Cab aggregators beef up security features

MUMBAI: Taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola, which recently had a meeting with state transport commissioner Sonia Sethi, have introduced a host of security features for commuters — especially women travelling alone in Mumbai.
Uber has introduced several safety initiatives which includes re-verification of all driver partners with police; establishment of dedicated local Incident response team that is on call 24x7 to handle critical situations; in-app which has a SOS button: to connect with local police in the event of an emergency and sharing live GPS location and complete trip information (driver photo, name, vehicle type, license no) with pre-selected emergency contacts such as family members/friends.
Said Deval Delivala, India safety lead, Uber: “We are deeply committed to making transportation safer. Uber is going above and beyond its existing requirements to introduce innovative solutions for rider safety.” For example, apart from the regular police verification, Uber conducts a third party driver screening programme with First Advantage -- a global leader in background checks. The checks include address verification, local criminal court search and a national criminal database search. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with police and other law and order agencies to improve accountability in urban mobility,'' Delivala stated. Uber sends not just driver/cab details before a trip but also provides a recent photo of every driver partner.
Said a senior official from Ola : “We are committed to an investment of 20 million dollars towards additional safety and security initiatives. The SOS feature in Ola app comes in extremely handy to deal with any situation that may demand immediate attention and action.” In addition to the in-cab phone enabled GPS system already present in every cab, Ola has taken the onus of installing an additional layer of GPS in all cars registered on the platform. Ola has hired AuthBridge, an ISO-certified background verification company, to check antecedents of driver partners. Drivers go through rigorous training across behavioural, etiquette, routes and technology training.