Uber to require riders and drivers wear masks to reduce coronavirus risks

Uber and Lyft hopes that the increasing use of face masks to deal with the coronavirus outbreak will make customers comfortable enough to use their ride-sharing services.

Uber will soon require both passengers and drivers to wear masks or face coverings in certain markets. The company told CNN that Uber would reveal the new policy in coming weeks. Uber did not mention exactly where the new modifications would apply.

Uber is also developing technology that would determine if a driver is wearing a mask or face covering before they start taking on trips, according to CNN. The company already has facial verification capabilities utilized for checking a driver’s identity. 

Lyft Inc said it has been in talking with the drivers to make sure they have guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to protect themselves, and a recommendation to use face coverings is included in the guidance.

“We have also ordered hundreds of thousands of cloth face coverings for drivers and have been making them available to drivers at zero cost to them,” a Lyft spokesperson stated. “We’ve made drivers aware that it’s required by law to wear a face covering in particular regions, and we’re prioritizing distribution in regions where additional guidance about face coverings has been provided.”

Many Uber and Lyft drivers have seen a significant decline in income as consumers stay home during the COVID-19 crisis. Some also have alleged the companies of holding up their unemployment benefits regardless of the fact that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act expanding unemployment aid to include gig workers.

About 1,234,351 people in the US have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 72,023 people in the country.