SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Uber says its mask verification safety feature is now available to all riders in the U.S. and Canada.
The company made the announcement Thursday and also revealed it has removed the access of more than 1,250 riders since its “No Mask, No Ride” policy was put in effect in May.
Beginning Thursday, if a driver reports that a rider wasn’t wearing a mask in their vehicle, the rider will be required to take a selfie with their mask or face covering before they’re able to take another trip with Uber.
With the addition of the new feature, Uber says one driver's feedback can help ensure the safety of using Uber for the next driver.
"We all have a shared responsibility to help keep our communities safe and healthy and we're working with riders, drivers, delivery people and restaurants to make sure we're doing our part," said Matthew Price, Uber Canada's General Manager. "Mask verification is just another example of how Uber is creating new features that make it easy for users to respect each other's safety so we can help protect one another."
To date, Uber says it has allocated $50 million to purchase health and safety supplies for its drivers, including nearly 30 million face coverings.