Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Uber, warning that it may leave Colorado depending on the
passing of a ride share safety bill requiring mandatory dash cameras,
audio recordings of brides, even a ban on driving after
using marijuana.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Uber official state that a bill is impossible to enforce
and may force them to shut down service in the
state if passed. Joining us now on the koa Common
Spirit Health hotline to discuss as Uber spokesperson Adam blinnek
and Adam, I was just curious, what is not fulfilling
with this bill? Why does this bill go too far
(00:31):
or not have the intended effect of safety?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I appreciate appreciate you having me on rob. The first
thing I say is we can sit safety very seriously,
and there's a lot in this bill that we think
is very well intentioned and that we would like to
continue to work with the authors to improve. But as
was said in the lead up to this, there are
things in here that we simply cannot comply with, and
(00:55):
also things in here that we think just compromise individuals privacy. So,
just as an example, one of the new features of
this bill is mandating audio and video recording. These are
features that we've actually already built and we've done so
in a way that complies with Colorado privacy law. Riders
have the choice to record audio record any right through
(01:15):
our app, and drivers have the ability to audio and
video record. This not only mandates that it has to
happen on every trip, but it would also put uber
legally on the hook should there be any interruption of
that recording, say the phone dies or it's not in
a good self service area. It would also make us
legally liable in the event that the driver do something
(01:38):
as minor as offer a passenger a bottle of water.
And so it's just impossible for us to operate in
the market. We were taking on so much risk and
liability for things that we simply cannot control for.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
And just if a quick follow up the co op
colraad or ride share that's trying to get going here
in this state, they are mandating though audio and video recordings.
Why is that such a burden?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, I mentioned before, we actually already have built in
that functionality, so every trip has the ability to be
recorded in Colorado right now, you know, in our conversations
with privacy and safety experts, we know that that is
not the best practice to mandate that happens. We think
that that is something that should be empowering riders and
drivers to choose to do if it makes them feel safer.
(02:23):
So we don't think it is the best practice. We
think it is not in line with Colorado Privacy Act
that was signed into law in twenty twenty one. But
beyond just our position on privacy, as I mentioned before,
the real problem is we cannot be in compliance with
this law if we are responsible for things that might
happen in the car that we can't control. For like
(02:43):
a driver offering their customer a bottle of water or
other refreshments, which I'm sure you've experienced anew but sometimes
a driver is just trying to enhance the service that
they provide. This act wants to stop that from being allowed.
We can inform drivers they're not allowed to do that,
but we can't be liable if an individual or to
(03:04):
actually do that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
When this ride share Safety Bill was proposed, Uber said
in a statement that we fully support smart, effective policies
that enhance writers safety. So Adam, going off of that,
are there any demands in this bill that are realistic
that could help to improve Uber safety?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, there's we think that there is cloud ability here
that we can work with. I mean, really even in
the auto video recording. While right now there is no
law in place for requiring companies to actually offer that technology,
would we support that. We think that that is very
sensible and that it is at a feature that couldn't
(03:41):
make drivers and riders to feel safer. What is interesting
about this law though, is it's not particularly far reaching.
It's far reaching as it applies to us and makes
it very difficult for us to operate, but it does
carve out taxis, it does carve out other commercial operators
in the space, So it's really targeting only a few
companies in a way that really, if it's about safety,
(04:03):
it should be done in a way that can be
implemented and really across the whole transportation system.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
There might be lawmakers out there that think, maybe you're
maybe Uber is playing chicken. You're making a lot of
noise right now, But Colorado would be a valuable state
to you with major metropolitan areas. To people who think
maybe you're just having a threat and it doesn't come
with a punch, what would you say.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Well, it says this is not a decision that we
would take lightly. There are tens of thousands of Coloradoms
that rely on the platform for earning opportunities. We're an
important safe right option for hundreds of thousands of Coloradoms
that rely on the platform. And you know, we have
a business now that really helps people get to health
appointments transit. We serve the military basis in Colorado. This
(04:52):
is not something that we want to do, but we
really do believe that this is a law that would
force us to be in a position of non compliance
day one, and we can't operate in the state if
that is what the law would do to our business,
and so we are very much interested in working with
lawmakers to ensure that we get this right before the
end of the session.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Adam, with the thirty seconds we have left, is there
any concerns that if uber does pull out, other right
share companies will just take over the profits of what
we see in our state.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, our position is that this is just something
that we can't comply with. We can't speak for other companies,
but we think it would be very onerous legally for
others to actually comply with the rules that are written.
But honestly, our our main concern is getting this Bill
right so that we can continue to operate and serve
folks and adhere to Colorado privacy laws and enhance safety.
(05:45):
And we think that that is quite feasible.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Uber's Adam Blinnock joining us on why the right Share
Company may leave Colorado because of legislation
Uber, warning that it may leave Colorado depending on the
passing of a ride share safety bill requiring mandatory dash cameras,
audio recordings of brides, even a ban on driving after
using marijuana.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Uber official state that a bill is impossible to enforce
and may force them to shut down service in the
state if passed. Joining us now on the koa Common
Spirit Health hotline to discuss as Uber spokesperson Adam blinnek
and Adam, I was just curious, what is not fulfilling
with this bill? Why does this bill go too far
(00:31):
or not have the intended effect of safety?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I appreciate appreciate you having me on rob. The first
thing I say is we can sit safety very seriously,
and there's a lot in this bill that we think
is very well intentioned and that we would like to
continue to work with the authors to improve. But as
was said in the lead up to this, there are
things in here that we simply cannot comply with, and
(00:55):
also things in here that we think just compromise individuals privacy. So,
just as an example, one of the new features of
this bill is mandating audio and video recording. These are
features that we've actually already built and we've done so
in a way that complies with Colorado privacy law. Riders
have the choice to record audio record any right through
(01:15):
our app, and drivers have the ability to audio and
video record. This not only mandates that it has to
happen on every trip, but it would also put uber
legally on the hook should there be any interruption of
that recording, say the phone dies or it's not in
a good self service area. It would also make us
legally liable in the event that the driver do something
(01:38):
as minor as offer a passenger a bottle of water.
And so it's just impossible for us to operate in
the market. We were taking on so much risk and
liability for things that we simply cannot control for.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
And just if a quick follow up the co op
colraad or ride share that's trying to get going here
in this state, they are mandating though audio and video recordings.
Why is that such a burden?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, I mentioned before, we actually already have built in
that functionality, so every trip has the ability to be
recorded in Colorado right now, you know, in our conversations
with privacy and safety experts, we know that that is
not the best practice to mandate that happens. We think
that that is something that should be empowering riders and
drivers to choose to do if it makes them feel safer.
(02:23):
So we don't think it is the best practice. We
think it is not in line with Colorado Privacy Act
that was signed into law in twenty twenty one. But
beyond just our position on privacy, as I mentioned before,
the real problem is we cannot be in compliance with
this law if we are responsible for things that might
happen in the car that we can't control. For like
(02:43):
a driver offering their customer a bottle of water or
other refreshments, which I'm sure you've experienced anew but sometimes
a driver is just trying to enhance the service that
they provide. This act wants to stop that from being allowed.
We can inform drivers they're not allowed to do that,
but we can't be liable if an individual or to
(03:04):
actually do that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
When this ride share Safety Bill was proposed, Uber said
in a statement that we fully support smart, effective policies
that enhance writers safety. So Adam, going off of that,
are there any demands in this bill that are realistic
that could help to improve Uber safety?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, there's we think that there is cloud ability here
that we can work with. I mean, really even in
the auto video recording. While right now there is no
law in place for requiring companies to actually offer that technology,
would we support that. We think that that is very
sensible and that it is at a feature that couldn't
(03:41):
make drivers and riders to feel safer. What is interesting
about this law though, is it's not particularly far reaching.
It's far reaching as it applies to us and makes
it very difficult for us to operate, but it does
carve out taxis, it does carve out other commercial operators
in the space, So it's really targeting only a few
companies in a way that really, if it's about safety,
(04:03):
it should be done in a way that can be
implemented and really across the whole transportation system.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
There might be lawmakers out there that think, maybe you're
maybe Uber is playing chicken. You're making a lot of
noise right now, But Colorado would be a valuable state
to you with major metropolitan areas. To people who think
maybe you're just having a threat and it doesn't come
with a punch, what would you say.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Well, it says this is not a decision that we
would take lightly. There are tens of thousands of Coloradoms
that rely on the platform for earning opportunities. We're an
important safe right option for hundreds of thousands of Coloradoms
that rely on the platform. And you know, we have
a business now that really helps people get to health
appointments transit. We serve the military basis in Colorado. This
(04:52):
is not something that we want to do, but we
really do believe that this is a law that would
force us to be in a position of non compliance
day one, and we can't operate in the state if
that is what the law would do to our business,
and so we are very much interested in working with
lawmakers to ensure that we get this right before the
end of the session.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Adam, with the thirty seconds we have left, is there
any concerns that if uber does pull out, other right
share companies will just take over the profits of what
we see in our state.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, our position is that this is just something
that we can't comply with. We can't speak for other companies,
but we think it would be very onerous legally for
others to actually comply with the rules that are written.
But honestly, our our main concern is getting this Bill
right so that we can continue to operate and serve
folks and adhere to Colorado privacy laws and enhance safety.
(05:45):
And we think that that is quite feasible.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Uber's Adam Blinnock joining us on why the right Share
Company may leave Colorado because of legislation
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