Charles McDonald thought he would spend CMA Fest weekend driving for Uber as a way to make some extra money and meet new people who were in Nashville from out of town. Instead, someone ended up using a pen to write the "N-word" on the back of his seat.
Uber initially offered him $20 to have the seat fixed.
"They didn't show any compassion about it at all," the 34-year-old said during an interview on Tuesday.
McDonald, who has spent the last two years driving for Uber, said he then took his Dodge Charger to a representative of the company who instructed him to get an estimate to repair the damage upholstery then contact the company again.
He said it's still unclear who wrote the racist epithet on his driver's side seat. McDonald only discovered the 'N-word' had been written on his seat after a passenger found it later in the night.
"It's pretty hurtful. This person couldn't say it to my face. They were too scared to look me in the eye and make this gesture. Instead, they wrote it on the back of my seat where I couldn't see it," McDonald added.
Unsure of whether Uber will fully pay for the damage, McDonald has started a gofundme account to have his car fixed.
Uber released the following statement:
“What this driver has experienced is highly offensive. Uber does not tolerate any form of discrimination. We have been in touch with the driver to offer our support and continue to investigate.”
