4 ms·

> Would their drivers refuse to undergo them? Refuse is probably a strong word here but I imagine significantly less people are willing to drive in somewhere t

> Would their drivers refuse to undergo them? Refuse is probably a strong word here but I imagine significantly less people are willing to drive in somewhere to give their fingerprints for a background check than just entering a social security number in a web form. So there's more inherent friction. But then Uber needs to maintain an office (or a set of offices) in every city that provides convenient parking and some kind of fingerprinting system. So it puts uber in a business that they're not in and makes it harder for drivers to become drivers.

greenyoda 10y ago
"But then Uber needs to maintain an office (or a set of offices) in every city that provides convenient parking and some kind of fingerprinting system. So it puts uber in a business that they're not in..." Aren't there companies that that Uber could contract with to do the background checks?
laurentoget 10y ago
You need fingerprints for a number of occupations including real estate agents, teachers and foster parents. There are multiple businesses offering fingerprinting services. It takes 10 minutes and I think it cost me $12 last time i had to do it.
dragonwriter 10y ago
Usually, there are existing providers of such services (including often local law enforcement offices), and employers subject to a requirement for fingerprinting just have applicants designate the employer as the recipient, go into the established fingerprint center, and get it done.
drone 10y ago
In Texas, there are established commercial businesses which provide finger printing services already using a quick electronic process [0]. In my experience, it takes about 5 minutes to get done w/ an appointment. Uber already has a page set up for their Houston drivers to schedule an appointment via a Morpho Trust office [1]. I doubt that the city would accept Uber doing its own fingerprinting. In Houston, the city's argument was that Uber's background check failed to catch felons, persons convicted of sexual assault, and homicide [2]. [0] https://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations/?st=tx https://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations/?st=tx [1] http://www.driveuberhouston.com/fingerprint-background-check/ http://www.driveuberhouston.com/fingerprint-background-check... [2] http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-27-16-uber-sues-houston-over-fingerprints-mayor-says-city-will-not-compromise-on-public-safety/ http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-27-16-uber-s...

greenyoda 10y ago

"But then Uber needs to maintain an office (or a set of offices) in every city that provides convenient parking and some kind of fingerprinting system. So it puts uber in a business that they're not in..." Aren't there companies that that Uber could contract with to do the background checks?

laurentoget 10y ago

You need fingerprints for a number of occupations including real estate agents, teachers and foster parents. There are multiple businesses offering fingerprinting services. It takes 10 minutes and I think it cost me $12 last time i had to do it.

dragonwriter 10y ago

Usually, there are existing providers of such services (including often local law enforcement offices), and employers subject to a requirement for fingerprinting just have applicants designate the employer as the recipient, go into the established fingerprint center, and get it done.

drone 10y ago

In Texas, there are established commercial businesses which provide finger printing services already using a quick electronic process [0]. In my experience, it takes about 5 minutes to get done w/ an appointment. Uber already has a page set up for their Houston drivers to schedule an appointment via a Morpho Trust office [1]. I doubt that the city would accept Uber doing its own fingerprinting. In Houston, the city's argument was that Uber's background check failed to catch felons, persons convicted of sexual assault, and homicide [2]. [0] https://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations/?st=tx https://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations/?st=tx [1] http://www.driveuberhouston.com/fingerprint-background-check/ http://www.driveuberhouston.com/fingerprint-background-check... [2] http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-27-16-uber-sues-houston-over-fingerprints-mayor-says-city-will-not-compromise-on-public-safety/ http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/04-27-16-uber-s...