It is a situation that any cab aggregator or ride-hailing company fears. Blaring headlines about driver misbehaviour or criminality. Unfortunately, they are more common than anybody would imagine.
Sample these headlines.
Bengaluru: Uber driver ‘rapes’ woman passenger as she returns from party, booked
Murder of Kolkata model in Bengaluru: Ola driver arrested for crime
Ola cab driver held for harassing, threatening woman passenger
And this is a worldwide problem. In fact, the first-ever safety report by Lyft revealed over 4,000 assaults between 2017-2019. And Uber’s safety report disclosed 3,045 sexual assaults and nine murders in the US in 2018.
So, what can cab aggregators do to mitigate risks and ensure that their drivers do not put them in such situations?
The drive for safety starts before the drive.
To set the context, there has been explosive growth in the ride-hailing segment. The online taxi services market in India was valued at INR 29.75 Bn in FY 2019. The market is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of ~16.60% to reach a sales value of INR 61.59 Bn by 2024. What this means is more drivers to meet the demand. And as the numbers increase, so do the risks, unless processes are put in place to mitigate them.
The most important step takes place even before the driver comes on board. With a comprehensive background verification of the potential driver.
The fact that every individual driver is a brand face of the company just makes the need for selection of the right candidates even more important.
Digital Identity Verification
The most basic verification that needs to be carried out is Identity Verification. Most drivers submit hard copies of government identity documents as their ID proof. Advanced verification service companies offer the option of API integration with the ride-hailing company’s HR or partner management platform to ensure that these documents can be authenticated in real time, digitally.
Digital Address Verification
The authentication of addresses can be carried out by the verification platform as well. With many people moving from states and regions all over the country for employment, permanent address verification becomes important for traceability. The right verification solution can utilise government documents for verification of permanent address and use GPS-enabled verification for the local address.
Driving License Verification
It seems superfluous to check driving licences of drivers, but it is crucial. Fake licence agencies are a dime a dozen, and since most of the documents pass cursory scrutiny, many people assume that they can manage with them. Checking with the national database, in association with (Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), ensures that the driver is qualified to drive.
Criminal Record Check
This is the aspect that draws the most attention. There have been multiple instances where the perpetrators of a crime already had a criminal record. Criminal Record Verification demands a multi-dimensional approach by verifying criminal data of a person across various streams like using court records, and even International Database Checks If necessary.
Drug Test
Driving under the influence of any intoxicant can endanger passengers and the driver as well. Drug test help in detecting If the candidate has a record of using drugs.
The Impact of latest guidelines for cab aggregators In India
The new Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines issued by The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in December 2020 calls for a number of measures to be undertaken by aggregators with respect to drivers.Know more
The aggregator must ensure that every driver is provided with a health insurance integrated with the aggregator for an amount not less than Rs 5 lakh. Additionally, a term insurance of Rs 10 lakh must also be provided to each driver.
For any of these to become a reality, the identity, address and other details of the driver have to be verified and updated.
The need for continuous verification
Other than the identity and driving licence, practically every other information point regarding the driver can change frequently. Address changes need to be updated regularly to ensure that information is current and actionable.
Regular criminal record checks and drug tests help make sure that the record of the drivers remain clean. Apart from the obvious safety aspect, this continuous and regular verification also mitigates the risk for the aggregator, and offers some protection from litigation and criminal cases.
Choosing a verification solution
Look for a verification solution that can keep pace with the needs of the fast-changing industry. The ability to componentize government identity databases and utilize AI to return results in real-time can make your verification process quicker and more accurate.
Ensure that it has API integration to reduce time and effort. An integrated solution can trigger automatic verification requests on receipt of an application and make the driver onboarding process more efficient and robust. API integration can also trigger repeat verifications at regular intervals for continuous verification to make cross-check that the driver is still in the green zone.
Do your research and choose a comprehensive verification solution for a relaxing ride; the comfort that comes when the driver can be trusted.