China's Biggest Ride-Hailing Company Trying to Stay in Business By Using Extreme Measures

China's largest ride-hailing company, Didi Chuxing, comes to the rescue again amid the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, the company organized a fleet of volunteers to transport medical staff in Wuhan completely free of charge. 

Now, Didi Chuxing is trying out new ways to stay in business amid the lockdown, and low public transportation rates, during the coronavirus outbreak. One such measure is installing protective sheets between the drivers and their passengers. 

Keep on fighting, #Wuhan! Amid lockdown in Wuhan due to #coronavirus epidemic, China's ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing organized a fleet of volunteers to transport Wuhan medical staff free of charge. The drivers were equipped with protective suits and disinfectant. pic.twitter.com/PmnGdfVa7A

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) January 26, 2020

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It's quite simple really: Didi Chuxing's fleet of drivers has a perfectly-fitted protective plastic sheet installed to the cars, and that's about it. 

The sheet blocks the driver from the passengers so that no party is able to touch, cough, sneeze, or somehow contaminate the other during the ride.

Given the small and enclosed space inside a car it's easy to understand why people in coronavirus-stricken China would not be so keen to jump into a ride-sharing vehicle.

Perhaps Didi Chuxing's method will counteract that and enable passengers to travel safely, as well as maintaining good business for the company and its drivers.

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group has taken the lead in creating these protective measures for Didi Chuxing's fleet of drivers. 

Because the protective sheet is transparent, the driver can still safely see movement from vehicles behind them, as well as what their passengers are up to.

Sometimes it's the simplest methods that render the best results.

The coronavirus is easily passed from human to human and has already infected over 40,000 people worldwide, and killed over 900 in China alone. Many cities surrounding Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, are in complete lockdown. 

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Allowing people the comfort and security to travel freely, behind a protective sheet, will surely be a welcome addition to those for whom this is available.