Uber, Ola drivers can work only 12 hours a day: Govt

Uber, Ola drivers can work only 12 hours a day: Govt

Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.11.2020

No driver attached to the passenger vehicle aggregators such as Uber and Ola would be allowed to drive their vehicles for more than 12 hours a day even if they are attached to more than one aggregator, according to the guidelines issued by the road transport ministry. The aggregators would have to develop the mechanism on their apps for this purpose and would ensure every driver gets at least 10 hours rest.

Putting safety as the highest priority, the guidelines also mandate five-day training to drivers before attaching the vehicles to their platforms and would also need to provide two-day annual refresher training to their driver-partners. Moreover, drivers who have less than 2% score from riders will need to undergo a mandatory “remedial training programme”.

The aggregators would have to ensure compliance on the part of drivers, which include valid proof of identity, driving licence, minimum driving experience of two years and police verification. The drivers attached should not have been convicted within the past three years for driving under the influence of alcohol or any cognisable offence including fraud, sexual offences, use of a motor vehicle to commit a cognisable offence, a crime involving property damage or theft or acts of violence.

The guidelines for regulation of such aggregators issued to the states specify that the vehicles attached to the aggregators must ensure installation of vehicle tracking and monitoring systems with panic buttons and this has to be connected to their control room for live monitoring. It has also prescribed that the cabs must disable child lock mechanisms and must have provision for manual override for the central locking system.

The template also says the aggregators would be required to resolve criminal grievances in 24 to 72 hours. For protecting the interest of driver partners, the aggregators would need to ensure at least ₹5 lakh health insurance and a minimum ₹10 lakh term insurance with base year 2020-21 and increased by 5% each year. According to the guidelines, the aggregators would have to allow attaching city taxis provided they comply with the laid down norms.

Cab aggregators like Uber and Ola will have to ensure every driver gets at least 10 hours rest