Staying Connected During the Coronavirus Pandemic: The Creation of Driver Bubble
As COVID-19 shut down cities across the world, longtime business partners and transportation industry veterans Steven Blom and Otto Ruys saw an opportunity to help keep people safe and cities moving. In April 2020, the two launched a new business, Driver Bubble, with a high demand product: a vehicle partition that separates drivers and passengers, while still allowing personal connections to be made.
When COVID-19 spread, Blom saw the number of rides slow and revenue fall in countries especially hit hard by the pandemic, like Italy. Hoping to prevent economic disaster for the transportation around the world, Blom found himself and his team asking “How can we help the taxi companies again to get back on the road and help getting people to hospitals or getting a father to their kids?” Driver Bubble launched a series of protective transparent, reliable screens that reduces the chance of disease transmission (and eases the fear of transmission) allowing drivers to get back on the road without feeling isolated from one another.
Driver Bubble’s screens are made of a polycarbonate material that is stronger than glass but can still bend in case of an accident. It covers 90% of the surface area between passengers and drivers, greatly reducing the potential for disease transmission. Because the screen is transparent, it allows passengers to still feel seen and acknowledged, while providing peace of mind for all in the vehicle.