Last week, I wrote to you about my commitment to the public's safety above all else on all modes of transportation. Increasingly, that means making sure that rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are taking preemptive measures to protect passengers and drivers.

Uber released its first ever safety report revealing some harrowing numbers. The rideshare giant disclosed that between 2017 and 2018, it received nearly 6,000 reports of sexual assault in the U.S. alone.

That's nearly 6,000 incidents (of the ones that were reported) that are preventable - they're not accidents, coincidences, or natural disasters. They're criminal acts. That is unacceptable.

Disclosure of these reports is important, but it's just a first step. In October, I invited Uber and Lyft CEOs to a hearing to discuss the safety, labor, and regulatory concerns of rideshare companies. Neither CEO showed. In fact, both companies failed to have any sort of representation at the hearing.

Rideshare companies can do much more to prevent these incidents. That includes comprehensive background checks that include fingerprinting drivers. In Eugene alone, fingerprint checks done by the local police department found 13 drivers that made it through Uber's own process but came up with criminal backgrounds ranging from a registered sex offender to even a convicted murderer.

I was glad to talk to Newsweek about these safety concerns - and more. Read the full article here.

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"OREGON REP. PUSHING BILL TO ADDRESS SEXUAL ASSAULT IN TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY SAYS UBER CAN DO MORE TO PREVENT ATTACKS" - Newsweek

I authored and introduced the Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act because I'm committed to improving safety and ensuring accountability for the traveling public and transportation workers.

These rideshare giants need to clean up their act - and their sexual assault and harassment policies - and put the safety of our public and their employees above all else. You can read more about our work here.

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Peter



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