Uber and Lyft have started providing financial relief to drivers who are unable to work because of a COVID-19 diagnosis or quarantine order, but the virus can also be transmitted by those who aren’t showing symptoms of the disease.īecause drivers get paid only for the trips they take, drivers who may suspect they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 but who still feel healthy or aren’t displaying symptoms might choose to continue working, Campbell says. “The CDC recommendation is to stay 6 feet away from someone, but when someone gets into the back of your car, it’s pretty much impossible to follow that rule,” he says.Īnd if a driver gets sick, there’s a chance he or she can spread the virus to passengers, and vice versa. If you ride in an Uber or a Lyft, use hand sanitizer immediately after exiting the car if you have it, and wash your hands as soon as you can.Įven more important than the cleanliness of the cars used for Uber and Lyft is the health of the people who drive them, Campbell says. When CR looked into the availability of these supplies, we found that drivers may have to travel a great distance to find a service center that’s providing masks and sanitizers, which are available only in limited quantities. In addition, some drivers have told Campbell’s podcast that they have not been able to access the cleaning supplies and protective equipment that are supposed to be available to them. “Some drivers are doing a great job, but others are not,” he told CR. Harry Campbell, founder and CEO of “The Rideshare Guy,” a blog and podcast dedicated to ride-hailing services, says that because the responsibility to clean cars is left up to individual drivers, riders might not know how well the car they’re taking has been cleaned. Drivers should not help passengers load luggage or belongings, either.īoth Lyft and Uber say they are providing masks and cleaning supplies to drivers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean cars are clean. Passengers in any shared vehicle should also ensure that the driver has the vehicle’s air vents set to fresh air, not recirculation-and to lower windows. In addition, Uber says it will enforce the CDC recommendation that passengers should sit only in the rear seat of a ride hailing vehicle, and will limit the number of passengers in a vehicle to three. Lyft does not yet have a similar rule in place, but a Lyft spokeswoman told CR that the company has "made drivers aware that it’s required by law to wear a face covering in certain regions."
Uber says that drivers will have to take a photo of themselves wearing a mask before starting work.
Neither offers rides shared between passengers who do not know each other, such as UberPool and Lyft Line.Īs of May 18, Uber will require both drivers and passengers to wear face coverings or masks during rides anywhere in the U.S. Although Uber and Lyft continue to operate in most areas, both companies are encouraging would-be riders to stay home if they can.
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