GoMetro keeps essential teams moving

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Mar 26, 2020

In the time of COVID-19, GoMetro is rolling out ultra-safe, hygienic co-ordinated staff transport specifically for Essential Service Sites – driven by technology and data – and see GoMetro Fleet as part of essential operations or contingency plans to ensure staff can get to work safely during this crisis. 

GoMetro Fleet is a staff transport platform (like Uber). The company is ramping up to provide safe and hygienic transport during the coronavirus lockdown. Government has laid down regulations to deal with staff transport for essential services during the shutdown period. No minibuses taxis, busses or Ubers allowed that are not planned and hygienic.  

There is a unique need right now to respond to the COVID-19 shutdown and related regulations regarding staff transport for essential services. GoMetro is stepping up to support hospitals, banks, supermarket groups and others.  

How does it work?

GoMetro Fleet has a network of licensed quality shuttle drivers and roadworthy vehicles on its platform in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Durban metro areas, who can be quickly mobilised and co-ordinated on the GoMetro Fleet platform to provide every hospital with a tailored transport solution during this time of national crisis. Drivers receive instructions by means of their smartphones where pickups and dropoffs. 

The company’s centralised planning centre ensures that on-time delivery of staff is monitored, changing in real-time if necessary. Businesses and facilities send GoMetro their critical frontline worker shifts and addresses, and the GoMetro team uses its software to work out an operational plan for shift transport that reduces kilometres and costs, making sure every healthcare worker has a safe and clean ride from their front door to the business entrance. 

The platform can scale up and provide staff transport if business operations are required to scale up, ensuring that essential services can stay fully-staffed and not have to worry about staff transport failures. GoMetro is also able to offer quick solutions for when staff transport plans have fallen through. 

Is it hygienic/safe?

GoMetro Fleet has bolstered its Standard Operating Procedures with the best practices in hygiene and specifically disinfecting vehicles using industrial equipment and certified fumigation operators to ensure that the risk of COVID-19 transmission to staff during their commute is drastically reduced. This cleaning and sanitising protocol, that will not be harmful to staff, has been specifically developed by a licensed fumigation expert and will drastically drop the risk of COVID-19 contact during commutes. GoMetro Fleet is also introducing strict driver safety and hygiene protocols. 

What about the minibus-taxi sector?

GoMetro Fleet vehicles are clearly marked as essential staff transport, and carry the right paperwork at all times, so as to not anticipate resistance from the minibus-taxi industry. The company’s drivers are connected to the control-centre at all times, and are tracked by telemetry so vehicle locations are known and any incidents can be reported directly to the control centre for response. The company is establishing liaison with law enforcement authorities in every Metro to ensure that no disruptions to the service will be tolerated by the authorities. It will also work with law enforcement to ensure that staff are kept safe.  

How much does it cost?

GoMetro Fleet charges a set rate for trips per kilometre, based on the vehicle size, capacity and the distance of operations required (which varies with each shift). The company will provide an estimated cost within 24 hours of providing a typical shift roster of employees and their home addresses. Employers normally pay the full cost of operation but can decide to share the costs with their staff, allowing contributions by staff equivalent to the cost of public transport.

What if there is an existing staff transport provider?

If clients already have a staff transport provider, GoMetro Fleet would be able to work with them to ensure that their standards and practices comply with the stringent hygiene and cleaning standards that COVID-19 demands. Its hygiene specialists can support existing operations and establish operations on client sites to ensure every trip is as safe as possible. The company will also be happy to add existing operators to our platform and ensure compliance by operators in this critical time. GoMetro Fleet can also help existing service providers with their planning, scheduling and coordination – as well as providing staff with its Rider App to keep them safe. 

GoMetro is working closely with all spheres of government to ensure that compliance with the existing regulations and comply with any new regulations. There is an urgent and massive need for this service for essential service providers in malls and other commercial sites.

 

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