Pierre, as Deputy General Manager in charge of Operations, can you give us an update on the hygiene measures put in place in your vehicules?
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in France, we have reinforced our hygiene measures within our vehicles to protect our passengers but also our drivers.
At the end of January we received a large quantity of antiseptic wipes to enable our drivers to clean the vehicles after each mission, the seats, armrests and door handles, inside and outside.
Other measures were put in place very quickly to limit the spread of the virus in our cars and in particular:
Since the implementation of the confinement, we exclusively provide services by Van in order to respect the safety distances recommended by the authorities, between the passengers and the driver.
We have also adapted 14 of our vehicles (7 Mercedes Vito and 7 Mercedes V Class) with a Plexiglas separation between the front and rear seats of the vehicle for even more safety.
Finally, we are in regular contact with the Ministry of Transport in order to know the progress, the regulatory texts and the latest information on this current situation, which allows us to update the hygiene and safety measures for our passengers and employees very quickly.
Do you have any special recommendations for the passengers?
We need passengers to respect the recommendations made by the Government to protect themselves, their loved ones and our drivers. We cannot insist enough on how important barrier gestures are. They can also open their rear windows to help ventilate the vehicle.
I also remind passengers that they must have a certificate of exceptional travel or permanent proof (to download here), to travel legally.
Of course, our drivers have a permanent travel authorisation which allows them to continue to serve our customers.
Have the drivers been sensitised to barrier gestures and what have you put in place to protect them?
All our drivers have of course been sensitized to barrier gestures. We also have a dedicated telephone number for our drivers to answer any questions they may have. The nature of their job does not allow our drivers to telework, so I salute their courage. In addition to barrier gestures, we have implemented a series of measures designed to reinforce their safety, in particular with the installation of Plexiglass dividers between the front and rear of the vehicle.
Naturally, we are thinking about our drivers, but I would also like to highlight that Chabé operates thanks to a whole support team, from the front office to the dispatch, from the sales department to the IT department, most of whom continue to work from home to continue to serve our customers.
Why maintain Chabé’s activity in a period of confinement?
Although our mobility is currently reduced to the essentials, some trips are still necessary. The Chabé teams remain mobilized to serve those who need to travel in this time of crisis and we are doing everything possible to do so in the best possible conditions.
(Re)discover the letter from Guillaume Connan, President of Chabé, by clicking here
