Transportation Hygiene During COVID-19 – What You Need to Know

If you’re a driver working through the coronavirus pandemic – thank you. At Worth Every Cent Cleaning, we want to help you work as safely and hygienically as possible through this unprecedented time, so we’ve prepared this short guide ticking off a few steps you can take to protect your health. Read on and work smarter and safer.

Look after yourself

As a person in a customer-facing role, it is vital that you shield yourself from potential exposure to coronavirus. That starts with forming the right habits.

The World Health Organisation and Australian state and territory governments have been stressing the importance of handwashing and of not touching your face because they work to protect you from the virus no matter how clean the environment is. Following these practices means that even if your hands come into contact with the virus, you may not contract it because it will be harmlessly washed off before it can enter your body. Get this right and you’ll be set up for success now and into the future, protecting you not just against COVID-19 but seasonal flus and the common cold.

PPE is a must

Hand in hand with proper personal hygiene practices comes the right equipment. In a customer-facing role as a driver, you’re exposed to potentially hundreds of different people a day, each with their own health concerns and requirements. During this time period, it may be wise to consider investing in a box of disposable gloves, some hand sanitiser, and a washable cloth mask. Together, these tools can help minimise the risk of transmission from others to you and from yourself to others.

Stopping transmissions is not just for your sake – it’s for the sake of everyone you meet. Even if you’re an asymptomatic carrier, you could potentially infect a customer with a compromised immune system or bring it home to your family.

When it comes to PPE, apply hand sanitiser before putting on gloves and after removing them, and wash your cloth mask every day in 60°C or hotter water with a small amount of disinfectant.

Keep your vehicle sanitary – for everyone’s sake

As coronavirus can survive on surfaces such as plastic or metal for up to 72 hours, there is a real risk that a sneeze from a customer could ultimately end up infecting someone else hours later and kilometres away who happens to sit in the same seat.

As such, it is vital that you take the time to keep your vehicle clean, minimising the chance of an infection between passengers and yourself. But fully sanitising a modern car inside and out is nearly impossible. Instead, focus on high-touch areas – the parts of a care that you and your customers are most likely to be in contact with. These include:

• Door handles (internal and external)
• Internal handles above doors
• Seats
• Seatbelts
• Head rests
• Grab handles
• Window controls
• Payment terminals
• Boot lid
• Steering wheel
• Dashboard
• Control buttons
• Gear stick
• Cup holders
• Centre console

Wipe surfaces with a detergent or disinfectant solution on a cloth or on a wipe at least once a shift but ideally between every passenger. If you are employed by a taxi or transport company, speak to your contact – organisations such as 13Cabs and Uber are making cleaning services and supplies available to drivers.