Lyft is launching a new pilot program aimed to better protect drivers in Seattle

SEATTLE — Starting Thursday, Lyft is launching a new pilot program aimed to better protect drivers in Seattle.

The ‘Rider Verification’ will allow passengers to upload their driver’s license which will be cross-referenced with a third-party data source.

“Lyft says that they’re going to use an unspecified third-party entity to verify this is where we have problem. Who is this third-party entity?” said Ahmed Mumin, Executive Director of the Seattle Rideshare Drivers Association.

Mumin says he’s skeptical about how people are being verified and if the third-party source can be trusted.

“The issue is that some people are using fake IDs and fake information so what if the person is not who is actually claiming to be,” Mumin added.

Safety has been a top priority for Mumin following several attacks on rideshare drivers in just the last year.

Since 2020, there have been at least six rideshare drivers killed in the Seattle area:

December 2020: Cherno Ceesay was stabbed to death in Issaquah

September 2022: Mohamed Kediye was killed while driving in the Denny Triangle neighborhood not far from Amazon’s headquarters

January 2023: Mohamadou Kabba was shot and killed in Renton

August 2023: Amare Geda was shot to death while on the job in SoDo

January 2024: Abdikadir Shariif Gedi was shot by a pedestrian while driving in Edmonds

January 2024: Nicholas Hokema was found dead in the parking lot of the Southcenter Mall

“It’s terrifying. It’s a scary world and I just feel like it continues to get scarier like I’m like like oh my gosh, people are so crazy,” said rider Kensy Orantes.

Orantes used to call Lyfts pretty often but says this type of violence has made her think twice.

She feels any type of verification is for the better.

“I’ve also heard like horror stories of like riders getting in and crazy people and like beating their Uber drivers, so I also understand that they also have their own concerns so I think it will definitely help make it feel safer for both parties,” said Orantes.

According to Lyft, it will be seamless for most riders. Most will be verified passively and won’t need to take any extra steps.

Not automatically verified riders will be asked to upload a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license.

Under the pilot program, drivers can view a rider’s name, verification status, rating, and profile photo before accepting a request.

According to a news release, the company will test the program in nine cities: Seattle, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Denver, and Miami.

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