With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extending the lockdown with some easing of restrictions, ride-hailing company Ola has resumed operations in 100 cities in green and orange zones, and has also launched a new safety initiative.
Ola’s ‘10 Steps to a Safer Ride’ initiative outlines safety protocols for customers and driver partners. As a protocol, all rides will be driven only across the identified safe zones and to ensure every driver-partner adheres to the safety rules, a mandatory selfie authentication mechanism has been put into place before and after every ride.
Furthermore, all cars will be cleaned and sanitized after each ride and a flexible cancellation policy has also been introduced under which both the customer and driver-partner can cancel the ride if they feel the other party is not following the rules or not wearing a mask.
The initiative outlines five steps each for drivers and riders to ensure they practice social distancing, sanitization measures and personal hygiene etiquette at all times.
For driver-partners:
- No travel in red zones: Vehicles will not operate to and from government-identified red or containment zones.
- Selfie-authentication of drivers: All driver-partners are required to wear masks and need to authenticate this before the start of every ride by sharing a selfie through their partner app.
- Equipped with hygiene kits: Driver-partners will be provided with masks, sanitizers and disinfectants and can avail these at all walk-in centres across their cities.
- Cars to be cleaned regularly: Common surfaces like the handle, inner handle and seat to be cleaned before every ride.
- Flexible cancellations: Drivers and customers are being given the option of cancelling a ride if the other is not wearing a mask to ensure their own safety as well that of subsequent users.
For customers:
- Wearing a mask is compulsory: All customers boarding the cab need to wear masks and should sanitize before and after every ride.
- AC to be switched off: To avoid re-circulation of air, the AC will be switched off and windows will be kept open during all rides.
- 2 passengers per car: Only two passengers per ride will be allowed in the cab. They will also be urged to sit by the windows on the rear of the car.
- Load and unload luggage themselves: To help maintain social distancing, customers are urged to load and unload luggage themselves.
- Cashless payments: Customers are encouraged to make cashless payments for the rides to avoid any unnecessary contact.
Starting Monday, operations will be launched in a phased manner across these cities. Ola Emergency services across 15 cities continue to operate as per its existing protocol exclusively for trips to and from hospitals.