Saskatoon Transit to resume fare collection: to align with Re-Open SK Phase 3
As the province and our community move toward re-opening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Saskatoon Transit will resume loading passengers and collecting fares at the front doors starting June 8, 2020.
“Our team will always keep the safety of our customers and employees at the forefront of everything we do, which is why we went to rear door boarding and suspended fare collection.” says Jim McDonald, Director, Saskatoon Transit. “Saskatoon Transit is proud to provide transportation services our customers can rely on as we move into Phase Three of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.”
New measures:
· Front door loading and fare collection will resume effective June 8, 2020.
· Vinyl panels are being installed as protective barriers for operators. Operators have also been issued gloves and re-useable masks for protection of themselves and riders.
· One-way passenger flow: boarding through the front and exiting through the rear doors of the bus.
o Exceptions will be made for customers with mobility aids to exit through the front of the bus.
· Transit riders are encouraged to follow the recommendations for using face masks or face coverings on buses and at bus stops. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends wearing a non-medical mask where physical distancing is not possible or is unpredictable.
· Saskatoon Transit will continue to monitor capacity on buses, and customers may experience pass-ups.
o Riders are encouraged to use the mobile app called “transit” to check the schedules in advance and attempt to travel at non-peak times as much as possible.
“Following the guidance of the Chief Medical Health Officer and drawing on the best practices of the transit industry worldwide, Saskatoon Transit has implemented additional safety measures. We’ll also continue with many of the procedures and practices already at work to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” McDonald says.
Measures already in place that will continue:
· Enhanced bus cleaning and sanitizing
· Additional personal protective equipment for Access Transit operators
· Communication to staff and riders encouraging good personal hygiene
· Rear door loading with no fare collection until June 7, 2020
As restrictions begin to lift and people gradually return to some activities they did prior to March 2020, Saskatoon Transit wants to ensure everyone gets where they need to be as safely and efficiently as possible.
For more information, visit SaskatoonTranist.ca or call 306-975-3100.