MUNDS PARK, AZ — An Arizona man supplementing his income as an Uber driver says a rideshare route the company put him on left him with extensive vehicle damage, and on a road he shouldn't have been traveling.
Last Tuesday, Uber driver Tiernan Curl said he picked up passengers in Munds Park with the destination set in Sedona, which was estimated to be about a 15 or 20-minute drive.
He said his usually reliable Uber GPS took him along Schnebly Hill instead of Interstate 17 toward Sedona. After a leisurely drive through the first part of the roadway, he discovered too late that Schnebly Hill is intended only for off-road vehicles.
Beyond the area where he would be able to turn around, Curl was driving the passenger in his brand-new 2025 Hyundai Venue, resulting in various points of damage to his vehicle.
"It was terrifying," Curl said.
Curl says his passengers stayed calm and were understanding about the rough ride, but it was something that he hadn't encountered before in his multiple years as a rideshare driver.
Despite the trouble, his passengers gave him a five-star review — and an extra tip for his troubles.
After the incident, Curl reached out to Uber to let them know what had happened.
“They didn’t really have an answer for me,” Curl said about his conversation with Uber, about how he was put on an OHV trail. "I think they should own up to what their tech does or where it routes people...it could have been worse."
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office said this has reportedly happened more than once, and Curl was told that search-and-rescue crews have even been called to help.
