5 Oct, update: Ola's responded to our questions about the Safety Response Team and certain terms and parameters which were previously unclear. Note that responses have been edited for brevity and paraphrased except where quoted explicitly. MediaNama: What exactly is the profile of the Safety Response Team (SRT)? Ola: The SRT, which consists of trained staff round the clock, has been created to address ‘any kind of distress or emergency’ during the ride. This team reports to an ‘experienced safety leader.’ MediaNama: Could you please explain what sort of interventions the SRT can make in case of an unsafe trip? Ola: The SRT reaches out to the user immediately after the emergency button is pushed, Ola says. Ola will provide support in the form of either cancelling the ride, booking a new one etc. SRT will also “proactively reach out” to the user in case of route deviation, midway stops etc. MediaNama: What exactly would constitute an unsafe trip? Ola: Poorly lit road at night could lead to an increased chance of accidents If the cab is stationary for over 5 minutes on routes that are deemed unsafe, especially at night The “Unsafe” context is defined through signals [and is an ‘evolving definition’] like: Night travel Routes with past unsafe incidents Isolated routes For the safety of all stakeholders. MediaNama: What happens when the user and the driver provide contradictory information? How does Ola verify either claims, and who does it believe? Ola: “In the case of contradictory information, the SRT team investigates the case…
