Uber Has Banned Over 1,000 Riders For Not Wearing Masks Amid New Policy

Masks have been required in dozens of states over the past new months. Some establishments and companies have made them mandatory despite state mandates. Uber is among those companies as of this week.

People reserving an Uber will now have to provide photographic proof they’re wearing a face covering before boarding a vehicle. Since May, Uber reports it has removed more than 1,250 riders in the US and Canada for failing to comply with mask mandates.

The company unveiled a new policy in early September stating that if a driver reports that a rider wasn’t wearing a mask, the rider will have to take a selfie with one on their face the next time they request a driver.

The mask verification rule is in addition to similar requirements imposed on Uber drivers in May to help reassure passengers worried about being exposed to Covid-19. The full requirement rolls out in the U.S. and Canada on Thursday.

“Medical experts agree: wearing a mask can help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Uber said in a statement. “That’s why, since May, we have required riders, drivers, and delivery people to wear a mask or face cover when using Uber. Today, we’re building on these efforts with several new features and initiatives to help ensure we are all protecting one another.”

Uber has implemented the additional safety measures in an effort to rebuild a service that has seen ridership plunge due to the pandemic. With people reducing trips and going out in general, they have used public transportation and ridesharing services even less on top of that in the name of safety.