Uber to require passengers to provide face covering selfies before boarding
SAN FRANCISCO - Mask slackers will now have to provide photographic proof they’re wearing a face covering before boarding an Uber.
The San Francisco-based company unveiled a new policy Tuesday stipulating that if a driver reports to Uber that a rider wasn’t wearing a mask, the rider will have to provide Uber with a selfie with one strapped on the next time they summon a car on the world’s largest ride-hailing service.
Travelers wearing protective suits, facemasks, face shields and gloves walk past an Uber pick up area August 20, 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California. - Rideshare service rivals Uber and Lyft were given a temporary rep
RELATED: Uber to require drivers and riders to wear face masks beginning May 18
The mask verification rule expands upon a similar requirement that Uber imposed on its drivers in May to help reassure passengers worried about being exposed to the novel coronavirus that has upended society. Now, Uber believes it’s time to help make its drivers feel safer, too.
The requirement will roll out in the U.S. and Canada later this month before coming to other parts of the world.
The additional safety measures are part of Uber’s ongoing efforts to rebuild a service that has seen ridership plunge this year. People have been seeking to minimize the chances of becoming sick and and also have had fewer reasons to go anywhere, with offices, bars, restaurants and nightclubs closed through much of the U.S. and other parts of the world.
The adverse conditions caused the number of trips on Uber during its most recent quarter to plunge by 56% from the previous year.
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