News & Current Events

Brooke Wolfe, from the Transportation Sustinabaility Research Center, discusses gender equity issues for taxi and transportation network company drivers and passengers. 

On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the National Institute of Congestion Reduction (NICR) hosted a webinar on safety concerns in ride-hailing and taxi services. The session featured Brooke Wolfe, Survey Researcher at the UC Berkeley Transportation Sustainability Research Center and Matt Daus, President of the IATR, discussing research findings on driver and passenger safety risks, regulatory disparities, and policy solutions.

Both drivers and passengers face safety concerns, including harassment, verbal aggression, and ride refusals. Drivers, particularly those working late hours, are at risk of robbery and unsafe interactions, prompting many to use security cameras, avoid night shifts, or cancel suspicious rides. Passengers take precautions like sharing trip details, verifying driver identities, and tracking routes, though issues such as inconsistent enforcement of safety policies remain. Car seat accessibility continues to be a challenge, with some drivers refusing rides due to installation hassles or liability concerns.

Click here to watch the webinar on YouTube.