Uber on Monday announced a range of Covid-19 specific safety features and policies that will change the way one rides app cabs.

The announcements include an interactive Go Online Checklist for both riders and drivers, a mandatory mask policy, pre-trip mask verification selfies for drivers and updated post-trip feedback mechanism and a cancellation policy.

“All these new features are aimed at building a new product experience, which will help protect everyone, every time they use Uber,” Sachin Kansal, global senior director of product management at Uber, said at a press conference on Monday.

From Monday, riders and drivers will see a number of new additions in the app. There will be a go online checklist. Before drivers can go online, they will be asked to confirm that they’ve taken certain safety measures and are wearing face masks. A similar checklist has been built for riders. Before every trip, they must confirm that they’ve taken precautions such as wearing a face mask and washing or sanitising their hands.

3000 jobs cut

Uber has cut 3,000 jobs from its workforce, its second major wave of layoffs in two weeks as the coronavirus slashed demand for rides.

The San Francisco company has cut a quarter of its workforce since the year began, eliminating 3,700 people from the payroll earlier this month.

Uber will be re-focusing on its core business, moving people and delivering food and groceries, said CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, in a note to employees.

The company also announced an updated cancellation policy. Drivers and riders can cancel trips if they don’t feel safe, including if a user is not wearing a mask or face cover.

To allow space between the driver and the rider, the latter is advised not to sit in the front seat. Only two riders will be allowed in a car and they’ll have to sit in the rear seat.