(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The leaders of a group of Chicago ride-share drivers stood outside City Hall Wednesday to remember drivers who have been killed while trying to earn a living.
One Chicago ride-share driver talked about an incident that left him so stunned he could not speak for 24 hours.
He told his story in Spanish. It was relayed by an interpreter.
“About two weeks ago I was going about my regular day and when it was late at night I was threatened and intimidated with fire.”
An organizer of the ride-share drivers group Chicago Gig Alliance read a list of 54 names, the names of drivers who have been murdered since 2017.
The group says four of those drivers were based in the Chicago area.
The Chicago Gig Alliance is demanding ride-share companies do more to make things safer. This would include requiring passengers to sign up for a ride using their real names.
Uber said it is investing in technology to boost driver safety.
“Given the scale at which Uber and other platforms like ours operate, we are not immune from society’s challenges, including spikes in crime and violence,” a spokesperson said.
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