Taxi Driver Online

Labour group calls to make face masks compulsory when travelling in taxis

A POLITICAL group are calling to protect taxi drivers from Covid-19.

Currently anyone travelling on public transport must wear a face mask, however there is no requirement to wear one when travelling via taxi.

Now Dr Paul Williams, an NHS doctor and Middlesbrough Labour Group are calling for new measures to ensure taxi customers wear masks.

Dr Williams said “As a doctor who has spent the last four months on the Covid front line I’m calling on all local authorities in the Tees Valley to protect taxi drivers by issuing a clear message to the public: “No mask, no ride.”

"If taxi passengers wear masks or face coverings the chance of them passing the virus to a driver is significantly reduced. A face covering protects others by physically blocking virus particles from entering the air.

"Taxi drivers I have spoken to say that they would like to see a clear “no mask, no ride” instruction to the public from local councils. Tees Valley Local Authorities should act now to issue a clear message to the public that they won’t be able to enter a taxi without a mask."

Councillor Matt Storey, Leader of the Labour Group said: "We are pleased to support this important campaign. We are asking taxi drivers to wear masks so it is only fair that their customers do the same. This is a two-way street and masks are far less effective if only one person is wearing one. Taxis perform a vital service in our communities and are critical to local transport for some of our most vulnerable people. Taxi drivers have a right to a safe working environment, as we all do, and by making masks mandatory for customers we can ensure they, and the wider public, are not put at increased risk of infection.”

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IDFIMH

I personally think it should be up to the driver to decide but perhaps what is needed is clearer guidance from HMG if that's possible.

If you start doing it at a local level it will cause enormous confusion

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That is going to cause more trouble than a little. You will get passengers getting aggresive after a beer or three objecting because the driver that brought them into town said it wasn't required but now the driver taking them home is insisting that they do wear them.
We have already had an incident here where one of our drivers was reported for insisting that passengers wore masks and sat in the back of the car.

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my understanding is that that is permitted

All I do is state that it is voluntary and wear one myself, I think probably 90 percent still wear one as a commitment to social responsibility.

Locally I am the only driver wearing a mask but have asked my drivers to follow suit but they find it too uncomfortable

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They have been mandatory wear up here for drivers and Passengers from the Borders up to the Teuchter lands and beyond for a wee while now....you can be exempt on medical grounds and you have to take the punters word if they say they are exempt.

That said your under no obligation to take them if they are coughing and spluttering.....mask or no mask.