ATLANTA — Rideshare company Uber has announced it is launching a new rider verification program and testing it in Atlanta.

According to the announcement, Uber was creating a verification badge for riders in response to the company’s drivers “consistently telling] Uber they want to know more about who is getting in their vehicle.”

The rider verification program is supposed to help confirm that riders for Uber pickups are who they say they are, the company said.

Verified riders from the program will have what Uber calls a badge. Drivers will be able to see the badge, which will tell them the rider has undergone extra verification steps.

For the program, Uber said they plan to review account details like names and phone numbers, then cross-check them with a third-party database.

Additionally, the company said most rider accounts will become verified without additional actions by users. They’ll have the option to upload a copy of their government ID such as a driver’s license, passport or other documents to be verified.

Once verified, a badge will be added to their rider profile, Uber said.

Drivers can see the badge on the Uber app when deciding to accept a trip, which Uber said gives them another tool to empower them and make informed decisions on who they take into their vehicles.

“Strengthening rider verification has been a top request from drivers across the country,” Roger Kaiser, Head of Safety at Uber, said. “This new verification process and verified rider badge are important steps to help provide drivers with more peace of mind while they are out on the road.

“We are committed to making Uber an even safer and more trusted place to ride and drive, and we look forward to hearing feedback on this pilot from users.”

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