Uber makes driver's background screening more stringent

Under fire over the safety of its passengers in India, US-based taxi booking firm Uber today said it has tightened the process for screening of its drivers, including their criminal antecedents.

The international cab booking firm was banned by Delhi government, in December last year, following public outrage after one of its drivers allegedly raped a 26-year-old executive.

"Our arrangement with First Advantage brings in additional layers of screening over and above the standard transport licensing process including: address verification, a local criminal court search, and a national criminal database search," the app-based firm said in a statement. First Advantage is a leading background screening firm.

"In recent weeks we set out to introduce enhanced safety measures that go above and beyond industry standards and government requirements in India," it said.

Uber said that it along with First Advantage have been pilot testing the new screening process in recent weeks.

"...many thousands of driver-partners are in the process of being put through the screening and re-verification programme in several Indian cities, including Delhi, to bring the highest screening standards to Uber users around the country," it said.

Uber also said after extensive testing of multiple domestic and international vendors who specialize in background screening, "today, we are formally unveiling our new nationwide driver screening, working with First Advantage".

This is an important step in building out an industry first background check process for every one of the thousands of driver-partners on the Uber platform in India, it added.

"We already have an ongoing, comprehensive re-verification process underway to ensure that all Uber driver-partners have the required police clearance and verifications," the company said.

Uber, which provides cab services to customers by way smartphone applications, has also come under the lens of regulators in many other countries besides India.