Study: Uber and Lyft have ‘pattern of discrimination’ against black passengers

[FrodosPet]

Study: Uber and Lyft have ‘pattern of discrimination’ against black passengers

Waiting times for black Seattle passengers were 35% longer, and Boston drivers cancelled rides for black passengers more than twice as frequently, study found

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/31/uber-lyft-racial-discrimination-us-boston-seattle?CMP=twt_gu

Julia Carrie Wong | 31 October 2016 19.52 EDT

A new academic study has found “a pattern of discrimination” against passengers with African American-sounding names by Uber and Lyft drivers.

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Waiting times for black passengers in Seattle were 35% longer than for white passengers, and drivers in Boston cancelled rides for black passengers more than twice as frequently as for white passengers, researchers found in a study published Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

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“Discrimination has no place in society, and no place on Uber,” Uber’s head of North American operations, Rachel Holt, said in a statement. “We believe Uber is helping reduce transportation inequities across the board, but studies like this one are helpful in thinking about how we can do even more.”

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In a blog post describing the research, study author Don MacKenzie of the University of Washington emphasized that the discrimination was most likely the result of “decentralized decisions of individual drivers” and not of ride-hail companies themselves.

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[Journeyman]

1. How much leeway do Uber or Lyft drivers have for who they will or won't carry? . . .

I really don't know much about these services.

[mwrguy]

2. With uber you see where a potential fare is located

You don't get the passenger info until you accept.

[halobeam]

3. That's the second strike against Uber today.

..the first one being, Alfa bank's $200 million investment in the company this year.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/10/was_a_server_registered_to_the_trump_organization_communicating_with_russia.html

-Fridman and Aven have significant business interests to promote in the West. One of their holding companies, LetterOne, has vowed to invest as much as $3 billion in U.S. health care. This year, it sank $200 million into Uber. This is, of course, money that might otherwise be invested in Russia. According to a former U.S. official, Putin tolerates this condition because Alfa advances Russian interests. It promotes itself as an avatar of Russian prowess. “It’s our moral duty to become a global player, to prove a Russian can transform into an international businessman,” Fridman told the Financial Times.-

[FrodosPet]

4. Technically, they are independent contractors, not employees

Rideshare drivers can refuse to accept a run, which they cannot be deactivated for, but they can receive a time out from being able to accept more runs. Or they can accept and then cancel, which Uber WILL deactivate them for if they cancel too frequently, or show a pattern of discriminatory cancels. Other techniques include going offline when in or near certain areas with high AA populations, or stalling until the passenger cancels, which scores the driver a $5 cancel fee if done after 5 minutes from the time of booking.

As drivers for hire they do have legal and contractual obligations to not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, or national origin. As well, they have a duty under the ADA to allow service animals. However, many believe that because they are using a "personal" vehicle that they are not subject to the same laws and obligations as traditional services. They cannot grasp the concept that once you start picking up passengers in pursuit of profit, it becomes a commercial vehicle, regardless of the insurance or registration.

[BadgerKid]

5. Less of an issue with automated/driverless taxis

If that comes to pass.

[FrodosPet]

6. I used to be opposed to the huge job loss

But yes, the reality is, being a professional driver destroys people, physically, mentally, financially, and emotionally. People thought Uber and Lyft would be different, but no, rideshare drivers are just cab drivers in unmarked cars.

Give everyone a Universal Basic Income and let the machines take over the dirty work.

[JI7]

7. black people are just more likely to be discriminated anywhere

Some other groups also.

Regular taxis always pass by black people .

The problem is racism in our society.

Things still need to be done to deal with it .

[FrodosPet]

8. It's sad and it's stupid and it is discouraging

I wish I had the skill to wake people up about racism.

I DO have the skill to piss people off and drive them away from me. Maybe I cannot turn them around on a dime, but perhaps I can plant a seed to eventually turn their opinions around?

[philosslayer]

9. Shut these racist companies down

uber and lyft are blights and need to be put out of business

[FrodosPet]

10. I don't want to see them shut down. The concept is great

They just need to respect their drivers and pay enough so that they can retain good drivers and get rid of the lousy ones.

But they keep cutting fares and pushing driver unfriendly products like UberPool. So anyone with any ability to leave either shrinks their hours or leaves completely.