Dive Brief:
- Grubhub has partnered with RapidSOS, an intelligent safety platform that links to first responders during an emergency, the companies announced Thursday.
- This partnership will allow delivery drivers to share location data and caller ID information directly with 911 responders when an emergency call is placed through the Grubhub for Drivers app.
- This feature is currently available in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago and will expand nationwide by mid-2023.
Dive Insight:
Delivery drivers face acts of violence ranging from robberies to carjackings, so offering additional safety features could help Grubhub with driver retention. Grubhub said it holds regular discussions with its delivery partners through its Driver Safety Council on the best ways to keep drivers safe during deliveries. This input helps inform company efforts to improve safety by giving drivers things like safety gear, tutorials and in-app navigation for bike couriers. Last year, Grubhub partnered with Nextbase to provide drivers access to dash cams.
Grubhub’s newest safety partnership with RapidSOS offers three ways for drivers to connect with the nearest 911 center. Delivery partners can hit the SOS button in the safety services section of Grubhub’s app and then access the 911 slider, or select Safety Agent Call or Safety Agent Text, the companies said. The 911 slider immediately connects the app user to emergency services, while the call or text feature will link the courier to a RapidSOS agent who can help them through a difficult situation and provide real-time information to first responders, if needed.
DoorDash and Uber deployed driver safety features last year that provide emergency assistance.
