The taxi booking service Free Now has added a partition option for customers when booking a cab.
The Taxi + Screen booking option coincides with the country's move into the
second phase of lifting Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
The taxi-hailing service recently carried out a survey which found that 70% would feel more comfortable if there was a partition screen in their taxi. The company has been helping drivers install partition screens in their taxis and providing PPE such as bottles of hand sanitiser and masks to drivers working throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.
The taxi app has seen an increase in demand since the country entered the first phase of lifting Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on May 18.
Alan Fox, General Manager of Free Now Ireland said: “You only have to look outside to see how people’s travel habits are already changing as a result of Covid-19. Increasingly people are looking for alternatives to public transport that allow social distancing such as walking, bicycles and even hopefully in the not too distant future, e-scooters.”
He added, "However, taxis will continue to play a crucial part in getting people around in a reliable and now even more socially distant way. Passengers have been very clear that they would feel more comfortable if there was a partition screen in taxis and we know from driver take up throughout the crisis that drivers are advocates of a partition too.
"As we look ahead to the next phase of the country opening up, and the loosening of travel restrictions with many looking to visit family or return to the office again, we wanted to give more choice, control and peace of mind to passengers when booking a taxi and enable them to specifically hail a cab with a screen through the app."
Ireland is due to enter the second phase of the government's roadmap on Monday, June 8.
Find out everything you need to know about Phase 2 here.
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