback from riders and drivers.

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Californian prosecutors alleged that the process was unable to detect drivers who can possibly be harmful.

Uber’s chief security officer, Joe Sullivan, has confirmed that the company is helping the police with their investigations.

Related Content

  • May 1, 2024
    The path to safer roads: America can learn from Europe’s example, says Verra Mobility
    Many US states are establishing road safety programmes that will inspire others. TJ Tiedje, vice president commercial at Verra Mobility, explains why this is important
  • January 23, 2012
    Changing driving conditions need ongoing driver training
    Trevor Ellis, chairman of the ITS UK Enforcement Interest Group, considers the role of ongoing driver training in increasing compliance. It is over 30 years since I passed my driving test. The world was quite a different place then, in that there were only half the vehicles there are now on the UK's roads, mobile phones did not really exist and (in the UK at least) the vast majority of us drove cars which by today's standards exhibited dreadful dynamic stability and were woefully underpowered.
  • March 20, 2018
    Truvelo launches Eyewitness violation recorder
    Truvelo is launching its new Eyewitness moving violation recorder (MVR) which combines class-leading automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) capabilities with high-definition (HD) video to address a series of driving and criminal offences. Designed to be used from a moving vehicle by police and law-enforcement agencies, Eyewitness is a significant extension of Truvelo’s current, static ANPR solution, which uses a camera provided by a partner company.
  • June 26, 2014
    Nearly 54,000 UK learner drivers rack up penalty points
    New research from insurance price comparison website Confused.com has found that there are currently nearly 54,000 learner drivers in the UK who have penalty points on their provisional licence. The findings, obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, reveal that learner drivers are racking up penalty points for motoring offences before officially passing their driving test. According to official figures 53,988 provisional licence holders have valid penalty points on their licence, meaning