Report: Uber to Require Drivers, Riders to Wear Face CoveringsAs countries begin to relax lockdown measures, Uber ramps up its safety measures.

ByStephanie Mlot

This story originally appeared onPC Mag

via PC Mag

Uber drivers and passengers may soon be required to wear a face mask to travel; the ridesharing firm is reportedly developing technology to detect whether chauffeurs are wearing face coverings before accepting trips.

The new policy — approved last week,according to an anonymous CNN Business source— is expected to roll out "in the coming weeks." Uber has not yet made an official announcement, and did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

Uber's existing "Real-Time ID Check" feature (recently launched in the UK)已经验证授权通过selfies一个司机d biometric data. It's unclear, however, whether the new technology will be part of this check or introduced as a separate function, and how Uber will hold riders accountable. "As countries reopen, Uber is focused on safety and proceeding with caution," head of safety communications Andrew Hasbun told CNN Business. "Today, we continue to ask riders to stay home if they can, while shipping safety supplies to drivers who are providing essential trips. At the same time, our teams are preparing for the next phase of recovery, where we will all have a role to play."

Once formally established, the policy will require drivers and delivery workers to wear "some kind of face covering," CNN said: a surgical mask, a homemade cotton cowl, a bandana, etc. Last month, Uber began shipping masks and disinfectant spray to employees, prioritizing those in areas that previously requested drivers cover their face. "We'll communicate updates directly to users when ready," Hasbun said. "But in the meantime, we continue to urge all riders and drivers to wear masks or face coverings when using Uber."

Ridesharing has taken a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people stay home and avoid confined spaces with strangers. Rival Lyft last weekstruck the first blow, laying off 17 percent of its workforce: The company terminated some 982 jobs, furloughed another 288 people and is reducing salaries of remaining staff. And Uber may be next,according to The Information, which recently revealed possible plans to cut about 20 percent of employees (more than 5,400 workers).

Wavy Line
Stephanie Mlot

Reporter at PCMag

Stephanie began as aPCMagreporter in May 2012. She moved to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) with a degree in journalism and mass communications.

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