To help ensure safety for riders, Uber Boston has appointed former Boston Police Department Commissioner Ed Davis to a senior advisor position within the company.
Davis, who has 35 years of experience in law enforcement, served as commissioner during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and oversaw police response during and after the attacks.
“While technology helps ensure the speed, dependability and safety of rides, people matter most to the Uber experience,” the company said in a Thursday press release. “From the moment you request a ride to the moment you arrive, the Uber experience has been designed from the ground up with the safety of our riders in mind.”
Safe Hub Collective, a public safety organization in Boston, is also partnering up with Uber to create a safer feel for riders.
Stacey Lantz, a spokeswoman for Safe Hub, said that the two companies have been working together for a while and that the organization has recently put an emphasis on finding solutions to reduce harassment.
“The problem is that there is a lot of both harassment and sexual assault that’s happening with the drivers for Uber, and that’s a big problem,” Lantz said. “Just trying to make one change or one type of action isn’t really what’s going to be supportive for creating lasting safety for clientele.”
Lantz hopes that Uber will use Davis’ expertise to help implement new safety precautions.
“One of the things that we have to think about, especially when we’re looking at [sexual violence of any nature], is that so many people do not feel comfortable going to the police for a variety of reasons, and some of that is based on the type of violence itself and the stigma that it has,” Lantz said.
While she appreciated efforts to address safety, Lantz said there is still more work to be done.
“[Uber] certainly need[s] to do a lot of internal and external work,” Lantz said. “Just as far as whether that commitment is there or not, to look holistically at safety and figure out what needs to be changed, they still have a long way to go there.”
Several residents said they appreciate efforts the company is taking to improve safety based off concerns they have had.
Tyler LaRoche, 28, of Allston, said that he has friends who drive for Uber and believes that it is a safe way to get around, though he does not use the app.
“I have a car and I mostly just walk everywhere too, or take the T,” he said. “If I didn’t have a car and I had to go somewhere far away, I would use Uber. People who use it have a smart phone, so you know right then that if someone is driving and using a smart phone and knows how to use it, it’s probably not someone you don’t want to get in the car with.”
Luke Savoca, 24, of Allston, said that the company is making a good decision.
“The system has existed for long enough that if you get taken advantage of, they should do something about it,” he said. “Certain people might try to take advantage of [the system], so to increase safety would be a good idea.”
