Last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission failed to require local transit operators to provide free masks, onboard hand sanitizer, and paid sick leave. The following day, AC Transit cancelled and cut back significant bus service in northern Alameda County due to COVID-19 concerns. It’s time for full health precautions on transit. Please send an email to your local East Bay transit agency and ask that they keep you safe with free masks, hand sanitizer and paid sick leave for operators.
The Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose just committed to provide PPE and paid sick leave, and so can AC Transit, BART, WestCAT, County Connection, LAVTA, Tri-Delta Transit, Union City Transit and ACE Trains.
From the VTA, August 27, 2020:
“As an additional step to enhance the ride for customers, VTA will soon have hand sanitizer and mask dispensers on board buses and light rail trains. While face coverings have been mandated for several months and most people are complying, individually wrapped masks will be available if a customer has no other option. The hand sanitizer is dispensed as foam that evaporates quickly if any of it spills. Paratransit vehicles are already equipped with hand sanitizer and masks available for riders who may be without one.”
Here is contact information for the transit you use. Please ask them for free masks and hand sanitizer on every vehicle:
- BART: General Manager Bob Powers, GeneralManager@bart.gov
- AC Transit: General Manager Michael Hursh, mhursh@actransit.org
- WestCAT: General Manager Charlie Anderson, www.westcat.org
- County Connection: General Manager Rick Ramacier, rickramacier@comcast.net
- LAVTA: General Manager Michael Tree, www.wheelsbus.com
- Tri-Delta Transit: trideltatransit.com
- Union City Transit: General Manager Stephen Adams, transit@unioncity.org
- ACE Trains: www.acerail.com