Uber Technologies Inc.‘s and Lyft Inc.‘s decision to end masking requirements after a judge halted a federal mandate for airplanes, trains, and other public transportation is now putting drivers in the position of deciding whether they want to pick up maskless passengers.
The ride-hailing giants, which announced their new policies shortly after the Florida federal court’s order, said drivers can refuse passengers who don’t want to wear masks. They also eliminated their no-front seat policies.
But the situation feeds into a long-standing debate over the level of control that these drivers, who are classified as independent contractors rather than employees, have over their working conditions.
“I can see this causing headaches for Uber and Lyft,” said Shannon Liss-Riordan, a Boston-based attorney who represents drivers challenging gig economy companies.
“The drivers are not really going to feel like they can turn down rides from passengers not wearing masks. They will all be afraid this will affect their scores and also their passenger rating. Uber does still terminate drivers who do not keep a high enough passenger rating,” she said.
Uber and Lyft signaled their drivers still have options despite the end of the companies’ mask mandates.
“We have always encouraged riders and drivers to cancel trips if they don’t feel safe and canceling a trip for...
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday (April 6, 2026) accused Congress of unleashing a “foreign-influenced misinformation campaign” against him and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma ahead ...