Police Investigate Assaults On Ride-Share Customers. How To Stay Safe

The Boston Police Department is investigating reports of assaults on ride-sharing customers by imposter drivers. Reports included three incidents during the early morning hours on Sunday morning, December 13, 2014:

"... officers spoke to a victim who stated that she had been assaulted by an individual she believed to be employed by a rideshare service. According to the victim, she arranged for transportation from 1030 Commonwealth Avenue to her home. Once inside the vehicle, the victim states that the operator made attempts to touch her inappropriately. After refusing unwanted advances, the victim ordered the operator to stop the car so that she could exit the vehicle."

Arlington, Massachusetts Police also issued an alert about an alleged assault. The threat is not just imposter drivers. Chicago Police are investigating the alleged rape by a driver of a ride-share customer. There were several incidents this past summer of alleged assaults and rapes of ride-share customers in other cities by drivers.

To avoid getting mugged or assaulted, the Boston Police Department provided the following advice for consumers using any transportation service, and not only ride-sharing services:

• "Have a plan on how you will get home before you go out.
• Travel with friends if possible.
• Whenever possible, schedule a designated driver.
• Have credible and regulated cab company phone numbers saved to your phone ahead of time.
• Use only licensed cabs or clearly identifiable livery or rideshare service vehicles that you call to your location.
• Before entering any vehicle, ask to see the operator’s license and any information confirming the driver’s employee status with the service hired."

Besides checking the driver's name, auto license plate number, and texting the driver to identify both yourself and the driver, Uber advises its customers:

"Check the driver phone! You should see YOUR name and YOUR phone number at the bottom of the screen. If the phone is not mounted on the dash please feel free to ask the driver to see it before he starts the trip. If you don’t see your name and number…hop out! This is also a good time to call your actual driver to see where they are..."

Lyft advises its customers:

"Track your driver’s route and ETA in the app. You’ll also see a photo of your driver and their car, so you always know who you’re riding with. That said, our pink car mustaches make us pretty hard to miss."

Meanwhile, the sites' primarily promote convenience. Lyft highlights three benefits on its website main page: "Easy, Affordable, and Friendly." See:

On its main page, Uber promotes six benefits:

Neither site mentions safety as a key benefit. Huh? Maybe, ride-sharing executives will wake up and give customer safety more prominence by adding another benefit: Safe.

To stay safe, the bottom line seems to be: like any other transportation service, use the service's app to identify your driver, pay attention, and check the driver's credentials before entering any vehicle. If anything seems odd, don't get in the vehicle. If you are already inside, demand the driver to stop, and you get out.

What are your opinions of the safety of ride-sharing services?

[Update, Dec. 18: ABC TV affiliate in Boston reported that an Uber driver charged with rape is also being investigated about two other assaults.]