BUFFALO (WBEN) - The NFTA and Erie County Legislature have reached an agreement to provide additional safety measures for metro bus riders to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
- Limit each bus to under 15 passengers
- Install signage on the interior to remind passengers about physical distancing guidelines and to encourage them to leave one seat between passengers
- Implement additional bus service on the 19 Bailey route, which is a route that sees a significant amount of riders.
Legislature Chair April Baskin has expressed concern about safety measures on buses even though the NFTA has already implemented several: suspending the collection of fares, issuing masks and gloves to drivers, providing plastic shields in the driving compartment, and asking passengers to board in the rear of the bus.
"There has been a great deal of talk in recent weeks about how essential workers are the new American heroes: the healthcare workers, retail clerks, and public employees who are on the frontlines while those of us who can, shelter at home," said Baskin. "But the reality is most of these individuals are low-paid hourly employees who depend on public transportation to get to jobs where they risk their lives to enable the rest of us to remain healthy, protected and fed during this crisis. Not to mention the riders who travel for essential trips medical appointments, groceries and laundry."
But what does that mean for a stop with more than 15 people? Helen Tederous of the NFTA says they have plans to mitigate any problems with overcrowding.
"What we're seeing is obviously a very large decline in ridership, but what does happen here and there and a few and far between, there are some buses and some routes that are a little heavier than people would like," said Tederous. "What we're doing is creating chase buses, which is two buses at the same time, so people can feel social distancing and they can feel more comfortable."
