BusinessToday Previous Editions

INTERVIEW What does this Passenger Safety Charter mean for eCabs? We named this Charter 'eCabs and You' because at the very heart of this in- itiative are our customers who choose to trust our service when commuting on the road. e Charter represents a commitment by our company to con- sistently take proactive measures to ensure the safety of our passengers but also of our drivers with the main aim of promoting a more responsible environ- ment for safer Maltese roads. From day one, our commitment has not only been that of bringing positive disruption and meaningful change in our sector but also to help raise the bar when it comes to standards across the board. Passenger and driver safety are at the inner core of our services: this is why we decided to go the extra mile and impose on ourselves standards which go beyond those stipulated by the Law. What does this initiative say about your company? I think that first and foremost, it shows the high standards we seek to deliver. We have been working on this Passen- ger Safety Charter for the past months as we researched and sought interna- tional best practice to shape this Char- ter purposely to set the gold-standard for mobility in Malta. For us, this 'eCabs & You' Passenger Safety Charter represents a very impor- tant milestone in our journey because it is a direct reflection of all the values that define our eCabs brand. We are constantly seeking to be in touch with what matters most to passengers, driv- ers and all those with whom we share the road, including pedestrians, cyclists and people in other vehicles. eCabs is a technology company. To what extent will technology be driving this commitment to safety? Totally. Technology is today the most intrinsic part of eCabs' value proposi- tion and this Passenger Safety Charter is enabled by the fact that eCabs re- mains the only operator that boasts a 24/7 controlled environment with an over-riding safety-first priority. However, whilst the entire operation is fully technology-driven, eCabs re- tains an element of manned and logis- tical control, ensuring constant support for the hundreds of drivers, full control over drivers' trips, tracking of locations and system access control. What are the main aspects dealt with in this Safety Charter? Our 'eCabs & You' Safety Charter de- fines the rights and responsibilities of both the passengers and the drivers, clearly defining the parameters within which a journey is to take place. e Charter covers all key areas in- cluding customer care, health and safe- ty, vehicle sanitisation, driver behaviour, passenger interaction, mutual respect, and emergency protocols. It is all about setting out the parame- ters for safe travel guidelines, defining how complaints are handled, promoting the ease of booking through the multi- channel booking options with a special highlight on the Company's 'Lost & Found' policy whereby items found in cabs following a drop-off are returned to customers through eCabs' 24/7 con- tact centre. The Charter makes specific reference to passengers' rights but also responsibilities… e Charter covers the safety of pas- sengers but also that of drivers. As such, passengers too have responsibili- ties when they board our cabs and the Charter lists these responsibilities too. ere have been many instances when passenger behaviour posed a risk to drivers. We encourage passengers not to dis- tract drivers when they are driving, to not request over-speeding and to follow the health and safety protocols which we have always promoted and which now form part of our Safety Charter. Passengers will understand better their rights and responsibilities, as well as those of their driver, and benefit from the peace of mind know- ing they are trusting a Company where their safety is not a mere hashtag, but a core value. The sector will hopefully be safer with this Safety Charter… In fact, we are not only committed to take passenger and driver safety very seriously, but we are doing this to also drive positive action by all other stake- holders including other operators and the general public, to take safety on the road seriously. Our Passenger Safety Charter is a mu- tually beneficial tool being enshrined in the fabric of the Company. We are committed to keep on leading the space of passenger safety and trust that our Charter will inspire others in the sector into nurturing a true commitment to- wards safer roads. eCabs raises bar in passenger mobility safety 29.10.2020 eCabs is the first mobility service provider in Malta to ever implement and commit to a comprehensive Passenger Safety Charter. Operations Director GRETA BORG BEZZINA speaks to BusinessToday about how through this Charter, eCabs is voluntarily self-regulating its standards to ensure the highest level of passenger safety This Passenger Safety Charter is enabled by the fact that eCabs remains the only operator that boasts a 24/7 controlled environment with an over- riding safety-first priority

• Cover