Don't Forget Your Mask - Uber Requiring Drivers and Passengers To Wear Face Coverings Starting Monday
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — More and more businesses are requiring employees to wear masks at work amid the coronavirus outbreak. For Uber drivers, the requirement goes for both them and their passengers.
Starting Monday, the rideshare company is making face coverings or masks mandatory for everyone riding or driving with Uber. The face cover must cover from the bridge of your nose down to your chin.
Drivers are now required to take a selfie on the app so Uber can verify they have a mask before they can go online and start driving. If they do not have a mask, the app will not allow them to start picking up riders.
Uber said they have bought more than 23 million masks for drivers and shopped them to their homes. The company also said they're spending $50 million on disinfectant sprays, wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves and masks.
The same goes for the riders, who will be asked to confirm they have washed their hands and are wearing a face covering before every trip. Riders are also being asked to sit in the back seat with open windows for ventilation.
Uber also said drivers are encouraged to cancel rides if they don't feel safe, including if a person isn't wearing a mask. Riders can also report and cancel rides without penalty if their driver isn't following the guidelines.
Drivers who repeatedly violate the mask requirement may get kicked off the app.