By Marissa Ventrelli | Denver Gazette
The largest rideshare company in the US says it will be forced to stop operations in Colorado if a bill that places certain regulations on transportation network companies becomes law.
House Bill 1291, sponsored by Reps. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn, and Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, and Sens. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, and Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, would require rideshare companies to conduct background checks on drivers every six months and prohibit them from hiring applicants who have been convicted of crimes including domestic violence, stalking, and harassment.
The bill also requires companies to investigate complaints about drivers within 72 hours. If the allegations are found to likely be true, they must deactivate the driver’s account.
The bill also requires rideshare companies to record audio and video throughout each ride.
Viability of Uber in Colorado at risk
In a letter sent to House and Senate leadership, Camiel Irving, Uber’s vice president of operations, acknowledged the bill’s intent to protect riders and drivers from sexual assault, “a goal Uber shares,” she said. However, the company would not be unable to comply with the bill as it is currently written.
“We’ve taken an industry-leading approach, guided by safety experts, to prevent safety incidents and support survivors,” the letter continued. “Uber has invested in numerous safety features that allow users to share their trip with trusted contacts, connect seamlessly in-app with 911, and give users 24/7 support.”
Uber also requires drivers to complete mandatory sexual misconduct education and has developed a partnership with the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN).
According to Irving, “serious safety incidents” are rare — a recent report found that 99.9998% of U.S. trips ended without a serious incident, and the company has seen a 44% decrease in its sexual assault rate since it began publishing data on the matter.
“Unfortunately, the TNC Consumer Protection Bill threatens to undermine this progress with several unworkable provisions,” Irving wrote.