How early is too early?
Even with traffic snarls and bad weather, UZURV Drivers are rarely late to pick up a rider. In fact, Drivers consistently achieve a greater than 98% on-time average. Way to go!
So what’s the problem with being early? Isn’t early better than being on time?
Not necessarily. Arriving a little early may not seem like a big deal to a Driver, but it could create negative impacts for a rider.
“I came from a military family,” said Hannah Craig, Senior Associate for Driver Onboarding at UZURV, at a recent webinar. “My dad’s motto was, ‘Being early is being on time.’”
“However there are situations where that can be a problem,” Craig continued. “This is one of them.”
How early is too early?
In the UZURV Learning Center, Drivers are instructed to show up exactly at the rider pickup time. Not early and certainly not late.
But when is it too early?
“Early means early,” said Ron Brooks, Senior Director for Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at UZURV.
“If the pickup time is 8:00 a.m., then 7:59 a.m. is considered early,” he explained.
While that may seem a bit strict, there are important reasons for following UZURV’s on-time policy.
Riders enjoy lives full of family, pets, work, and errands. They choose a pickup time that makes sense for them and their busy lives, knowing they have until the pickup time to prepare.
When a Driver arrives early, the rider may not be ready. They could be finishing breakfast or gathering their things. Or maybe they have a sleeping family and pets who bark. Some riders have caregivers who help them dress and they need extra time.
Regardless of why a rider set a specific time, arriving early isn’t helpful for them. It can create drama in their household – something no one wants.
Arriving early impacts rider mood and safety
Riders voice concern when a Driver is early because early arrivals make them feel pressured to hurry. Given that many of our riders have mobility issues, rushing can also impact their safety.
“I feel awkward when someone is waiting for me,” said Brooks, who often uses paratransit services to get around. “Especially when they stand at my front door, tapping their foot, and making our pet dog, Daisy, bark. I feel stressed.”
Even when drivers say they’ll wait, a rider may still feel rushed – especially when the driver is waiting at the door.
“I know that if I’m rushed, I’m going to forget something,” said Craig. “I get flustered. Our riders do, too.”
Flustered riders can translate into cranky riders – or worse. Getting flustered could impact their safety. And again, no one wants that.
What if I arrive a bit early?
Do your best to arrive on time. But if you do show up a little early, Brooks offers great advice to avoid creating stressful or unsafe conditions for riders:
- First, from your vehicle, call the rider through the app. Do not approach their door.
- Tell your rider you know you are early. Tell them not to rush and that you will wait in your vehicle until the pickup time.
- Let them know you will not leave them and you will come to the door on time.
- At pickup time, approach the rider’s door to deliver door-to-door service.
“If you are respectful of your rider’s time, they are much less likely to be stressed out and take that out on you,” said Brooks.
“Being on time just leads to a better outcome,” he concluded.
Door-to-Door Service is UZURV Policy
Door-to-door service is one practice that sets UZURV apart from other rideshares.
Because our riders have mobility needs, Drivers are required to perform door-to-door service for every ride. Here’s a refresher:
What to DO:
- Get out of your vehicle when you arrive at the pickup location.
- Go to the outermost door, knock or ring the bell, and greet your rider.
- Ask the rider, “What can I do to assist you to the vehicle today?”
- As needed, assist the rider from the door of the pickup location to the door of your vehicle.
- When you reach the destination, assist the rider from your vehicle to the door of their destination, as needed.
- Assist with 2-4 bags as needed.
What NOT to do:
- Transfer passengers from wheelchairs to vehicle seats.
- Lift or carry riders.
- Cross residential doorways or enter buildings to look for riders.
- Check a rider out of a care facility.
- Pick up prescriptions.
- Secure car seats in the vehicle or place children in a car seat. This includes securing other child safety restraint systems.
🚙 Perform Door-to-Door for EVERY Ride! 🚙
Driver Superstar!
A rider with JTA in Jacksonville, FL sent compliments to Shyann Goldsby –
”The rider gives kudos to his UZURV driver, Shyann. She was exceptional and extremely professional. He would like to ensure she is recognized for her service.”
⭐ Bravo, Shyann! Your dedication is inspiring! ⭐
In the news:
May 16th marked the 13th annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) to bring awareness to digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities.
GAAD’s mission is for all people with disabilities to have access to and the ability to independently use mobile, web, and other digital applications and content.
Nearly one billion people worldwide have a disability such as visual, motor, hearing, or cognitive impairments. Yet many apps and websites have features not accessible to them.
UZURV Drive and Ride apps are designed to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which provide the international standard for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
Read more about how the UZURV engineering team builds accessibility into our apps in our March 2024 newsletter.
Questions or Comments?
Contact support@uzurv.com using the email you use with your app. We’re always happy to hear from you!