Driver competency and reporting requirements

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Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to explain the procedural steps Ola undertakes, to monitor driver’s eligibility to utilise the Ola platform to perform rideshare services.

Eligibility criteria 

Ola requires driver’s to acknowledge that they fulfil the eligibility criteria as detailed in their Driver’s agreement and remain in compliance with all applicable laws when undertaking transport services utilising the Ola platform. 

Drivers may only use the Ola platform if they:

  • have a valid driver licence
  • have all the accreditation or permits required by the applicable laws and regulations 
  • meet all the requirements of the applicable regulator body of the jurisdiction the driver is operating in, for example in Western Australia, the regulatory body is the Department of Transport (DoT)
  • the driver must have valid registration and insurance for all vehicles the driver uses to conduct rideshare services
  • the driver must have all the required visa permits and necessary approvals to be able to legally work in Australia and New Zealand.

Portal checks

As part of the monitoring process to ensure that drivers remain eligible to utilise the Ola platform, authorised Ola officers will conduct a check of the applicable regulatory portal.

The  portal is an online platform that can be accessed by an individual or booking service provider  to access information related to accreditation and registration. Some jurisdictions have public portal platforms. For example in Queensland, the Tmr Portal is open for any individual to access. However, in Western Australia, access to the  DoTDirect portal requires secure login details.

While the type of information available from each portal may differ, generally, portal checks can be accessed to verify the following information:

  • the driver’s authority or accreditation 
  • view active registrations
  • update contact information.

Valid licence

All drivers must ensure that their licence is valid at all times when conducting rideshare services.

Driving while unlicensed is a serious offence. If a driver is driving while unlicensed, they may face hefty fines for doing so, especially if they are involved in an accident.

Ola has a zero tolerance for any driver utilising the Ola platform at any time without a valid licence and in such instances will permanently remove a driver from the platform. 

Driver authority 

At all times, drivers must hold a valid driver authority and registration to perform rideshare services. 

Under no circumstances is a driver to utilise the Ola platform unless they hold the applicable valid authority with respect to the jurisdiction they are conducting rideshare services in.  The applicable regulations sets out a number of offences relating to authorisation or accreditation and registration of industry participants. 

A driver must:

  • immediately notify Ola of any suspension or cancellation of their driver authority, licence or vehicle registration
  • not provide rideshare services with a vehicle that is not registered as one
  • not accept bookings from an unregistered Booking Service Provider
  • not share their Ola account with another individual 
  • display the Ola sticker in accordance with the applicable law, when driving on the Ola platform
  • carry their driver authority when driving
  • produce their driver authority when requested by an official such as a Compliance Officer or Police Officer
  • notify the applicable regulatory body if they change any of their details for example their address
  • not conduct rideshare services if their accreditation is suspended or cancelled.

Safety obligations

Drivers must cooperate with Ola with respect to any action that is taken to comply with requirements under the law applicable in each jurisdiction. 

This may include, training and the implementation of policies or procedures  that relate to the management of driver fatigue, drug and alcohol use, driver competency or medical fitness.

Medical conditions

Drivers providing rideshare services must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of their passengers or members of the public, that may be affected by their actions.

Drivers must notify Ola of any changes in medical conditions that may affect their fitness to drive rideshare and comply with any related conditions or restrictions imposed by their treating medical practitioner and by Ola.

Insurance

Drivers should know and follow the law as it applies to providing a rideshare service.

A driver can only use a vehicle to provide rideshare services if the vehicle:

  • is insured with the applicable cover required by the relevant jurisdiction
  • is roadworthy 
  • is registered with Ola as the vehicle to be utilised for this purpose
  • displays the Ola sticker when used for rideshare.

Reporting of incidents

Drivers have a safety duty to notify Ola and the applicable regulatory body within 24 hours of any incident related to the provision of rideshare services resulting in:

  • the death of any person
  • the serious injury of any person
  • attendance by police
  • attendance by a health or medical professional
  • where a person is taken in an ambulance.

Further information

If you have any questions or comments regarding anything in this document or if you require further information, you can email us at legalanz@olacabs.com.