Driver Guidelines for COVID-19

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Driver Guidelines for COVID-19

Maintaining health and safety to minimise risk of COVID-19

Ola is committed to maintaining the health and safety of our drivers and riders and to provide a safe and quality service to minimise the risk of acquiring coronavirus (COVID-19). 

All drivers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to not harm the health and safety of others – each and every trip provided by drivers must be safe.

All Ola drivers are responsible for complying with this policy. 

Key policies

  1. All drivers must adhere to the Australian federal and state government guidelines on COVID-19 restrictions:
  2. All drivers must comply with recommended practices of the Australian Government Department of Health, SafeWork Australia and relevant state and territory Departments of Transport to minimise the risk of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19 including those relating to:
    • self-isolation and quarantine rules
    • personal hygiene practices
    • physical distancing rules
    • vehicle cleaning requirements
  3. These recommended practices apply before, during and after driving shifts. These practices are summarised below
  4. All drivers in Victoria are required to comply with Ola Driver COVIDSafe Plan as per requirements set by the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria
  5. In certain states and territories, contact tracing requirements are mandatory for drivers and riders whereby state-mandated QR codes must be used. These include:
  6. Ola may conduct random audit drivers to check whether drivers are complying to Ola’s policies using Ola’s audit tool.

Maintain isolation

  1. All drivers must isolate and cannot drive if:
    • they have COVID-19
    • they have been tested for COVID-19 and awaiting results
    • they show signs of COVID-19 or feel unwell
    • health authorities suspect they have COVID-19
    • they are subject to any other requirement to isolate
  2. Drivers must stay isolated until their public health authority advises them that they are safe to leave home. If drivers leave isolation without permission, drivers may face criminal charges or a fine by the authority. 
  3. Drivers must also notify Ola if they suspect that they are COVID-19 positive via their Ola driver app or email care.australia@olacabs.com
  4. Isolation means drivers:
    • must not leave their home except in an emergency or to get essential medical care
    • must not go into public places including work and shops
    • must not let any other person into their home unless the person lives with them and:
      • cannot live somewhere else
      • is providing medical care for them
      • is entering for an emergency.

Before starting shift

  1. QR code:
    • Drivers in states or territories which require mandatory QR code installation, use and check-in must ensure that the QR codes for their vehicles are installed and is:
      • visible
      • in a convenient location
      • in working order
      • if laminated, has been sanitised.
    • Drivers must check in prior to starting shift.
  2. Self-assessment: 
    • All drivers must self-assess at the time of logging on their Ola app before starting their shift for the day.
    • Drivers cannot drive if they are unwell (see Maintain Isolation section above).
  3. Deep clean: 
    • Deep clean means cleaning and disinfecting a surface:
      • cleaning means to physically remove germs (bacteria and viruses), dirt and grime from surfaces using a detergent and water solution; and
      • disinfecting means using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. Disinfectant chemicals are those labeled as “disinfectant” and include those with:
        • alcohol in a concentration of at least 70%
        • chlorine bleach in a concentration of 1000 parts per million
        • oxygen bleach, or wipes and sprays that contain quaternary ammonium compounds.
    • All drivers must deep clean their vehicle before starting their shift and follow the Australian Department of Health’s guidelines on environmental cleaning and disinfection in the community.
    • Drivers should use appropriate cleaning and disinfection products as required and comply with the packaging or manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that the products are used properly, safely and effectively.
    • For Victoria, we have printed a Cleaning Guide for Victoria which outlines the cleaning requirements in detail.
    • Drivers must keep appropriate cleaning records to ensure that they meet their cleaning obligations. A sample cleaning record template is available from the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Victoria website – Vehicle Cleaning Register template.
  4. Sanitisation kit: 
    • All drivers must keep a sanitisation kit for their own use and use by their passengers and must check that the kit contains adequate supplies before starting their shift for the day. 
    • The sanitisation kit should consist of appropriate hygiene, cleaning and disinfection products such as a hand sanitiser, disinfectant spray, disinfectant wipes, packet of tissues and either dedicated gloves or disposable gloves for cleaning, disinfecting and wiping down surfaces.
  5. Face covering or face mask:
    • All drivers must follow their state or territory’s Department of Health advice on face covering or face mask.
    • The Australian Department of Health’s current recommendation about wearing masks in public is that:
      • if community transmission of COVID-19 is present, then a face mask or face covering should be worn where physical distancing of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained;
      • since physical distancing cannot be maintained in rideshare vehicles, then a face mask or face covering should be worn if community transmission of COVID-19 is present.
    • Information on the presence of community transmission for each state or territory in Australia can be found here.
    • The type of face covering or face mask to be used should be in accordance with the Department’s guidelines. For Victoria, face masks should be sourced from specific suppliers only.
    • Further Australian government resources to communicate various requirements to riders and passengers may be found here.

During trips

  1. QR code:
    • Drivers should remind customers that they should check in using the vehicle’s QR code (where required).
    • Drivers should offer assistance where a customer is unable to check in or use the QR code.
  2. Physical distancing: 
    • All drivers must comply with physical distancing rules:
      • keep 1.5 metres away from riders or others
      • have riders use the rear seats only
      • avoid physical contact e.g. open door and step away from passenger entering vehicle, use gloves when handling luggage or instruct passenger to place luggage directly into the boot, clean hands with hand sanitiser after handling money
    • If a rider has luggage, drivers are able to open the boot for the rider but should avoid touching the luggage and request that the rider handle their own luggage.
    • All drivers should wear a mask or face covering if required or advised under state or territory government guidelines.
  3. Hygiene: 
    • All drivers must maintain hygiene as follows: 
      • sanitise hands regularly including before and after each trip
      • wash their body, hair and clothes daily
      • avoid touching their face
      • refrain from spitting at all times
      • refrain from coughing or sneezing or if necessary, cough or sneeze into elbow
      • set the air conditioning to external airflow rather than to recirculation, or have windows open where appropriate
    • Drivers should also display signs or posters asking their passengers to practice good hand hygiene and sanitise hands as required.
    • For guidance, see WHO’s guidelines on Hand Hygiene.
  4. Cleaning:
    • All drivers must clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces touched by drivers and riders after each rider leaves and before the next trip starts using appropriate cleaning and disinfection products.
    • High-touch surfaces include:
      • steering wheel and controls, heat/air conditioner controls, navigation controls
      • door handles (including the boot handle), visors, window controls
      • rear view mirror, rear view mirror adjuster, seat belt clips
      • hand brake, centre console, gear stick, glove box (if used)
    • All cigarette butts, dirty or used wipes, tissues and any other rubbish should be placed in a rubbish bag and sealed to be discarded in a bin at the end of a trip.
    • Where possible, drivers should make use of sanitisation station services provided by state authorities, if any (currently, NSW only) or private cleaning services at least once a week.
    • Drivers must keep appropriate cleaning records to ensure that they meet their cleaning obligations. A sample cleaning record template is available from the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Victoria website – Vehicle Cleaning Register template.
  5. Riders showing signs of being unwell:
    • Ola’s expectation is that it is the duty of drivers to maintain the health and safety of themselves and their riders and provide a safe and quality service to Ola’s riders.
    • Ola also expects its riders to be a responsible member of the community by taking the following precautions:
      • avoid direct contact with the driver
      • practice good cough/sneeze hygiene
      • dispose of tissues outside of the car
      • wear a face mask or face covering where required or advised (unless an exemption applies)
      • sit at the back of the car.
    • If a driver forms an opinion that the rider has not taken the above precautions or if the rider is showing signs or symptoms of being unwell such as coughing, sniffling or sneezing and the driver believes that they cannot provide a safe service, then the driver may choose to refuse or terminate the trip. Group transport of at-risk people, including older people, should be avoided where possible.
    • Equal opportunity and anti-discrimination laws may apply to fare-refusals if a driver refuses the trip or cancels a trip based on the rider’s nationality, disability or cultural background.
    • If the driver is very concerned (if say, in the conversation with the rider, they tell the driver that they have just arrived from overseas), the driver must make a report to Ola. 
    • Making a complaint against the rider to Ola allows us to investigate the matter and, where appropriate, suspend the rider from the Ola platform for 14 days. 
  6. Transporting COVID-19 positive passengers: comply with requirements or recommendations from their state or territory’s Department of Health guidelines e.g. for Victoria

At end of shift

  1. QR code:
    • Drivers must remember to check out via the QR code’s app (as required).
  2. Deep clean:
    • All drivers must deep clean their vehicle at the end of their shift and follow the Australian Department of Health’s guidelines on environmental cleaning and disinfection in the community.
    • Drivers should use appropriate cleaning and disinfection products as required and comply with the packaging or manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that the products are used properly, safely and effectively.
    • Drivers must keep appropriate cleaning records to ensure that they meet their cleaning obligations. A sample cleaning record template is available from the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Victoria website – Vehicle Cleaning Register template.

Counselling services

Ola offers free counselling services to drivers who may be experiencing difficulties or psychological issues with respect to COVID. See our Ola Driver Counselling page for more information.