Thursday May 21, 2020 ~ VICTORIA, BC
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Thawing of the COVID-related big freeze in public transit started to be evident yesterday when BC transit announced that fare would be payable again for boarding the buses in Greater Victoria, made possible by the installation of protective shielding for bus drivers.
Today May 21, BC Transit has released with more fervor their news about intentions to align with Restart BC, which follows the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC.
BC Transit will be “drawing on the best practices of the transit industry worldwide: as they continue with many of the safety measures being put in place to respond to COVID-19. The transit provider is implementing additional practices and procedures to align with BC’s Restart Plan.
“As restrictions begin to lift across the province, select sectors open back up, and people gradually return to engaging in some of the activities they did prior to March 2020, we want to ensure that BC Transit gets you where you need to be, as safely and efficiently as possible,” it was stated today in a news release.
Already in place, these measures will continue:
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitization on buses and at BC Transit facilities.
• Rear door loading and ceasing fare collection until May 31, 2020.
• Additional personal protective equipment for handyDART transit operators.
• Communication to staff and customers to encourage behaviours that contribute to the safety of themselves, our operators and fellow passengers.
New measures will include:
• Capacity management, including keeping buses at a comfortable load. BC Transit will continue to target a comfortable capacity on buses, which may result in buses being full and customers could experience pass ups. BC Transit is encouraging customers to use NextRide to check for capacity in advance of boarding and attempt to travel at non-peak times as much as possible.
• The use of face coverings will be encouraged on buses and at bus stops where physical distancing is not possible.
• Protective barriers for operators in the form of vinyl panels or full driver doors.
• One-way passenger flow entering through the front of the bus and exiting through the rear of the bus. An exception will be made for customers with mobility aids to exit through the front of the bus.
• Resuming front door loading and fare collection effective June 1, 2020.
• Timeline for installation of full driver door protective barriers on buses will be accelerated.
Further adaptations:
BC Transit says it continues to provide transportation services you can rely on. “As we move through the phases of BC’s Restart Plan, BC Transit will work with our partners to adjust or implement measures based on advice from the Provincial Health Officer.”
“BC Transit is proud to provide transportation services our customers can rely on as we move into Phase 2 of BC’s Restart Plan. Our team is committed to putting the safety of our customers, employees, and communities as our top priority,” says Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit President and Chief Executive Officer.
BC Government still working on transit issues:
- “Public transit has been an essential service through the initial response phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we appreciate the work of our transit agencies and transit operators to keep these services running. Public transit will be key to British Columbia’s recovery success, and we are working closely with BC Transit to ensure people can continue to access this important service – to get to where they need to go.” ~ Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena
- “Public Health and WorkSafeBC are working with transit agencies to ensure all reasonable steps are being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, however, it’s clear that maintaining a safe physical distance may not be possible in every situation. We recommend all passengers consider wearing a face covering while using public transit, especially during those instances where physical distancing may not be possible. We also ask the public to be patient during this challenging transition period and we are grateful to British Columbia’s transit agencies for doing everything possible to protect the public during these changing times.” ~ Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer