Hearing impaired people find income opportunity as application drivers

To promote inclusion, 99 creates personalized identification for cars of partner drivers.

Respect for inclusion and diversity are core values for 99, the app-based transportation company that is part of the global DiDi Chuxing. The app has been an accessible opportunity to generate and supplement income, also for people with hearing disabilities.

To promote inclusion, 99 created personalized identification that is inside and outside the cars of these drivers. They receive internal stickers, rear-view mirror hanger and headrest with the phrases "Hearing impaired driver. Sign to talk to me" and "Talk to me by message".

The objective of this action is to facilitate the communication between the passenger and the driver, and it arose after the company identified the behavior of some passengers who did not know that the driver was a deaf person. IBGE estimates that there are more than 10 million deaf people in the country.

"We started to notice that people would talk, try to interact with the driver and, for not getting an answer, would make a negative evaluation of the race or even feel unwelcomed. And, clearly, we do not want to provide a bad experience for the passenger and much less for the driver. 99 has in its values to live and respect diversity, that is why we adopted this new policy and it has given good results", explains Pedro Gomes, regional manager of 99 for Rio de Janeiro, North and Northeast.

In addition to the signaling, the company implemented services in Libras in its service center for drivers, known as Casa 99, already operating in some cities where it operates. At the space, drivers can ask questions about the platform, register to become partners of the company, or even have a support point for a coffee or a rest.