Leverage Uber for Business

Understanding why driver-partners lose account access

5 May 2022 / India

On this page, you’ll find information about the most common reasons why driver-partners lose access to their accounts, how to avoid it, and what to do if it happens.

Through every experience on the Uber platform, we want driver-partners to feel safe, respected, and positive, and we developed our policies with this in mind. Losing access to a driver account doesn’t happen often. When it does, we know it can be very stressful and frustrating.

Our case review processes

Human-led

While data and technology are useful tools for improving the safety of the Uber platform, human intervention will always play a role in helping to ensure that driver-partners are treated fairly and their accounts aren’t affected by fraudulent reports.

All driver-partners who are actioned can call the customer service number (numbers given below in the ‘how to raise an appeal’ section) to place an appeal/review request. All grievances would be answered within 24 hours (except safety case related grievances where it generally takes longer, up to a maximum of 5 days). Uber investigators will be the final decision-making authority on appeal reviews. No further escalations will be entertained.

Advance notice

When possible, we’ll let a driver-partner know if they’re at risk of losing access to their account.

If a driver-partner is waitlisted/rejected, we also send relevant communications which appear very clearly in the app. These mention the reason for the actioning, and the action the driver-partner has to take to get reactivated (if applicable)
For every actioning, we now send full-screen messages which appear at the bottom portion of the driver partner’s app (given below). Clicking that would open the full message. This eliminates the pain point where driver-partners needed to go to the inbox to search for the relevant message. The backend processes have been significantly improved to make sure that all driver-partners are reactivated in the promised time, wherever possible.
We are taking due steps to educate driver partners about potential actioning beforehand by giving them nudges to improve their behaviour where possible. These appear at the bottom portion of the screen, and if considered and acted upon by the driver-partner, these can prevent them from getting actioned

However, there are times when we may need to remove access without notification, such as when:

We receive reports or information that require immediate review for legal or safety purposes
We conclude that a driver-partner has engaged in unlawful or fraudulent behaviour

How to raise a grievance against the actioning

If driver-partners want to raise a grievance about any actioning, they can do so by calling the Uber support team. Their case would be looked into and they would be updated within the next 24 hours. Only exceptions are cases related to safety, where it might take longer to investigate (up to a maximum of 5 days).

Upon calling support, it is automatically identified that the driver-partner is appealing for reactivation and a confirmation message conveys that his/her grievance will be processed. Once the request is processed, if the driver partner’s account is reactivated, he/she will get a callback from an agent, notifying him/her of the same. This will also be followed by an email/app notification intimating the ticket closure as well. The driver-partners whose accounts are not reactivated will get to know their status via the ticket closure app notification/email with relevant details. For Auto & Moto, the phone number across India is 8971222222. For Cars, the phone numbers are as follows: 9731100011 for Delhi NCR, Jaipur & Chandigarh; 7899900011 for the rest of North, West & East India (Hindi); 9611100055 for AP & TS (Telugu); 9900422000 for Tamil Nadu (Tamil); 9900544000 for Karnataka (Kannada); and, 9972200011 for Kerala (Malayalam).

Why is access lost and what to do next?

The most common reasons why a driver-partner may lose access to their account is due to fraud, providing a poor rider experience, etc. Other reasons include safety issues, background check issues, instances of driver-partner sharing their account with others or creating duplicate accounts, and asking riders to pay an extra amount over and above the calculated trip fare, etc.

Often when driver-partners lose access to their account, it’s temporary while we investigate the report or review documents, or while we apply a temporary cool-off period before they get back the access.

We understand that losing access, even temporarily, can be disruptive, so we’re dedicated to reviewing each report fairly and promptly. If access to an account is lost and there are steps to take to regain it, we’ll include them in the message we send to the driver-partner. In addition, they can always contact Uber’s customer support team here for help.

Fraud

Fraudulent documents
Altered or false documents are not allowed. Examples of common missteps include
- Submitting photocopies, scanned documents, or photos of photos, rather than original documents
- Physically or digitally altering documents (such as cross-outs/whiteouts, unnecessary handwriting, and photoshopped documents)
- Submitting phone screenshots of documents
- Submitting a document that is not entirely visible and clear
- Submitting a base photo of a person who appears visibly different from the one on the photo-id docs
Identity Fraud
This includes a driver-partner falsifying information, assuming someone else’s identity, sharing an account with someone else, submitting personal documents that don’t belong to them or attempting to bypass identity verification checks. Examples of common missteps:
- Not ensuring that full legal name, date of birth, and other account information submitted to Uber is accurate
- A driver partner representing themself as someone they are not
- Submitting documents that don’t belong to them and that they are not permitted to use
- Sharing their account with someone else
Fraudulent duplicate account
Creating improper duplicate accounts is not allowed. If a driver-partner has an issue with signing into or going online to their account, they should contact Support rather than creating a duplicate account.

Others
Fraudulent activity includes increasing the time or distance of a trip on purpose, abusing fees and promotions, etc. Examples of common missteps are
- Encouraging riders to cancel a trip for fraudulent purposes
- Increasing the time or distance of a trip on purpose
- Changing the GPS location of the device from the actual driving location
- Submitting false claims for fees or refunds, or abusing offers and promotions

Discrimination/service denial/poor rider experience

A driver-partner can lose access to their account for:

Discriminating or making offensive remarks on the basis of race, colour, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under the relevant law
Refusing too many trips thereby leading to a poor rider experience
Refusing a trip on the basis of a rider’s destination or a customer’s delivery location
Starting and ending a trip without the rider
Asking the rider to cancel a trip on Uber, and to continue with the ride offline
Refusing trips for riders because of their wheelchairs, or other assistive devices – In case of your vehicle not being equipped to handle wheelchairs due to the CNG cylinder in the trunk/no overhead luggage carrier, please notify the rider politely and request them to book an XL vehicle.
Asking riders to pay an extra cash amount over and above the calculated trip fare

Examples of common missteps are

Making negative comments about someone’s personal characteristics, such as race, colour, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, age, religion, sex, and sexual orientation
Refusing too many non-cash trips [Payment for these trips is added automatically to your account]
Refusing to help fit wheelchairs or other assistive devices like walkers in the car. These devices can often be folded or disassembled to fit in the trunk – In case of your vehicle not being equipped to handle wheelchairs due to the CNG cylinder in the trunk/no overhead luggage carrier, please notify the rider politely and request them to book an XL vehicle.

Rating quality

A driver-partner can lose access to a part or all of the Uber platform for ratings that are below the minimum average rating in their city. If their rating is approaching the minimum limit, we will let them know and may share information that may help them improve their rating from riders.

How to improve ratings

Some events during a trip cannot be anticipated. Circumstances outside your control may impact the rating you receive from a rider.

We understand this can cause concern. Since your overall rating is based on an average of up to 500 of your most recent trips, an individual trip rating will not have a significant impact on your overall rating.

Additionally, if a rider gives a negative rating and selects a trip issue that is unrelated to your service (i.e. Too many pickups, Price, Uber app), the trip will not count toward your overall rating.

5 Star driver-partners report that riders appreciate it when they:

Keep vehicles clean, well-maintained, and scent-free
Ask riders about a preferred route to a destination
Keep the conversation polite, professional, and respectful
Dress professionally
Open vehicle doors for riders
Provide bottled water, snacks, gum, mints, and cell phone chargers
Help with luggage and bags when it’s safe to do so

Your weekly review shares ratings and comments from riders. This provides insight into the trip experiences you’re creating.

Safety issues

Real-Time ID Check errors

The real-time photo that driver-partners take before going online must match their profile photo. Examples of common missteps are

Letting someone other than the driver-partner take a selfie using their driver’s account
Sharing an account with someone else, and submitting a photo on their behalf
Submitting a photo of a photo
Not taking a clear, well-lit photo that aligns face and neck in the in-app frame provided
Not updating the profile photo if the driver partner’s appearance has changed

Why am I being asked to take a photo of myself?

To help ensure that your account is yours, and is not being used by other people, we may occasionally ask you to take a real-time photo of yourself before you go online.

How do I take a real-time photo of myself?

When prompted, take a real-time photo of yourself and submit it through the app. If it’s you, you’ll be good to get on the road. You must submit a real-time photo of yourself and not a photo of an existing photo of yourself or a photo of someone else.

Align your face and neck in the white lines
Turn on the lights if you’re in the dark
Relax and hold your phone steady to avoid blur
Don’t take a photo of an existing photo or of someone/something else

And always remember, make sure your profile photo is up to date.

What happens if my photo isn’t verified?

All denied photos will be reviewed immediately through human intervention by the Uber expert team to help ensure accuracy. If your verification photo doesn’t look like the person in your profile photo or you submit a photo of a photo, access to your account may get blocked for 24 hours or be deactivated permanently

As a reminder, sharing your account violates Uber’s Community Guidelines as well as your partnership contract, which states that allowing someone else to use your account is prohibited.

How is my photo collected and processed?

When you take this photo in the app, it is sent to us and shared with Microsoft, our service provider. Microsoft then uses its software to compare this photo with photos you have previously uploaded. Microsoft may also receive a copy of the profile photo stored with your account in order to determine that your face is fully showing.

In order to protect the security of your account, Uber may keep these photos for as long as permitted by applicable law. Following that period the photos and derived information will be deleted. Microsoft has made contractual commitments to Uber that any data retained by Microsoft for service improvement will be de-identified (so it is not linked to any person), and that Microsoft will not attempt re-identification of that data.

We appreciate your assistance in helping keep your account secure. Face detection and photo comparison help us confirm that only you are able to access your account and go online.

Interpersonal Conflict

This includes reports about an altercation, verbal or physical, with the rider or a third party (when driving on the platform). Repeated reports of verbal altercations may result in permanent loss of access to the app. Physical harm, caused or intended, is considered very serious and may lead to a temporary or permanent suspension of the account, immediately.

Tips for driver-partners to de-escalate an argument with the rider:

Listen to the rider’s complaints calmly
Avoid entering into an argument with the rider
Always follow the suggested route on the app. If any change in route is necessitated, take prior consent from the rider.
For any fare related dispute or a general grievance of the rider with the platform, please advise the rider to reach out to the ‘Uber support’.
Never harm the rider physically, under any circumstance
Always report such incidents through support channels so that we can take strict action on the rider

Dangerous driving

This includes reports that the driver-partner has had a crash or traffic citation during a trip or repeated reports of poor, unsafe, or distracted driving while using the Driver app. Reported reports of Dangerous Driving may lead to a temporary or permanent suspension of the driver partner’s account.

Tips for safe driving

Obey traffic rules
Drive within speed limits
Avoid distraction from phones
Use phone mounts for navigation
Avoid aggressive driving, swerving, sharp turns, and hard-braking

Sexual misconduct or assault

Any kind of sexual harassment, which includes sexual assault and sexual misconduct by anyone—including drivers, riders, and third parties—is not allowed while using the Uber apps, and may also be illegal. Sexual assault is physical or attempted physical conduct that is sexual and done without consent, such as touching, kissing, or sex. Sexual misconduct includes non-physical behaviour that is sexual or romantic and done without consent or has the effect of threatening or intimidating someone. Uber’s no-sex rule prohibits sexual contact regardless of whether the driver-partner knows the other person or receives their consent.

Uber has zero-tolerance for sexual offenders, and driver partner’s account may get immediately deactivated, temporarily or permanently, if any such incidence is reported on their profile.

Tips for drive partners to avoid Sexual Misconduct reports

Avoid any inappropriate physical contact with the rider(s)
Avoid asking any personal questions to the rider(s)
Avoid commenting on any rider’s looks or appearance
Never make any references or gestures which can be perceived as sexual in nature

Impaired or drowsy driving

This includes reports that a driver-partner is suspected of driving while being drowsy or while he/she is under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, or over-the-counter or prescription drugs that should not be used while operating a motor vehicle. It also includes reports of having drugs and/or open containers of alcohol in the car. Smells of alcohol or drugs—even if left by riders—can be interpreted as impairment and also lead to such reports. Repeated reports may lead to permanent loss of access to the driver-partner’s account.

Tips to avoid impaired or drowsy driving reports

Don’t drive for long hours continuously, or when you feel sleepy
Don’t drive if you are under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or any drug use which is classified as not fit for driving
Don’t keep any leftover or unused containers of alcohol/drugs in your vehicle

Account Sharing

Uber’s terms and conditions do not allow sharing of driver-partner accounts. Any other driver using the driver-partner’s account poses a serious safety concern. If we learn that a driver-partner did not match the driver-partner profile displayed by a rider’s app, the account will be at risk of permanent suspension.

We have zero-tolerance for confirmed complaints of this nature. A driver-partner who has violated this policy is permanently removed from the platform. If there is an unconfirmed complaint, driver-partners will receive a formal warning. Unconfirmed complaints are documented via a strike system. Multiple complaints of account sharing can result in the termination of a driver-partner account.

If you suspect that someone else is using your account without your consent, please notify us immediately.

Wrong Vehicle

It is very important for the driver-partners to choose the right vehicle in the app and use the same while taking trips. If we learn that a different vehicle was being used to take trips, other than the one chosen on the driver app and shared with the rider, the account will be at risk of permanent suspension.

We have zero-tolerance for confirmed complaints of this nature. A driver-partner who has violated this policy is permanently removed from the platform. If there is an unconfirmed complaint, driver-partners will receive a formal warning. Unconfirmed complaints are documented via a strike system. Multiple complaints of wrong vehicles can result in the termination of a driver-partner account.

In case there is an error in the vehicle license plate being displayed in the driver partner’s app and the physical license plate number, it should be immediately brought to Uber’s attention and the same should be rectified before the driver-partner takes any trip with such a vehicle.

Unauthorized Guest of the Driver Partner

Under no circumstances should there be any third person, other than the driver and the rider/ riders, present in the vehicle during the trip. This rule applies even to family members or friends of the driver-partner. Such incidents pose a serious safety concern and are not allowed.

We have zero-tolerance for confirmed complaints of this nature. A driver-partner who has violated this policy is permanently removed from the platform. If there is an unconfirmed complaint, driver-partners will receive a formal warning. Unconfirmed complaints are documented via a strike system. Multiple complaints of this nature can result in the termination of a driver-partner account.

Duplicate Account Issues

Uber allows only one account per user. Under no circumstances should the driver-partners create more than one account for themselves. We have several tools and checks which can flag a duplicate account with accuracy. If any account is identified as a duplicate of an existing account, all such accounts, except one, will be deactivated permanently. In case an account was deactivated on Uber before because of a safety, quality, or fraud issue, all their duplicate accounts will be promptly deactivated permanently.

If a driver-partner has forgotten their sign up credentials, they can reach out to support to get them restored. In case the driver partner’s account was deactivated, they can raise a request through support channels to review their account. Their account will be reviewed, and if the Uber policy allows, their account will get restored.

Background check issues

All driver-partners and delivery people must agree to regular screenings, which include evaluating their motor vehicle records and criminal history. In general, the following may be reasons for losing access to a driver or delivery account.

Felony convictions in the last 7 years
Serious criminal convictions—including sexual assault, sex crimes against children, murder/homicide, terrorism, human trafficking, and kidnapping—at any time in the driver or delivery person’s history
Any serious criminal charges that are still pending
Multiple moving violations or accidents over the last 3 years
Driving with a suspended license within the last 3 years
Any serious driving violation, such as DUI, reckless driving, or hit and run, within the last 7 years

An account may be kept on hold while the background check is being run, depending on when the driver or delivery person last completed one.

FAQ

Q: What will be the time taken for my account to get reactivated after actioning?

If your account is rejected and you want to appeal, please follow the steps mentioned in the “How to raise an appeal” section above.
Whenever the account is waitlisted, you will find the next steps and the suspension time off clearly mentioned in the full-screen messages and inbox messages. It may take from a minimum of 2 hours to up to a maximum of 5 days, depending on the process, for your account to get reactivated.

Posted by Vishnuvardhini Sreenivasan

Category:

Business