Uber Finally Moving to Ban Drivers With Violent Felonies

Uber is overhauling its driver vetting process to block applicants convicted of violent felonies, sexual offenses, and child or elder abuse. The policy shift comes after a New York Times investigation in December 2025 exposed that the ride-hailing giant had been greenlighting drivers with a wide range of criminal convictions — including violent ones.

The report painted a damning picture of Uber's background check system, revealing significant gaps in how the company screened the people it entrusted to transport millions of passengers daily.

Now Uber is reportedly moving to close those gaps. The new restrictions specifically target the most serious categories of criminal history. Whether these changes go far enough — or came fast enough — will likely remain a point of contention for riders and safety advocates watching closely.