With the government easing some restrictions in the fourth phase of the lockdown in place till May 31, taxi aggregators are hoping to restart businesses in more places across the country. With cities likely to reopen and citizens likely to step out to travel, Uber India announced a range of COVID-19 specific safety features amid the lockdown. 

Uber India has introduced interactive ‘Go Online Checklist’ for both riders and drivers, a mandatory mask policy for riders and drivers, pre-trip mask verification selfies for drivers, and an updated post-trip feedback mechanism and a new cancellation policy. 

With the new ‘Go Online Checklist,’ before a driver can go online, they will be asked to confirm that they’ve taken certain safety measures and are wearing a face mask. A similar checklist has been built for customers as well. Before every trip, customers must confirm that they have taken precautions such as wearing a face mask and washing or sanitizing their hands. 

Before drivers are able to start accepting trips, they will be asked to take a selfie with a mask on. The app will verify whether the driver is wearing a mask.

Drivers and riders can cancel trips if they don’t feel safe, including if a user is not wearing a mask or a face cover. The app will also have new options for feedback including if a rider or driver is not wearing a mask or face cover.

Moreover, to maintain social distancing during rides, Uber has advised riders not to sit in the front seat. Only two riders will be allowed in a car and they’ll have to sit in the rear seat. 

Uber also stated in a release that it will be working with global and local public health authorities and has safety tips and recommendations that will be sent to all riders and drivers. 

“Over the last two months, our global tech and safety product teams have been hard at work building a new, product experience for riders and drivers. Today, as India eases its lockdown, it’s important we take all necessary precautions to help keep ourselves safe and to make the next trip safer for all. These new features and policies have been rolled out globally, and we will keep enhancing and revising them as needed to ensure a safer product experience for all,” said Sachin Kansal, Global Senior Director of Product Management at Uber, while announcing the new features at a virtual press briefing on Monday.