Uber has caught on like a wildfire in 58 countries and 300 cities in fewer than 2 years in the making. It’s running cab drivers out of business with the convenience of a  mobile app that immediately connects riders to drivers. While Uber seems like the wave of the future, its worldwide customer safety issues involving harassment and rape have plagued this mode of travel.

In the U.S., Uber drivers must pass a thorough process of checks, including the inspection of  county, federal, and multi-state criminal records, both of  which are hardly foolproof plans.

In India, Tata Opportunity Funds has allowed Uber to raise approximately $100 million dollars for  start-ups. Yet these new ventures have run into unfortunate issues for riders since 25 Uber drivers have criminal records in those regions. Los Angeles’s flawed process of checking backgrounds will inevitably lead to a loss of many customers.

UberEats, its newest venture  that operates on the same model as its taxi services has been branching out in its hometown, San Francisco.

Uber certainly has an interesting concept, but its current model leaves many consumers weighing their safety against convenience.

-by Neena Baliga’18