Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-20 Public Comment - S. Ross - COVID-19 Safety ProtocolsFrom:Sunshine Ross To:Chris Mehl; Cyndy Andrus; I-Ho Pomeroy; Terry Cunningham; Michael Wallner; Agenda Subject:COVID-19 Safety Protocols Date:Tuesday, August 11, 2020 3:59:26 PM Attachments:COVID-19 Streamline Statement_Phase II.pdf Hello Commissioners, With many people soon returning to our community from vacations and MSU students returning to campus this week, you may be wondering, "Is riding public transit safe right now?" This is a fair question, so I wanted tomake sure that all of our community leaders are aware of the protocols Streamline has in place to protect our drivers, staff, riders, and the community (see attached). We are also working hard to inform the public of our ongoing efforts and rules for riding the Streamline buses. I also wanted to share a couple of recent articles regarding the use of public transit systems during the current pandemic (see below). Is it safe to ride public transit during the pandemic Riding transit during covid19 is safer than most think when everyone follows basic safetyguidelines As always, thank you for your continued support of Streamline! Thanks Care!Sunshine -- Sunshine Ross Transportation Director Streamline/Galavan 1812 N. Rouse Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715 p (406) 587-2434 | f (406) 582-7946 www.thehrdc.org www.streamlinebus.com Streamline COVID-19 Updates and Policies CDC and Health Department Guidance Streamline fully supports the CDC and OSHA guidance and complies with the Governor and/or the Gallatin City-County Health Department orders during each phase of reopening. Safety Advisory Guidance To further promote safety for Streamline’s drivers and customers, Streamline is also closely following the guidance from the Safety Advisory of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which states: "During the COVID-19 public health emergency, transit agencies across the country are continuing to provide millions of trips a day to lifeline services and to carry healthcare and other essential workers to critical jobs. This Safety Advisory recommends that transit agencies develop and implement procedures and practices consistent with all applicable guidance and information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure the continued safety of transit passengers and employees during this national emergency." COVID-19 Policies Streamline’s current COVID-19 policies include the following:  Cleaning and disinfecting our buses multiple times daily, paying particular attention to “high touch” areas, such as handholds and railings  Creating and enforcing a social-distancing buffer zone by blocking off the first row of seats behind the operator  Encouraging riders to practice social distancing by putting as much space as possible between themselves and others  Asking all riders to enter and exit the bus through the rear door when possible  Giving all operators access to personal protective equipment, such as face masks  Requiring all riders (5 and older) to wear face masks or face coverings  Asking customers are experiencing symptoms to not use public transit and visit the local health department’s website for a list of next steps: https://www.healthygallatin.org/coronavirus- covid-19/. We will revise policies, procedures, and measures as new or revised CDC, FTA, and OSHA guidance becomes available.