Source: https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/565553829/some-uber-and-lyft-rideshare-drivers-are-striking-on-march-17-for-better-safety-more-fuel-assistance
Drivers are getting caught up in a surge of fuel prices, carjackings, murders, rapes and other violent crimes.
Safety and Gas Price Assistance needs to be addressed, or many drivers will not return.”— Torsten KunertLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, March 15, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- To bring awareness to Surging Gas prices and SAFETY, drivers are organizing Strikes and Protests worldwide on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day.
Driver Advocate, Torsten Kunert, also known as the Rideshare Professor on Youtube and CEO of GigRocket.com has over 50,000 loyal subscribers that are demanding a gas surcharge and better safety in the app. #DriverandRiderSafety #DriverGasSurcharge
Fact is, customer background checks are used in other industries. Home-sharing giant Airbnb Inc. requires U.S. travelers to upload IDs and checks their information against criminal databases and sex-offender registers. Soaring Gas prices have also added to the driver's woes.
"With a treasure trove of data at their disposal, there is no reason for firms to permit drivers on their platforms who have a history of offences. Companies can also make absolutely clear to passengers that are abusing drivers in any way will not be tolerated and will get them quickly banned", the Rideshare Professor said.
The Rideshare Professor channel urges all rideshare, taxi and limo drivers to participate. The message: Drivers and riders need better safety features in the app and drivers need immediate assistance at the gas pump” says the Rideshare Professor.
Drivers are doing what they can to protect themselves. Some are avoiding nights, some only pick up passengers from the airports, and others have taken to wearing bulletproof vests. When it comes to the high gas prices, drivers have to often drive miles further to find the cheaper gas stations.
Uber just introduced temporary fuel assistance for drivers and couriers. Fact is that drivers in the Rideshare Professor channel have been complaining that the 55 cents per trip for drivers and 45 cents per food delivery is not good enough. Drivers report that they need real assistance and support.
On the safety side, drivers usually go through background checks, including getting screened for criminal history when they sign up. They are often required to take selfies on the job to prove that they are the ones driving. Passengers, however, can create accounts using false names since the apps don’t require them to disclose their identities. “It’s just not fair that these companies show our faces to customers and we can’t see their faces,” says Kunert.
Judah Bell, 48, of Vallejo, California, drives for Uber and said the company seems to favor passenger safety over driver safety. She said she’s been the victim of some form of assault or harassment “at least 20 times” in about four years of driving. “For a passenger to put their hand between my legs is not uncommon,” Bell said
Some safety tips for riders and drivers:
The combination of dashcams, rider ID photos, real names, new enhancements within the app for safety and people being aware of their surroundings and making sure they're getting into the right vehicle are very important safety precautions.
Addressing ultra high gas prices and better safety features is going to be Uber’s and Lyft’s biggest challenge. Drivers in the Rideshare Professor channel report that they are leaving for these reasons.
Safety and Gas Price Assistance needs to be addressed, or many drivers will not return” Kunert says.
Contact: Torsten Kunert torsten@GigRocket.com
Donation towards Campaign VENMO: Torsten-Kunert
Torsten Kunert
Rideshare Professor
