National News
Manchester to Uber: Drivers must have background checks
May 12, 2015 posted by Steve Brownstein
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen has voted to give an ultimatum to the ride-hailing company Uber: arrange state background checks for your drivers within 30 days.
The vote came after midnight on Wednesday, following a contentious discussion among the aldermen, an Uber executive, and city officials, including Police Chief David Mara, who insisted that a state criminal background check was a priority from a public safety perspective.
The vote raises the possibility that Uber will pull out of the city, something William Guernier, Uber's East Coast operations director, said the company will consider over the next 30 days.
Over the course of the protracted debate, it became clear that Mayor Ted Gatsas' patience had run thin with Uber, which enables people to use a smartphone app to hail rides from drivers contracted by the company.
"Nobody saying we don't want you here," Gatsas said. "Everyone can say we're getting drunks off the road, but if something happens and someone gets killed, (people will ask) why didn't you license them?"
Uber has rebuffed proposals to have its drivers be subjected to state background checks, which are conducted by the Department of Safety, preferring instead to have checks conducted by third-party vendors that the company maintains are just as thorough as state checks.
Mara said that because New Hampshire is a "closed" state, the only way to gain access to all state criminal records outside of the Department of Safety database would be to send someone to every county in the state.
"We're not willing to compromise on public safety, and I believe what we're asking is very small, to pass a criminal record check to prevent having a convicted felon from operating an Uber vehicle," Mara said.
Guernier maintained that requiring drivers to get the state background check would pose "hurdles" for prospective drivers. "There are a lot of part-time drivers," he said. "Our ability to have reliable product suffers, our brand suffers."
Ward 12 Alderman Keith Hirschmann replied, "Your brand already suffers," referring to the disputes Uber has had in other municipalities around the country.
Mara did note that there haven't been any complaints involving Uber drivers since it started operating in the city in October. "That is one reason why I'm holding off enforcement," he said. "But as a law enforcement officer, I don't feel comfortable waiting and waiting."
The vote on motion to require Uber to arrange background checks within 30 days passed 9-4, with aldermen Joyce Craig, Garth Corriveau, Dan O'Neil and Tom Katsiantonis voting no.
It came after several other motions that were more accommodating of Uber were rejected.
Supporters and detractors of Uber packed the City Hall chambers, and earlier in the evening several of them addressed the board during the public comment period.
Several Uber drivers hailed the company and the opportunity it provided them to supplement their income.
Mariana Rosas said many of the people who used the service were students seeking rides home from city bars.
"I'm not in a position to judge how much a student has had to drink, but I'm glad I have them in my car and can take them back safely home to their dorms or apartments," she said. "I consider driving for Uber as a service to my community as much as my part-time job." However, taxi driver Morel Georges said Uber was getting a "free ride" in the city.
"This is a big mess in this great city of Manchester," he said. "I'm hoping tonight that the mess can be cleaned."
Steven Pierce, the owner of Manchester Taxi, said Uber didn't have to comply with regulations that required his company to pay license fees to city and to not discriminate in picking up fares.
"All we're looking for is a little protection. This industry is suffering," he said. "It's a fact of life Uber is here. The court of public opinion has spoken. But we need a level playing field, so we can continue to provide services to the infirm, the poor - those people who don't have the smartphone, they call us."
