House Republicans urged Uber in a letter on Thursday to clarify what steps it is taking in response to drivers’ accusations that they are being requested to transport items they suspect contain drugs.
The letter from members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee cites NBC News reporting on driver concerns, as well as the case of a 22-year-old Arizona woman who died from an overdose of fentanyl delivered via Uber Connect, a courier service that the San Francisco-based ride-hailing app launched at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to allow people to send small items across town.
The letter is signed by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, who is anticipated to become chair of the committee when Republicans regain control of the House next month, as well as four other Republicans on the committee.
“We have championed the development of new technologies and the benefits and convenience which the gig economy provides our constituents — especially during labour shortages that hurt delivery and mobility options for Americans,” the lawmakers wrote.
“However, this new innovative method for transporting essential goods may also be taken advantage of by bad actors looking to move illegal or harmful products to unwitting Americans, including children,” they wrote.
Uber said late Thursday in a statement that the company is committed to preventing and investigating alleged illegal behaviour.
“Criminal efforts to spread illicit drugs are a growing scourge in our communities. We stand ready to do our part and work together with law enforcement and elected leaders to prevent the abuse of platforms like ours,” said the company.
When Uber gets reports of alleged crimes, it disables accounts and notifies law authorities. According to the company, it urges drivers to report any suspected illicit conduct.
McMorris Rodgers’ spokesman stated that she would be sending letters to additional delivery businesses such as Alto, Lyft, and Roadie. These companies did not reply promptly to calls for comment.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has a broad portfolio that previous chairs have utilized to investigate anything from the cigarette business to Major League Baseball.
It’s unclear whether the Democrats on the committee have similar worries. A representative for the Democratic side did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The letter requests that Uber explain what actions it has taken in response to driver complaints about suspected drugs; how it would work with law enforcement in such a scenario; how many accounts Uber has deactivated as a result of users sending prohibited items; what information Uber collects about packages; and many other questions.
“Just as we have asked social media companies to do their part to curb the sale of drugs on their platforms, Uber must act to ensure Uber Connect is not used to transport untracked shipments of illicit drugs to Americans,” the lawmakers wrote.
