Lyft launches personal health certification, makes face masks mandatory

As local governments ease stay-at-home orders, Lyft is ramping up efforts to protect riders and drivers — including establishing new health and safety standards for ride-sharing.

The company announced a Health Safety Programme with new policies, commitments, and products designed to address the needs of our community during this important time for public health.

Lyft's Health Safety Program will include personal health certification for drivers and riders, required face masks for drivers and riders, health safety education for drivers and riders and distribution of cleaning supplies and masks for drivers. Before using Lyft, every rider and driver will be required to self-certify that they will wear face masks throughout the ride, are symptom-free, and will follow CDC and local guidelines related to COVID-19.

Specifically, riders and drivers will confirm that they will wear a face mask or covering, they will not ride or drive with Lyft if they have COVID-19, think they have it, or have related symptoms, they will keep vehicles clean and sanitise their hands frequently and they will leave windows open when possible and avoid recirculated air when possible. Passengers will not be allowed to ride in the front seat. Anyone who does not agree to the personal health certification will be unable to request a ride or drive with Lyft.

Lyft is also rolling out new Health Safety Education for riders and drivers. The educational content will be based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) rideshare guidance and adhere to Canadian health official requirements, and will provide our community with information to best protect themselves and others during rides. Drivers can access the information today in their Lyft app. Corresponding educational content will be rolling out for riders soon.

“With guidance from the CDC, Public Health Agency of Canada, WHO, and local officials, Lyft is taking action to build products and implement policies that help keep riders and drivers safe, as well as empower our community to protect themselves and those around them,” said Angie Westbrock, VP of Global Operations and Head of Lyft's COVID-19 Response Task Force. “We want these new initiatives to have a meaningful impact and set a new standard for rideshare health safety.”

The Health Safety Programme builds upon Lyft's existing COVID-19 relief efforts. So far the company has dedicated nearly $2.5 million to purchasing hundreds of thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer, masks, and disinfectants for drivers at no cost to them.

Lyft is also providing drivers with new earning opportunities - particularly ones that help the needs of our communities - while ride requests are down. Earlier this month, the company launched Essential Deliveries, a pilot initiative where organisations can request on-demand, contact-free delivery of meals, groceries, and other necessities by Lyft drivers, and have committed over $1.5 million in ride credits to communities in need through LyftUp, its comprehensive effort to expand transportation access to those who need it most. Last week, Lyft announced that drivers will have access to One Medical's Essential Workers program for on-demand virtual care and COVID-19 testing.