OCT. 20, 2020 -- GoTriangle has joined the American Public Transportation Association’s “Health and Safety Commitments Program,” the public transportation industry’s overarching pledge to passengers that public transit systems are taking all the necessary measures to operate safely as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
The program was developed after APTA asked transit users from across the country what measures would make them feel more confident riding public transportation amid concerns about COVID-19. From this research, the industry found that riders most want agencies to:
- Follow public health guidelines from official sources.
- Clean and disinfect transit vehicles frequently and require face coverings and other protections.
- Keep passengers informed and empowered to choose the safest times and routes to ride.
- Put health first by requiring riders and employees to avoid public transit if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or feel ill.
GoTriangle has pledged to meet these commitments by creating specific policies that are effective for our system, our riders and our community. A key component of the Health and Safety Commitments Program is that GoTriangle and its riders share responsibility for following the guidelines. Riders rely on us to follow these commitments, and GoTriangle relies on riders to protect themselves and other customers.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, GoTriangle has been proactive and quick to put into place the policies and procedures that would best protect our riders and our employees,” says GoTriangle President and CEO Charles Lattuca. “Safety will always be our first priority, and we are proud to be joining with APTA to make that commitment even more clear to the community we serve.”
GoTriangle is committed to continually addressing and implementing pillars of the program. GoTriangle currently is:
- Requiring all passengers to wear face coverings and to abstain from riding if showing any symptoms.
- Suspending fares and asking passengers to use the rear door to enter and exit to maintain a safe distance from the bus operator.
- Limiting the number of passengers on the bus if needed to accomplish social-distancing.
- Providing hand sanitizer on every bus.
- Disinfecting all high-touch areas on each bus several times a day.
- Cleaning each bus throughout once and even sometimes twice a day.
- Fogging buses with disinfectant on a regular schedule.
Please find a video of GoTriangle’s precautions here.
“This program is a commitment that this industry is making to all those we serve now and to those who we look forward to serving,” said Nuria I. Fernandez, APTA chair and general manager and CEO of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. “Public transportation is and will be vital to the social and economic recovery of our nation. But getting there requires us to win back our ridership and encourage new riders to view public transit as a preferred mobility choice. We believe this commitment program will help do this.”