I don't think Uber's model is necessarily conducive to this, but with small private hire firms it is likely that any case like this would bankrupt them so they may be more careful about drivers they take on. Uber has scale, but that also divorces it from the effects of "one bad apple".

Also, while I agree that taxi drivers are no better than any group - if you've paid for a medallion I doubt you would waste all that on committing a crime like this.

Running an unlicensed cab - now that is a dodgy bunch of people that no-one should get in a car with.