Travel restrictions might be lifted off but it isn’t exactly the same anymore. People have made ‘social distancing’ and ‘sanitization’ a part of their lifestyle. It has trickled down to the cab services as well as they have adopted new practices in order to comply with the norms of ‘social distancing’. As a part of RideSafeIndia initiative launched recently, Ola has announced its initiative towards ensuring superior vehicle standards for Ola Autos thereby increasing access to safe and convenient mobility solutions.
More details
All Ola Autos on the platform will be fitted with a protective partition screen between the driver-partner and passenger section as an additional layer of protection to ensure physical separation. Ola has set up a network of over 100 fumigation centres across the country to enable mandatory fumigation for all vehicles every 48 hours.
With the safety of the customers and drivers being the topmost priority, Ola is committed to investing in this category and ensuring the hygiene protocols and screens are being used across all the 120+ cities where Ola Autos operate in. With social distancing being the order of the day, Ola Auto allows the customers to avail services at their doorstep making commuting convenient and hassle-free for all. As part of its RideSafeIndia initiative, Ola has enhanced cleanliness protocols, implemented vehicle sanitisation practices and incorporated technological advancements, for Ola Autos at no extra charge. Ola’s proprietary selfie authentication technology will also ensure that driver-partners are wearing masks while serving on the platform. Ola Autos also enable drivers to follow social distancing as they do not have to come in proximity to crowds at demand hotspots or auto-stands.
The company continues to drive ‘5 layers of safety’ across all Ola Auto rides, which requires both driver-partners and passengers to compulsorily wear masks, regular health checks for driver-partners and sanitization of the exposed parts of the vehicle before every ride. All Ola Auto drivers are equipped with hygiene kits consisting of masks, sanitisers and cleaning equipment. To ensure the highest standards of hygiene and safety on every ride, all autos are fumigated thrice a week. A flexible cancellation policy has also been introduced to allow either party to cancel the ride if the other is not adhering to the guidelines.
Anand Subramanian, Spokesperson for Ola, said, “Being ubiquitous to India, Auto-Rickshaws are one of the most economical and widely used means to commute in our country. With these added safety measures for Ola Auto, both driver-partners and citizens are assured of a comfortable and safe ride. Ola’s five layers of safety brings the assurance of a high-quality ride, with the affordability and access of Ola Auto as a preferred first and last-mile mobility solution.”
Complying with State government regulations, Ola Autos will operate with no more than one driver and two passengers. All these changes and the added cost of sanitizing and preventive measures might make the affordable rides not so affordable anymore.
Also read: Ola Could Launch An Electric Scooter With A 240 km Range Next Year
In other news, Ola Electric Mobility Pvt Ltd (Ola Electric) recently announced the acquisition of Etergo BV, an innovative electric scooter OEM, based out of Amsterdam. With this acquisition, Ola Electric also announced its entry into the premium electric two-wheeler market, both globally and nationally.