Las Vegas taxi firm to require driver temperature scans before shifts

All cabdrivers with New Cab and Yellow Checker Star Transportation will have their temperatures checked before each shift.

The temperature screenings of all drivers is part of new protocols aimed at ensuring the safety, health and well-being of drivers and passengers, the cab group announced Wednesday.

“Our employees and the important service they provide, play an integral role in our great city’s ability to reopen in a way that offers a level of comfort to visitors and guests,” Jonathan Schwartz, director of YCS and Newcab, said in a statement. “We take that responsibility extremely seriously and wanted to ensure that we shared the comprehensive list of ways in which we are working to mitigate risk for the traveling public while they are in Las Vegas.”

The subsidiaries of YCS, including Nevada Yellow Cab Corp., Nevada Checker Cab Corp., and Nevada Star Cab, together with Newcab make up nearly 50 percent of the taxi industry in Clark County.

The new protocols include increased sanitizing of vehicles and limiting person-to-person contact between drivers and passengers.

The measures are being implemented as taxi trips are down 97 percent since February because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Schwartz told the Review-Journal this month.

The Taxicab Authority is already requiring all drivers to wear masks while transporting passengers, carry disinfectant wipes to regularly sanitize high-touch surfaces and to disinfect taxis after each shift.

In addition to the authority’s regulations, YCS and Newcab are enhancing hygienic measures and putting signage inside each cab to inform passengers of the precautionary steps.

— All drivers will have their temperature checked prior to their shift.

— All drivers are required to wear masks for their own and passengers’ protection.

— All cabs are disinfected after each trip.

— Drivers can open and close the door for passengers if requested.

— YCS offers “contactless” payment.

— All cabs will undergo a comprehensive disinfectant program after each shift.

“We recognize and share concerns people are having as a result of this pandemic and are taking proactive measures and making necessary changes in the way we conduct business to be responsible members of the Las Vegas economy and the transportation industry,” Schwartz said.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.