IN an effort to raise safety standards in the UK, ride-hailing firm Ola has launched the Ride Safe UK initiative. The company will invest around £20 million in the UK under the programme. It work with UK innovators and experts in public safety to ensure that initiatives represent best practice in safety and mobility.
Ola drivers will clean and disinfect cars between each ride, in a first of its kind initiative in the UK as part of Ride Safe UK.
Ola will invest £50 million over the next 12 months globally to increase safety standards.
The four priority areas under the Ride Safe UK initiative will be driver safety and standards, industry-wide initiatives, technology and innovation and vehicle standards.
According to a statement, riders and drivers must wear a non-medical face covering for the duration of the journey and carry an alcohol-based hand sanitiser and use it before and after getting in the car.
Riders are advised to keep the car ventilated by winding down the windows, and the AC will not be set to recirculate.
“The launch of Ride Safe UK and the introduction of the new Ola safety guidelines will see riders and drivers working together to protect each other and the community as the UK gets moving," said Marc Rozendal, Ola’s UK Managing Director.
"Ride Safe UK, and our investment behind it, demonstrates our long-term commitment and focus on raising safety standards across the industry. In the current environment this is more important than ever.”
Both drivers and riders must confirm that they agree to all aspects of the Ola Safety Guidelines at the start of each trip. If riders or drivers feel their counterpart has failed to uphold the guidelines, they have the option to cancel the ride, said a company statement.
The new Ola Safety Guidelines complement and build on the launch of TfL’s new mandatory requirements.
Recently, Ola has rolled out an in-app “tipping” functionality for drivers across the globe, which the driver can retain in full.
Bobby Bawa