Friday, June 25, 2021 

Man Charged in Murder and Carjacking of Chicago Rideshare Driver Javier Ramos

Uber and Lyft Drivers Guild Welcomes New Charges and New City Bill Introduced Today to Help Drivers 

Chicago, IL — Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a man has been charged in federal court with carjacking and murdering Javier Ramos, the rideshare driver who was killed in Chicago in March. Ramos was killed in the midst of a spate of carjackings across Chicago using ride-hail apps to lure in victims.

“We are thankful for the efforts of the law enforcement community in tracking down the killer of Javier Ramos. This is an important first step toward justice. While this won’t bring Javi back to his family, these federal charges are a critical step toward accountability and we hope they send a message to all the carjackers who have been victimizing gig workers across our city,” said Lenny Sanchez, long-time Chicago rideshare driver and co-founder of the Illinois chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild.

In other news, on Friday, Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly introduced new legislation to cap rideshare company fees, set minimum pay and fund safety measures for rideshare drivers. The legislation comes in response to ongoing discussions with drivers in the Independent Drivers Guild. 

“Uber and Lyft have been fleecing riders and drivers for years by taking bigger and bigger cuts of each fare while drivers are paid less. Drivers have been demanding a cap on app fees, safety protections and fair pay for years and we are excited to see a proposal introduced”, said Brendan Sexton Executive Director of IDG.

“By capping the app company fees, we can protect riders and drivers alike from unfair fees and keep more of our hard earned money right here in Chicago in our local economy. We have been working closely with Alderman Reilly and his team to find solutions that will protect the hard working drivers who keep Chicago moving. As we continue to study the details of the bill, we look forward to continuing to work with the Alderman and with City Council,” Mark Smithivas, Chicago rideshare driver and organizer with the Independent Drivers Guild of Illinois.

The Independent Drivers Guild is the nation’s largest driver advocacy organization, representing more than 250,000 app-based drivers in Illinois, New York, New Jersey and New England. Learn more about the IL chapter of the Guild and its driver safety campaign at IDGActNow.org.

Media Contact: Press@driversguild.org