Pierce Transit adds disinfectant cleanings for coronavirus, asks riders to check for changes
Pierce Transit is taking measures to mitigate the coronavirus outbreak in Washington.
COVID-19, or coronavirus, is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
With the transit authority counting more than 8 million rides annually, spokesperson Rebecca Japhet said it is stepping up cleanings.
Buses and Shuttle paratransit vehicles are cleaned and sanitized daily, but Pierce Transit added extra disinfectant cleanings focused on “high touch” areas, like handrails, grab bars, poles and the operator area.
The 153 buses traveling around Pierce County are cleaned when they return to headquarters and get fuel, Japhet said. Next week, they will be disinfected throughout the day on routes as well.
If a bus is considered unsanitary, it is removed from service and deep cleaned and disinfected before returning to service, Japhet said.
“We are urging customers who see something that needs attention to alert their driver or call Pierce Transit’s Customer Services office at 253-581-8000, option 1, 1,” she said in an email.
Bus drivers and other employees working directly with customers are given kits that include gloves, hand sanitizer, surface wipes and tissues.
Cleanings for Pierce Transit facilities, including the headquarters in Lakewood, have doubled. Japhet said the agency is following guidance from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and regional transit partners.
Pierce Transit recommends riders sign up for route-by-route text alerts to stay informed if routes are changed due to an outbreak.
