Uber wants to be a traffic data hub for the Hub.
Uber, which has been criticized in the past for its "God view" tool that tracks customers, is trying to turn that information into a public relations asset via a data-sharing arrangement with the city of Boston.
Under the deal, the ride-hailing company would provide the city with quarterly reports on the amount of time spent in the cars, the zip codes travled in, and the dates and times of the trips. All the information will be anonymous, according to Uber.
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Uber says the data will help Boston -- and possibly other cities in the future -- with traffic planning, reduction of congestion and the impact of disasters and other events on city transportation. The deal marks the first time that Uber has shared such data. Earlier this month, the state of Massachusetts formally recognized Uber and Lyft as official modes of transportation in the state.
If other cities follow Boston's lead, Uber might be able to start creating good will with municipal governments, some of which (like Portland's) have opposed Uber's operation in their cities.
The move comes after Uber's "God view" became a PR nightmare for the company in November. Reports emerged that the company used a complete record of a BuzzFeed journalist's trips to track her whereabouts. That report came on the heels of another PR disaster for Uber, in which Senior Vice President of Business Emil Michael floated the idea of using a $1 million fund to track journalists who were critical of the company. Michael, who is still with the company, said he believed his comments were off the record at the time.
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