Car service app juggernaut Uber has quietly changed its policy to prohibit its drivers from carrying firearms while they're on duty.
Previously, Uber had deferred to local laws when it came to whether or not its drivers could carry guns.
In an update to the Legal section on Uber's website there's a new "Uber Firearms Prohibition Policy," first noticed by The New Republic. It says:
We seek to ensure that everyone using the Uber digital platform—both driver-partners and riders—feels safe and comfortable using the service. During a ride arranged through the Uber platform, Uber and its affiliates therefore prohibit possessing firearms of any kind in a vehicle. Any rider or driver found to have violated this prohibition may lose access to the Uber platform.
In other words, carrying a gun is grounds for losing your Uber-driving privileges.
"We have adopted a no-firearms policy to ensure that both riders and drivers feel safe and comfortable on the platform. We made this policy change after assessing existing policies and carefully reviewing recent feedback from both riders and driver-partners," says an Uber spokesperson via email.
Back in April, an Uber driver with a concealed handgun stopped a mass shooting in Chicago. Meanwhile, Lyft has barred its drivers from carrying firearms for some time.
