Ride Sharing in a blockchain future that's here right now.

February 07, 2020

When the world was first introduced to Uber, there was at first, speculation and even some hesitancy for the brand new system, but like all things great the trend seemed to sweep the world with its fast, effective and inexpensive organization. One that would fast become a standard all over the globe, spawning similar ride-sharing services, transforming industries that had long stuck to the same model. 
 
 We thrust ourselves into a world of rideshare and ride apps knowing full, well many of us were getting into cars with strangers. At first, the novelty and extraordinary conveniences outshone the very potential threat one has when stepping into a car with someone who the company never actually meets or interviews for such a position. The job for many ride-sharing companies is obtained by simply filling out a form, providing a car insurance certificate, vehicle inspection, and medical physical for the driver. All performed without ever having to look someone in the eye. But where are the safety checks in place to keep us safe from the drivers, or better yet the ones that didn’t advance to become drivers?

“Uber has disclosed 3000 sexual assaults in US rides last year in its long-awaited safety report, released amid widespread criticism of its safety practices and pressure to increase its transparency over the issue.” More to the story here

Having looked at the stats recently released in the above article, the alarming amount of assaults recorded are only a small cluster in the states, excluding Uber within other countries and any other rideshares. Not only are there 3000 assaults too many within the stats, but these are just the reported instances, and unfortunately, it has been made very clear that many have gone unreported. The checks to clear prospective drivers in place primarily center around protecting the company, with passenger safety an afterthought with an easily manipulated screening system. With current measures clearly not enough for the mass of people now demanding a higher standard of care, the new suggestions and implementations all seem to center around taking action after an incident has occurred rather than preventative measures.

“Uber has a unit devoted to handling the most sensitive safety reports, but a Washington Post investigation published in September found that investigators were instructed to keep the company’s interests foremost, including through restrictions on their ability to report apparent felonies to police and a ban at the time on sharing information with competitor Lyft about possibly dangerous drivers. The restrictions meant that some drivers who were banned from Uber or Lyft for violations such as poor driving or assaults on passengers could, with impunity, simply register as a driver for the other company.” More to the story here

Nobody wants to boycott Uber or any ride-sharing service, because they are all services we all enjoy, that provide jobs for many who have no alternative way to earn. But with the above looming allegations, the public is fed up, insisting rideshare apps aren’t doing enough to ensure passenger safety.

The main problem ride-sharing services have is this.

Example: Person A has a clean record and is vetted. Person A then rents his car out to others to drive on their behalf and changes their profile pic. Person B is now driving the Uber and was never vetted. The pressure to fix the incredibly serious driver ID flaw comes with knowing that many abusers have simply walked away without repercussions but most importantly are continuing to do so. VeriDoc Global solves this issue by verifying the original, registered driver either via their driver's license photo or an Uber verified on-premise photo can insure the person who is meant to be driving the car is the one in front of you.

The push for more advanced technology to be introduced within the ride-share app and screening system is something that can be changed now, with technology currently available. With widespread public consensus evoking that ride-share providers must adapt, seeing as the alternative is simply not good enough.

VeriDoc Global has a Finished Blockchain Solution that eliminates the very real threat from offenders. The solution proudly ensures that every ride-sharing passenger can detect whether the driver is either the real deal or a fake. And you can do it even before you get in the vehicle, by scanning or tapping on a QR code it’s that simple. The solution addresses the big concerns surrounding the security issues of personal data and keeping people safe. 

Click this link to see a working demo of the technology, that you can use as the real thing, right from in the browser of your phone or computer.
 
With VeriDoc Globals technology you have the power to detect & protect at the tip of your fingers with a blockchain solution that empowers individuals with real-time information that is both transparent and tamperproof. Verifying the rideshare drivers id is key, and as simple as a QR code on a sticker with a picture of the driver. Along with essential location tracking, which is shareable. Having the ability to share your location and verified driver id to anyone you want, along with being able to call emergency services from within the app gives the public options and knowledge. These are all steps that should become the norm.

This means that your ride-share provider has essentially got you and its drivers covered from the imminent threat posed by fraudulent ride-share drivers, who abuse the system and shouldn’t be driving in the first place.

Advanced tracking, traceability and most importantly the securing of passengers safety the main goal using immutable technology. The patented QR code is the embedding of a QR code on an item with a unique digital hash inside the QR code. The hash holds information that is then placed on the blockchain network for security and authentication. With such advanced and revolutionary technology protecting and securing us all, ridesharers can relax knowing the public has received exactly what they asked for, change.

You can use any free QR reader on your smartphone or download the free VeriDoc Global App from the Play or App store now. To learn more about our solution and software, please visit our website at www.veridocglobal.com

This article was first posted on Medium.