Covid -19 Guidance

Picking up passengers

Before a passenger enters the vehicle, we will ask if they have:

• coronavirus symptoms – a fever, new cough or loss of smell or taste
• had a positive coronavirus test in the last 10 days

We will refuse service if they have.

Our drivers should wash or sanitise their hands if they come into contact with a passenger or their luggage. This should be before and after contact.

Our drivers will continue to provide support to disabled passengers to safely enter and exit our vehicles and must continue to assist disabled passengers with their luggage and mobility equipment.

Our drivers must show passengers their face while socially distancing so that they can be identified as the driver.

In the vehicle

Passengers must wear a face covering in a taxi or PHV, unless they are exempt. You can refuse to take a passenger if they are not wearing a face covering and they are not exempt. Passengers do not have to provide proof that they are exempt.

Our drivers do not have to wear a face covering, but we recommend that they do if it does not affect their ability to drive safely.

Drivers will ask passengers to sit as far away as possible or indicate where they would like them to sit. Where possible they should not sit in the front of the vehicle.

Drivers will open windows when carrying passengers and/or use the car’s vents to bring in fresh air from outside but should not use the recirculated air option for the car’s ventilation system when carrying passengers.

End of journey – leaving the vehicle

Drivers will take contactless payment if possible.

If not, you should wash your hands with soap and water or sanitiser after handling money.

Drivers should remind passengers to wash or sanitise their hands after the journey.

Preparing the vehicle for the next passenger

COVID is carried in the air by tiny droplets. Larger droplets can land on surfaces that are touched. Smaller droplets (called aerosols) can stay in the air for at least 5 minutes and often much longer if there is no ventilation.

Between every journey you should:

• clean those parts of the vehicle that they or the passengers may have touched, for example, door handles, payment devices, protective screens, buttons, seats
• open doors / windows to ventilate the car for 5 minutes
• wash their hands for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser