Over the past decade, numerous allegations of criminal activity have been tied to ridesharing platforms such as Uber, Lyft, and Via. The allegations of criminal activity have caused shockwaves in the news throughout the United States.
But Ziphawk, a new ride-sharing service based out of Silicon Valley, aims to improve safety within the rideshare industry.
As more news reports of unwanted sexual conduct have appeared, both Uber and Lyft have released safety reports documenting statistics relating to such illegal activity.
However, they have stopped short of significant measures that could be taken to improve passenger and driver safety, such as requiring camera monitoring for each ride or enhancing background checks.
Ziphawk seeks to improve the rideshare experience by implementing several safety features to promote security for both drivers and riders.
Enhancing Security Features During Rides
As part of its policy, Ziphawk requires that all of its drivers provide video and audio monitoring of rides. This requirement in itself is revolutionary.
While taxi drivers in certain locations often must include video monitoring within their vehicles, the rideshare industry so far has worked hard to avoid this close scrutiny.
However, including video monitoring may lead to greater feelings of security for riders and drivers. All video and audio recorded during a Ziphawk ride are stored in case they are ever needed for legal purposes.
In addition, Ziphawk staff will regularly monitor the footage for issues related to safety.
Riders will have the option to opt-out of video and audio recording during their rides if they are uncomfortable. In some states, it is illegal to take audio or video footage without a person’s consent.
Thus, express consent will be required prior to any recordings within Ziphawk.
For an extra boost of safety, riders who choose Ziphawk can share monitoring of their ride with specified individuals during the trip itself.
This feature will give peace of mind to their families and loved ones that they are safe during their ride.
It is an especially attractive feature for parents who need to have their underage children shuttled from one location to another. They’ll be able to ensure their children arrive at the intended destination safely.
Finally, rather than the cursory background check that is typically required by other rideshare apps, Ziphawk asks all of its drivers to undergo three background checks plus fingerprinting before being added to the system.
This process adds an extra layer of security and prevents individuals with a criminal background from joining the platform.
Ziphawk: A New Force in the Ridesharing Industry
At the core of Ziphawk’s business model is the “Fare is Fair” policy, which establishes a new paradigm for making ridesharing services fairer to both drivers and riders, equally. With Ziphawk, drivers pay a monthly subscription to get on the platform and nothing more.
This puts an end to the undercutting on rides many drivers experienced with other TNC apps. Ziphawk’s “Fare is Fair” policy also makes surge pricing history.
As a result, both drivers and riders now have more transparency because they have a clear idea of how much a certain ride costs without this being changed due to demand.