Dallas Says Uber Driver Accused of Assault Used Phony Permit

Dallas city officials are wanting answers from the popular ride-sharing service Uber after the CBS 11 I-Team discovered an Uber driver, accused of raping a passenger, used a fake Dallas city permit.

Uber requires that drivers pass records checks.

Meanwhile, court records show that the driver, 56-year-old Talal Ali Chammout of Plano, in recent years served time in federal prison for being a felon in possession of dozens of guns. If you’re in Dallas, there should be a Transportation For Hire permit visible if the driver is registered with the city. Syed says city officials don’t know how Chammout got a permit with a number that had belonged to a different driver and expired in 2010.

She also said that Dallas allows Uber to use its databases to help verify drivers, but it’s unclear if Uber did so in the case of Chammout.

Another Uber spokeswoman, Debbie Hancock, said Monday in an emailed statement that the company is “still investigating this bad situation”. The city of Dallas is saying it never would’ve allowed Chammout behind the wheel – but somehow Uber did.

As you’re likely well aware, Uber has had to deal with a plethora of incidents over the years – many of them incredibly violent.

Other drivers working for Uber in cities such as Philadelphia and Boston have been accused of rape by customers.

The city of Dallas and Uber now disagree on whether he was licensed to drive for the company. She said the company and the city have had a working relationship since the 2013 blowup.