The global outbreak of COVID-19 has brought unprecedented business and travel challenges unlike any we’ve faced before. On a local level, families all across Minnesota are preparing for a life indoors as Governor Tim Walz issued an executive Stay at Home order.
Even with the majority of local businesses closed down, many residents will still need to get around the city. This includes necessary trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, or to and from work if you are deemed an essential Minnesota employee.
When the need for you to leave your home does arrive, we hope that you follow the safe travel tips below. Then read on to learn why choosing Transportation Plus is the safest, quickest, and most affordable way to get around the Twin Cities in these difficult times.
Tips for traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic
In order to help protect our drivers and other passengers, please be sure to always adhere to the following travel advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Stay home if you are sick. If you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms, we urge you to remain home in self-quarantine and seek medical help if necessary.
- Wash your hands. Please be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water both before and after your ride.
- Cover your nose and mouth. If you need to sneeze or cough, please do so into your elbow or a tissue. Please then discard said tissue as soon as possible, and never leave it behind in the vehicle.
- Sit in the back seat. In order to socially distance yourself from the driver as much as possible, please only sit in the back seat of the vehicle.
- Open a window. If the weather permits, you are encouraged to roll down the windows to increase ventilation.
Avoid the ridiculous surge prices of ride-sharing services
While the overall number of travelers has significantly dipped in the past couple of weeks, that decrease has not equated to lower ride share prices. In fact, average fares have skyrocketed, due in large part to surge pricing. Because of the dwindling supply of drivers still willing and able to venture out on the road, regular users of Uber and Lyft are now being presented with fares that are at least 2.5x the base rate or more on almost every ride (and sometimes up to 400%).
Don’t feel pressured into paying those exorbitant rates! T-Plus never surges its prices and is committed to providing transparent and consistent guaranteed pricing, so you’ll never have to pay more just because others are charging more. We understand that many of our regular customers are feeling the effects of this financial crisis as well, and we would never want them to feel taken advantage of in such a difficult situation.
Don’t take the risk of riding mass public transit
Even though Metro Transit is doing their best to respond to this challenging situation with everyone’s health and safety in mind, do you really want to run the risk of taking mass transit at a time like this? Considering the sheer number of daily riders, shared close quarters, heavily trafficked (and touched) surfaces, and longer intervals between cleanings, you are taking a significant gamble with your health each time you travel by bus or light rail.
On the other hand, our taxis—as always—are limited to only you or your party at one time, so you can easily maintain recommended social distancing. Our drivers are all equipped with face masks and are able to clean and disinfect their passenger areas between every trip, so you can be confident you are always riding in the safest space possible. As an added precaution, we have begun installing plastic protective shields in each and every vehicle in our entire operational fleet.
These protective barriers provide an additional level of safety and peace of mind for both our valued passengers and invaluable drivers.
Rest assured that a professional driver is nearby
What many people don’t realize is that ride share drivers are not actually classified as employees, but rather independent contractors. This means that—in addition to not receiving basic benefits such as Social Security, health insurance, and paid sick days—Uber and Lyft drivers are not required to be on the road at any particular times. As a result, there is no guarantee that a car will be ready to pick you up in your area when you really need it.
Even though T-Plus has not been immune to the decline in business and personal travel of late, we are doing our very best to ensure that one of our vehicles is always right around the corner in your time of need. We encourage you to use our convenient iHail app to see how many vehicles are nearby, track your ride, and get “on approach” notifications. It is by far the easiest way to book a ride in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Book your next essential trip with Transportation Plus
Do you have somewhere in the Twin Cities metro area you absolutely need to go? You can trust the local professionals at T-Plus to get you there safely and on time. Book a ride now or for a future date through the ihail app, online, by phone, or even by text!