Background checks for ride-share companies Uber and Lyft will begin one year ahead of schedule, as part of the immediate implementation of the most stringent ride-for-hire background check system in the country, according to Governor Charlie Baker’s administration.
Uber and Lyft agreed to move forward ahead of schedule, beginning background checks on January 6 and finishing the process by April 3, 2017. “This was our way of trying to make sure this happened a lot sooner and a lot more quickly than it might have otherwise,” Baker said. “[It’s] the most comprehensive background check in the country for Uber, Lyft, and Bridj drivers, and we should be justifiably proud of it.”
Despite the stringent background checks, ride-share drivers in Massachusetts are not subject to mandatory fingerprint checks, unlike taxicabs.
