Coronavirus: Essential driving services on hand for grocery deliveries, medical visits
Tuesday, 7 April 2020
Supermarket deliveries and vet and doctors' visits are allowed, but forget day trips around Mt Taranaki if you want to use companion driving services, owners say.
Two New Plymouth personalised driving businesses say they have taken a big hit as a result of the alert level-4 lockdown imposed on March 25, despite being deemed essential services.
Freedom Companion Driving and Driving Miss Daisy have both noticed sharp declines in the number of clients using them for medical appointments and supermarket deliveries.
Both qualify for the government's wage subsidy for staff, but face serious challenges to keep running with insurance and fuel costs to pay.
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Driving Miss Daisy franchise owner Mel Henshilwood said business had dramatically tapered off since the lockdown was imposed at 11.59pm on March 25.
She was not charging clients, but instead asking for a contribution.
'We are allowed to do medical visits to GPs and to the hospital, and we've taking clients to get flu jabs,' she said.
The service also been picking up groceries for clients not able to leave their house, she said.
'Overall it's been super quiet but we're still available for anyone who needs to use the service.'
The service was not available to visit friends not in the same bubble, or sightseeing day trips.
Henshilwood recently picked a client up from Awakino and drove them to the pharmacy in Waitara, to the supermarket in Urenui, and to the blood laboratory in Bell Block, she said.
Later in the day she helped a client in Pungarehu, she said.
'I feel very lucky to be able to get out and drive and not feel locked down myself.'
Freedom Companion Driving co-owner Diane de Jong said the business was struggling with the downturn in requests.
'It's gone dead. We're only allowed to do essential work and no social trips.
'People like to use us for supermarket shopping, instead of on-line deliveries, because they have a better rapport with us.'
De Jong said most people accepted the restrictions.
'What I've really noticed is more people out walking than you would normally see.
'It's a matter of knuckling down and riding it out,' she said.