We recently wrote that Uber was soon going to require drivers and passengers to wear masks during Uber rides in the U.S. This is to help decrease the spread of COVID-19 in a car, which is a small, enclosed place where it’s impossible to maintain proper social distancing.
As it turns out, the new rule is not limited just to the U.S. It’ll also be in Mexico, India, France, and most countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, wherever Uber operates in those countries.
The one question was how Uber planned to ensure everyone in the car was wearing a mask. Well, now we know.
Uber has now outlined the guidelines for face coverings: “Everyone riding, driving, and delivering on Uber’s platform must wear a face cover or mask. We are not requiring surgical masks or N95 respirators, which are in short supply and should be conserved for healthcare workers. When wearing a face cover or mask, make sure it covers your face from the bridge of your nose down to your chin. Face covers can be made of cloth, should cover the mouth and nose, and be secured to your face.”
Accountability for Drivers
Before a driver can go online to drive, they’ll be asked to confirm, via Uber’s new Go Online Checklist, that they’re wearing a mask or face cover. Uber will then verify this by asking the driver to take a selfie. After they verify the driver is covering his/her face, they’ll let the rider know via the Uber app.
Accountability for Passengers
Using the Go Online Checklist, riders will also be asked to confirm they’ve taken certain precautions such as washing or sanitizing their hands before they can ride. Riders must also agree to sit in the back seat and open windows for ventilation. They will also be asked to verify they’re wearing a mask by taking a selfie wearing it. Uber will let the driver know via the app.
Enforcement
From Uber:
If you ever feel unsafe or if a rider is not wearing a face cover or mask, you can cancel the trip and report it to Uber’s support team by selecting “No face cover or mask” as your cancellation reason. Cancellations for these reasons will not count towards your cancellation rate.
The same goes for drivers who are not wearing a mask – riders can cancel the trip without penalty.
Drivers and riders who repeatedly violate mask policies risk losing access to Uber.
So essentially, it’s a tattletale system. Not exactly what I was expecting, but as long as everyone plays by the rules, it should work out OK.
Speaking of playing by the rules, Uber did remind both drivers and riders in the description of this new policy that rejecting requests for discriminatory reasons violates Uber’s Community Guidelines. Because some people suck.
#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
