Uber has settled on a class-action lawsuit from 2014. In it, they’ve agreed to pay 25 million of it’s users a total of $28.5 million dollars. Buy why?
According to Business Insider, Uber, “misrepresented their background checks as ‘industry leading.’ ” They will also change the name of the fee, from “safe ride fee” to “booking fee” so there isn’t any more confusion.
In 2014, it was surfaced that Uber and other ride-share companies, like Sidecar and Lyft, were pushing back on laws that required background checks with similar standards to regular taxi drivers.
Their reason? They were growing too fast and needed to get drivers on the road to fulfill demand.
The New York Times reports that this refund would be applicable for people that used Uber between January 1st, 2013 to January 31st, 2016. Persons affected will have the option to receive a refund to their credit card or an Uber rider credit.
What’s my take on this? I personally use Uber almost every weekend. The service is convenient and I have never had an issue with a driver. I am glad to see they’re taking steps to better keep both drivers and riders safe, especially after the recent shooting in Kalamazoo that involved an Uber driver.
I haven’t found a way to see if you are owed any money, but I’ll update this story when I find out more.
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