8,000 aspiring Uber and Lyft drivers fail state background check

(credit: Adam Fagen)

More than 8,000 Massachusetts residents who want to drive for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft won't be allowed to, because they didn't pass a new background check system that operates in that state.

Most were rejected because they had suspended licenses or hadn't been driving for long enough to qualify, according to a report on the matter in The Boston Globe. But hundreds had committed serious crimes, including violent crimes and sexual crimes. 51 applicants were registered sex offenders. Others had convictions for drunk driving or reckless driving.

The checks came about because Massachusetts passed a new law regulating ride-sharing companies, which required a background check run by the state government, in addition to the companies' own background checks. The state checks began in January, and the results were announced yesterday. Out of the 70,789 drivers who went through the state application process, 8,206 were rejected.

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