Uber—Transport for London revoked Uber license over safety failures including 14,000 trips by unauthorized drivers
On November 25, 2019, Transport for London refused to renew Uber's license to operate in the city, citing a 'pattern of failures' including a change to Uber's systems that allowed unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other driver accounts. This resulted in at least 14,000 trips being taken by drivers who were not the authorized account holder, creating serious safety risks. TfL also found dismissed or suspended drivers had been able to create new accounts and continue driving. This was the second time TfL revoked Uber's license, having first done so in September 2017 before a successful appeal.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Protection | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Corporate Governance | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Digital Safety for Vulnerable Users | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.369 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.59)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
Transport for London refused to renew Uber license citing pattern of safety failures
Transport for London refused to renew Uber's operating license on November 25, 2019, finding a 'pattern of failures that placed passengers and their safety at risk.' TfL identified that a change in Uber's systems allowed unauthorized drivers to upload photos to other accounts, resulting in at least 14,000 trips with unidentified drivers. TfL also found dismissed or suspended drivers creating new accounts.