To lure back passengers, struggling transit agencies are doing everything they can to make their buses and trains clean and COVID-free.
SMART trains in the North Bay are now installing high powered UV lights in its air filters, which officials say will kill any airborne bugs that pass by.
"Anything that comes through the filters will go through the lamps, and from there it will be killed," explained Husani Longstreet, SMART's Superintendent of Vehicle Maintenance to KPIX-5.
The technology works on many types of pathogens, not just the novel coronavirus.
The lights come in several different frequencies and colors, making them look something like little lightsabers.
SMART spokesperson Matt Stevens told KPIX-5 they are one of the first train systems in the nation to use UV in this manner.
"I hope that other transit agencies look at what we’re doing and they can learn from us and they can implement UV lights as a way to kill pathogens just like we are," he said.
UV light has been used as a disinfectant in hospitals and water treatment plants for years, but it is new to public transit systems. One of the transit agencies watching SMART’s implementation of UV light is BART, which is currently testing UV filtration.
"We’re doing everything possible to disinfect our trains and keep them absolutely clean and recirculate air every 70 seconds," said BART Board member Bevan Dufty.
All of SMART's trains should be equipped with the technology by the end of March.
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