Delivery driver shot on Chicago's West Side; union says drivers are quitting over safety worries
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A delivery driver was shot in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood Wednesday night, as we track an increase in violence targeting rideshare and delivery drivers across Chicago.
We are told the driver was doing OK late Thursday and was expected to recover. But with more and more such incidents, the organization that represents delivery drivers says people are quitting.
Chicago Police said the 38-year-old driver was dropping off food just after 8:30 p.m., in the 4200 block of West Hirsch Street, when he was approached by three men.
One of the offenders fired shots as he was getting into his car, grazing his back.
He drove himself to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.
"I throw my hands up in the air. I'm in disgust," And I'm like, it's another day, it's another driver," said Lenny Sanchez, who leads the Illinois Chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild. "What we believe is going on is that we we're being targeted."
Chicago Police recently warned about seven armed robberies targeting rideshare drivers in the North Austin and Galewood neighborhoods – also on the West Side – back in December.
Three rideshare drivers have also been killed in Chicago since November, and another was critically injured.
"We had to create something to bring awareness," said Sanchez.
Sanchez said the guild has started distributing a "Chicago Driver Safety Alert" to drivers because of the spike in violence - a lot of it, again, on the city's West Side.
"Drivers are deciding to no longer work evenings or certain neighborhoods," Sanchez said.
Crime data involving or targeting rideshare and delivery drivers is not readily available, but the guild it's worse - and they're working with Chicago Police to target the violence.
The violence, Sanchez said, will ultimately impact more than just rideshare and delivery drivers.
"Drivers in the community and in our chats have just now decided to hang up their boots. They're no longer going to go out there and do this job anymore," Sanchez said. "The fear factor has completely outweighed the reward, so they're no longer going to take the risk."
Uber released this statement in response to the violence that has happened lately:
"Violence is far too prevalent in communities across the country. Uber is not immune to these societal tragedies, which is why we've made safety a cornerstone of the Uber experience. We are constantly building features that help enhance safety, like the Safety Toolkit, in-app audio recording, and Emergency Button, which enables drivers to contact emergency services with just a couple of taps. We've also been making meaningful changes to the app, like freezing rider accounts with fake names and requiring ID for certain riders. Last year, we announced plans to further expand the verification of rider identities and inform drivers when they're picking up verified riders. Safety at Uber never stops, and our commitment to always raising the bar remains unwavering."
Uber also emphasized that serious incidents are rare on the Uber platform – but nonetheless, they offer numerous safety measures for both drivers and riders.
Lyft issued this statement on safety:
"Safety is fundamental to Lyft. We have a dedicated, around the clock safety response team, as well as a partnership with ADT to aid in emergencies, and work with leading national organizations to inform our safety policies. We know there is more work to do and are always looking for ways to improve."