Safe Rides
Prioritize Safety Above All Else. But you knew that already. Successful Zūmers tell us that they drive safe, act smart, and ask for assistance from Zūm if they need it. You contracted to safely deliver a minor to a final destination, and Zūm has Zero Tolerance for a Zūmer who fails to do just that. In legal terms, endangering a child is considered a material breach of your contract. Any such breach may result in automatic suspension, pending further investigation, and possibly permanent deactivation. Don’t put yourself in that position. Below are some, but not all, of the sorts of unsafe behaviors that Zūm considers a breach of contract.
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Breaking the Law While Using Zūm, such as:
- Texting or handheld calls while driving with Zūm;
- Reckless driving or exhibiting road rage while driving with Zūm;
- Serious traffic citations while driving with Zūm.
- Physical Contact with Children: It’s intuitive, but children using the platform have voiced concerns when touched outside of being helped into, or out of, the car, as well as if the contact is not gentle. Any improper touching of children will not be tolerated, and may be referred to appropriate authorities as needed.
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Breaching the Terms of Service or Your Contractual Requirements, such as:
- Failing to use the app, including the GPS tracking system, while you drive—Google Maps allows the contracting parties to know you’ve safely picked up the child and dropped the child off at the intended destination, as well as monitor the ride itself;
- Failing to have a fully charged phone and phone charger in the car;
- Failing to show up in a Zūm Shirt and affixing the Zūm decal to the car;
- Driving in a car not listed in the app;
- Subcontracting to delegating the accepted ride—you’re the only person who has passed the background checks;
- Bringing additional adults or children in the car;
- Failing to pick up the correct child (using the app to double-check);
- Failing to follow the parents’/schools’ instructions for pickup and dropoff—this is especially critical with special needs children;
- Failing to driving the child directly to the destination, without any stops (unless an emergency);
- Leaving a child unattended at the dropoff, if no parent or adult is there to meet the child, unless the Zūm app instructions explicitly direct you to do so. Call Zūm for assistance if this situation arises.
- Never Leave a Child Behind: You’re diligent and get to your pick up on time; you wait for your child for 5 or 10 minutes; the child doesn’t show; and you’re worried that you will be late to your next ride or next destination? We get it. And we don’t want you to stress. But we also need to make sure that no child is EVER left behind. So let us help you: (1) Please do not leave if your child is late or hasn’t found you--there may be a mixup on the child’s end; (2) Call us immediately so that we can communicate with the child and/or parents to find out what’s happening; (3) Wait to confirm whether you are or are not needed before you leave. Our customer support team is always here to support you.
- Drugs and Alcohol Use: Zūm has a Zero Tolerance Policy for drug and alcohol use by Zūmers while driving. That means not only should a driver not ingest alcohol or use drugs before, during, or between rides, but the driver should also refrain from using drugs in the car. Reports that the car smells of marijuana are sufficient for Zūm to suspend the driver from the platform and begin its investigation to determine the veracity of the report.
Thank you for being an awesome and thoughtful Zūmer:
We know you work hard to ensure that every one of your Zūm rides is both smooth and a safe experience for each child. Our goals are not only to ensure each child is always safe, but to help you achieve both safe conditions and a happy experience for you. We hope that our Safe Rides 101 is a helpful resource for you on your journey as a Zūmer. If any circumstances arise and you’re unsure of what to do, don’t hesitate to call us at 1.855.RIDEZūm. We are always here to help.