Uber admits error in Syracuse rideshare pickup incident
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)—A Facebook post describing a disturbing rideshare incident in Syracuse has gained a lot of attention. The Syracuse Police Department has opened an active investigation, and Uber sent NewsChannel 9 a former response.
In the post, the author claimed that she and four friends were picked up by a rideshare driver after celebrating a birthday, only to be taken to an unfamiliar location. According to the post, the driver refused to let the group out, which led the driver and the five friends to argue with each other until they were eventually brought to the correct location.
Syracuse Police say they met with the women involved around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23, and a formal report was filed. The department says there is no evidence of criminal behavior and no credible threat to the public, but the investigation is ongoing.
Uber later confirmed to NewsChannel 9 that one of the women in the group had requested a ride, but the group apparently entered the wrong vehicle of a different Uber driver.
'This report is alarming,' an Uber spokesperson said. 'Riders should always match important trip details, like the license plate, make and model of the vehicle, and driver's name with the app before they enter the vehicle.'
The company also pointed to several safety features built into the Uber app, including:
An emergency button with 911 integration
Real-time trip tracking and sharing
RideCheck alerts for unexpected stops or possible crashes
On-trip safety reporting
Live assistance from safety agents via ADT
Audio recording and GPS tracking during trips
Syracuse Police continue to investigate and encourage anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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