Managing Fatigue

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Safety priority

The safety of drivers and riders is Ola’s main priority. As part of our safety strategy, Ola requires drivers to adhere to this policy and manage their fatigue when driving, by taking appropriate required rest breaks as outlined below. 

Fatigue is more than just being tired but includes physical and/or mental exhaustion. Working very long or extended hours does not allow time to recover from work, to the extent a driver is no longer effective or safe at work. 

A driver who is fatigued is less able to judge how tired they are, meaning the risk of falling asleep at the wheel is greater, which can have fatal consequences. 

Secondary Employment

As part of fatigue management, Ola recognises that drivers may have other forms of employment that will contribute to the total hours worked each day, in addition to driving with Ola.

When calculating hours worked each day, Ola requires a driver to include all work at any other employment, such as time taken for other rideshare services and any other paid or voluntary employment, even if the work is not transport related. 

Australia

Ola requires that all drivers adhere to the following rules:

  • maximum 13 hours shift per day (including breaks).
  • minimum 8 hours rest + 3 hours non-driving time per day.
  • take 10 mins break every 2 hours when on a shift.
  • take at least 30 min rest from driving every 5 hours when on a shift.
  • take at least 24 hours off in a 5 day period where a driver has taken a variety of shifts on a continuous daily basis during such 5 day period (i.e. where a driver has been logged on for all sorts of hours – day, evening, night etc).
  • take at least 2 periods of 24 hours off in a 14 day period where a driver has taken 14 hour shifts on a continuous daily basis during such 14 day period.

NOTE: At Ola, all drivers are expected to adhere to Ola’s standard work time limitations set out above. These limitations are based on laws, regulations and/or codes of practices enacted or developed by each State or Territory.

Please note: when a driver is logged in and online in the Driver App, this is considered driving and/or a work related activity. 

Western Australia [specific provisions]

Ola has a duty to prevent commercial vehicle services being provided while the driver performing rideshare services on the Ola platform, is suffering from fatigue. There is a strict prohibition on persons providing such services while fatigued.

As a booking service provider, Ola is required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that drivers are not affected by fatigue through compliance with fatigue management obligations.

The Department of Transport (DoT) listed top tips for avoiding driver fatigue which include:

  • not driving while tired and ensure that there are no issues that may affect your fatigue levels or if there are, then such issues are carefully managed;
  • stopping and taking regular breaks to walk around (e.g. at least once every 2 hours); and
  • not relying on quick fix ‘stay awakes’ such as double dose coffee, energy drinks or tablets.

Please refer to the Western Australia – Driver Fatigue Management Policy for further information.

New Zealand

New Zealand regulations limit the number of work time hours that drivers with a (P) Endorsement can undertake. Work time includes all time spent driving or performing work related duties.

Small passenger service drivers must adhere to the following legal requirements:

  1. record all work time rules and rest time requirements in an approved logbook; and 
  2. understand and comply with work time rules and rest time requirements.

Work time limit

The work time rules in NZ states that a driver:

  • must not exceed 5 ½ hours of continuous work time without taking a rest break of at least 30 minutes. This can be extended to a maximum of 7 hours of continuous work time provided only short fares* are carried out. 
  • must not exceed 13 hours of work time in any cumulative work day (this means that the driver has a maximum 14 hour ‘window’ to complete all work duties from the time they start work). Drivers must take a rest time of at least 10 hours.
  • must not exceed 70 hours of work time in any cumulative work period. Drivers must take a rest time of at least 24 hours.

*A short fare means a single fare where the distance between pick-up and set down is less than 100km because there can be a number of shorter breaks between fares. 

In applying the rules, Ola’s policy is as follows:

  • maximum 14 hours shift per day (including breaks).
  • take at least 30 min breaks from work every 5.5 hours (or if only short fares are carried out, 30 min breaks every 7 hours).
  • take at least 24 hours off in a 5 day period where a driver has worked 13 hour shifts on a continuous daily basis during such 5 day period.

Rest time

Rest time is at least 30 minutes. 

Rest time does not include any work activity as part of the rest break. For example: cruising for hire, refuelling, cleaning and checking the vehicle, doing paperwork, managing bookings, or carrying out any other work related duty. 

More information on the New Zealand Transport Agency  (NZTA) requirements can be found on the NZTA website: Work time and logbooks for small passenger service drivers and the Small passenger services guide.

Logbooks

All small passenger service drivers need to fill in a logbook. Logbooks provide a record of work activity and enable enforcement officers to check compliance with the work time and rest requirements. The electronic logbooks replaced the paper based logbooks which required handwritten entries.

The NZTA approved seven electronic logbooks for use in New Zealand that meet the required specifications of all the information required by law.

Logmate 

Logmate is a one of the seven approved electronic logbooks and compliance platforms available for use in New Zealand and allows users to access the following:

  1. Mobile Drivers Logbook application – replaces the need for traditional paper logbooks and provides a tool that assists drivers to ensure they are working within the prescribed work time limits; and
  2. Web Administration portals – enables each type of user e.g. drivers and transport operators, to manage their account, logbooks and vehicles.

Fatigue Assessment Checklist

In addition to the requirements  referred to above, Ola requires all drivers to review this checklist prior to logging on to the Ola platform in order to assess the driver’s fitness to provide transport services to riders. 

Further information

If you have any questions or comments regarding anything in this document or if you require further information, you can email us at legal.au@olacabs.com.