For more than two months now, Uber has been urging riders to stay home and be safe. But now, as cities begin to reopen and residents start moving again, their safety is once again top of mind for us.

Following the resumption of domestic air travel in India, we have resumed our airport transportation services across 39 cities. 

To set exemplary safety standards for riders and drivers, we have partnered with Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), and Pune International Airport to set up Uber Sanitisation Hubs for disinfecting cars before every single trip, using state-of-the-art equipment and disinfectants.

These sanitisation hubs have been set up in Uber pick-up zones at Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune Airports, and at the Multi Level Car Parking (MLCP) of Terminal 3 at Delhi Airport, which is currently the only functional terminal there.

Besides vehicle sanitisation before every trip, Uber’s partnership with the airports includes decontamination of Uber’s pick up zones as well. Uber is also offering digital and contactless payment options. 

That’s not all. Uber’s safety protocols have made face masks mandatory for both drivers and riders. Disinfected car doors and boots will be opened only by drivers to minimise rider contact. Riders, in turn, will also be expected to handle their own luggage. 

Commenting on this partnership, Mr Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said, “It is our collective responsibility to ensure the safety of passengers traveling by air and during ground transfers. We have taken a slew of measures at the airport to make sure the processes are contact-free, and that the highest safety standards are maintained. It is extremely heartening to see last-mile cab aggregators ensuring the first and last legs of travel are safe, too.”

Commenting on this partnership, SGK Kishore, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), said, “Passenger safety has always been our top priority. We are happy to collaborate with all our transportation partners including Uber to ensure a safe travel experience between the airport and city for all our passengers. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, while India is cautiously opening up, we are taking all possible measures to ensure that we can offer a safe and  healthy environment for all our passengers and airport community members.”

Over the last two months, our tech and safety teams have worked tirelessly to build a new product experience for protecting everyone, every time they use Uber. We have launched a comprehensive set of safety measures, such as the Go Online Checklist and a mandatory mask policy for both riders and drivers, pre-trip mask verification selfies for drivers, mandatory driver education around Covid-19 related safety protocols, and an updated cancellation policy, where both riders and driver can cancel trips if they feel unsafe. Complementing these measures, Uber is distributing over 3 million masks and 200,000 bottles of disinfectants and sanitisers to its driver partners, free of cost.

As we move into a new normal, we’re encouraging a sense of shared responsibility: Uber, riders, and drivers – we all have a role to play in keeping ourselves #SaferForEachOther.