Happy Monday! Two pieces of news for Lyft for today: first is the story on Colorado’s agencies wanting community feedback for ridesharing, and the other is this celebrity saying a Lyft driver stole her package with cash? Here’s the news.
Community feedback for ridesharing
Among the issues Colorado state agencies wish to address in their proposal to gather community feedback on passengers’ ridesharing experiences is the situation of some passengers, such as those with disabilities, being denied rides.
Ridesharing media talked about passenger Dishon Spears and his guide dog, being denied a rideshare.
“She’s learning me, I’m learning her,” Spears told Ridesharing Forum. "I was denied three times for [having] a guide dog, just coming to work and going to a friend’s house, and just, you know, doing the things that I want to do as a blind person.”
Spears isn’t alone. Previously, this Ridesharing Forum site reported about Ottawa resident Salome Solomon, also denied rides, not just once, not just twice, and not just thrice, but a whopping 20 times.
“Every rejection breaks you down, so, for me, it basically hits deep. It’s like a dagger to my heart,” Solomon stated.
Now, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission wants passengers to provide feedback as it develops a series of new rules to enhance ridesharing safety for drivers and riders. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is a main regulator in the Centennial State for companies like Lyft. Furthermore, Colorado was the very first state in the USA to establish localized regulations for rideshares in 2014.
The state’s government officials are also blending stuff with legislation, such as State Representative Meg Froelich working to introduce new ridesharing rules after last year’s ridesharing safety bill got vetoed by Governor Jared Polis.
For disabled passengers like Spears, these changes represent “something fundamental.”
“This is freedom for us, and just remember that we all need freedom, and that’s what America is about – is freedom for us,” Spears stated.
Package stuffed with cash
Gossip website TMZ had this report circulating, saying that “Euphoria” star Alanna Ubach is decrying and complaining how her Lyft driver allegedly stole a package stuffed with cash from her.
Ubach is an actress and voice artist, known for her roles in film and TV, best recognized for playing roles in “Legally Blonde” and “Euphoria.” She was also Mamá Imelda in Disney and Pixar’s “Coco.”
“Euphoria” is a gritty teenage drama series on HBO, telling the story of a recovering teenage addict to illegal substances, navigating high school life alongside friends, discussing themes like love, trauma, identity, and social networking – in a visually striking and controversial style for the show.
Ubach is saying a Lyft driver stole the package that was supposed to be delivered to her, claiming the driver did not show up in the destination. The package contained $1,000 cash. The parcel was wrapped in paper towels and tape, and Ubach said the driver ghosted her.
“We understand how distressing this situation is for the rider involved, and we take reports like this seriously. Lyft is in contact with the rider, and we have permanently removed the driver from the platform,” Lyft issued a statement on this matter. “Using Lyft rides to transport or deliver unaccompanied goods is not permitted and violates our Terms of Service. In cases involving alleged misuse of the platform, Lyft has established processes to assist law enforcement, including helping them obtain relevant records and conducting internal investigations as appropriate.”