Carpooling to/from Work in NSW

• 

  onetwothreefour on 18/08/2021 - 16:27

  +12

  https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/restrictions-to-furthe…

  All carpooling to be stopped unless among members of the same household.

  https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/changes#driving-and-tr…

  Carpooling is when you travel in a car with people you do not live with such as

  friends
  family
  people you work with.
  You must not carpool with people you do not live with when the stay at home rules are in place.

  If you use a vehicle for work, you are allowed to carpool where it is required for your work such as

  police officers working in a team of 2 people
  team of removalists working together.

• 

  brendanm on 18/08/2021 - 16:38

  -4

  On their website It says “if you use a vehicle for work you are allowed to carpool where it is required for your work such as police officers working in a team of 2, team of removalist working together”

  Sounds like your scenario. You need your labourer at work, and have to take him to the job. It's a work requirement.

  • 

    pharkurnell on 18/08/2021 - 17:01

    +1

    LMAO!!!!
    how awesome are the rules…

    but but your honor this one says this and that one says that… so I did

    • 

      brendanm on 18/08/2021 - 19:17

      +2

      Can't carpool with your workmate, who you work closely with every single day anyway, but can get a taxi/uber with some random who has also had a tonne of random people in the car. It all totally makes sense.

      Op should just sign up as an uber driver and put the sticker on, then pick his workmate up everyday.

      • 

        pharkurnell on 18/08/2021 - 19:24

        Or just put an Uber sticker on his car and drive the whole crew to work…

        None of it makes sense.
        Like in Sydney, all the $$ suburbs seem to be allowed to the beach (Manly to Cronulla lookin at photos in paper on weekend) - but out west you get executed for walking to the shops for a loaf

• 

  MercSal on 18/08/2021 - 17:21

  +6

  I would say no. Those two examples are specifically about car based work and carpooling. In both examples, the work is performed primarily in the vehicle, and it would be reasonable for the officers/removalists to pick each other up from home in their work vehicle and begin work.

  it does not mean the officers, for example, pick each other up then go to the office and work at desks.

• 

  netjock on 18/08/2021 - 17:28

  +1

  Wouldn't suggest it. Last winter when things went pear shaped in Victoria it was because security guards at quarantine hotels decided to car pool.

• 

  Drakesy on 18/08/2021 - 18:02

  This was the same with Uber/taxi drivers taking people from the airport into quarantine/around town yet you couldn't car pool outside of your household.

  Admittedly i agree that car pooling/combining people from different households shouldn't be allowed, but to allow taxi/uber drivers to continue operating (which are an inherently greater risk of being a super spreader) is a bit counter-intuitive.

  • 

    Love a bargain on 19/08/2021 - 12:41

    But you're less likely to be chatting to your taxi/uber drivers than if you're in the car with a friend/ relative. Plus many treat the car as a private space where mask-wearing is not required (which is not the case with taxi/uber) - this would be okay if everyone who gets in the car lives together.

    At the end of the day, some form of public transport has to be allowed for those who can't/don't drive.

    • 

      Drakesy on 19/08/2021 - 14:10

      It's not really the chatting that's the issue.
      It's more the shared touch points, door handles, seat belts etc. which are the problem.

      Yes public transport would be the same and there are alternatives such as bikes, electric scooters etc.

      • 

        Love a bargain on 19/08/2021 - 16:43

        Touch points are relevant factors (which can be mitigated to a large extend by wiping down the surfaces between trips) but chatting is also a factor. When we talk, we exhale more and project more droplets.

        Public transport includes taxis - not just buses and trains. Not everyone can use/ have access to any alternatives. Imagine if you've hurt your leg or have a bad hip, lives about 5 minutes walk to the nearest bus stop and you need to go to, say, a medical appointment or do some essential shopping.

• 

  rektrading on 19/08/2021 - 09:47

  -4

  The State should have a payment plan where a fine can be paid in small amounts like $5 per week.

  The profit the company makes from having the worker onsite can easily cover the payments.

  https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/fines-and-fees/cant-pay-your-…

  There is also the chance to get the fine cancelled in Court. The worker can cry extreme financial hardship and appeal to the magistrate emotional side. They are humans after all and some of them may see that the lockdowns are unfairly targeting low-income people that can't WFH.