Mumbai: The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has not done a background check on Uber/Ola drivers for almost two years, reveal sources. The background check of the drivers includes details like if they have any criminal record against them or if they have all the paperwork in order, like a driver’s license and tourist permit.
Officials said this check was done almost two years ago after both the private aggregators had gained popularity and that the next check would probably happen when the Maharashtra City Taxi Scheme comes into place, but they said there’s no time frame when it would happen.
An official said, “We have not got the details from both Ola and Uber about who they have hired in the past two years, this becomes an issue as if there is anyone with a criminal background, there is no way to know the same.”
When contacted, an Uber spokesperson said, “We are conscious about recruiting driver partners with valid documents, after a comprehensive background check and a mandatory soft skill training that enables them to offer riders a great experience.
Additionally, we have also internally developed a tool that helps ensures that driver partners are compliant.
In addition to a comprehensive on-boarding process, background checks and initiatives like ‘Real Time ID Check’, the recently introduced driver deduplication, a process that further helps eliminate account sharing incident help us ensure that only verified drivers have access to the Uber app, thereby ensuring a safe ride for the riders.”
