Guidelines for our riders and drivers
We are committed to maintaining the high standards of safety and hygiene of our driver network at this time of global health concern. For those unable to drive to due to health complications, we remain fully supportive of your actions. Ola UK would like to remind all drivers that if you feel unwell, are at risk from a weakened immune system or need to support your family during this difficult time we fully recommend staying home to self-isolate.Five measures of safety: Rider and Driver agreement
To protect the physical and mental wellbeing of our community, we’ve put together a short list of measures that both riders and drivers commit to observing when they ride with Ola. The next time you book an Ola, or start your shift, please join us in actively honouring the guidelines to combat the spread of the coronavirus.| Rider’s safety promise | Driver’s safety promise |
|---|---|
| I promise to wear a non-medical face covering for the duration of the journey. | I promise to wear a non-medical face covering the entire time I’m inside my car. |
| We will carry an alcohol-based hand sanitiser and use it before and after getting in the car. We will do so as often as is necessary to keep our hands and the car, clean. | |
| I promise to keep the car clean by catching any coughs or sneezes in a tissue and disposing of it outside the car after my trip. | I promise to clean and disinfect the interior of the car between each rider. |
| We promise to keep the car ventilated by winding down the windows. Alternatively, if the AC is requested it will not be set to recirculate. | |
| I promise to sit in the back, and sit on the back left seat if travelling solo to social distance. | I promise to ask riders to sit in the back. |
General preventive measures:
- Wash your hands for minimum 20 secs in soap and hot water
- Carry tissues for sneezes and coughing
- Avoid handkerchiefs, unless they’re disposable
- Dispose of any used tissues in the bin immediately
- Avoid unnecessary contact with people outside your household
- View news outlets rather than social media for the latest updates
Preventive measures while you are driving:
- Apply alcohol-based hand sanitiser frequently
- Carry anti-bacterial wipes at all times
- Clean high-contact internal and external surfaces first
- Steering wheel, gearstick, indicators, car keys
- Interior and exterior door handles, boot handle
- Do a full interior clean with soap and warm water
- This works best before and after you drive
- Kindly ask passengers to use the backseat
- If available, raise your driver passenger-divider
- Avoid passenger contact, e.g. food and drink offerings
Your health takes precedence at Ola. As a company we have consulted with Public Health England to put in place new safety processes and create guidance which helps you to travel safely in a time of COVID-19. Each measure we’ve taken is designed for your wellbeing,
and to protect our driver community and the public from any further spread of the virus.
Please rest assured that we are continuously monitoring the situation and will implement any updates to our procedures and guidance as and when required.
If you become sick
If you are tested positive for COVID-19, or are displaying symptoms, and have taken a ride with Ola in the last 7 days, we would ask you to contact us immediately by either phoning or emailing Customer Care which can be done through our app directly.If a driver becomes sick
Should a driver test positive for COVID-19 or exhibit symptoms, and you have taken an Ola ride with that driver in the past 7 days, then we will inform you directly.How to manage your health
In the meantime, please refer to the official NHS guidelines on how to avoid catching or spreading COVID-19. Many thanks for your continued support in helping to protect our communities.Claim a government grant for coronavirus income support
As you are no doubt aware, the UK government has announced plans to cover 80% of trading profits to eligible self-employed workers for an initial period of three months from March 2020. As a skilled self-employed worker active during the Coronavirus pandemic, you may be eligible for the government’s new Self-employment Income Support Scheme.What am I entitled to?
- A tax return for at least 2018/19 needs to have been submitted to be eligible.
- If you haven’t filed a 2018/19 return yet, you have until 23 April 2020 to file this in order to be eligible for the scheme
- Those who commenced self employment in the 2019/20 tax year are not eligible
- The scheme is only applicable for those whose income is majority from self employment where trading profits are less than £50,000
- If you are eligible, you’ll receive a taxable grant worth 80% of your average profits from tax years 2016 to 2019, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for 3 months, covering March, April and May 2020.