NEWS RELEASE
As RTD gets our region moving again and prepares to resume fare collection, safety remains paramount
Protective gear for operators, regular cleaning of vehicles and face coverings for passengers among RTD’s safety efforts
DENVER (June 26, 2020) – As the Regional Transportation District (RTD) gets our region moving again, the agency continues to implement a number of safety measures to protect employees and riders.
“Our employees are our most valued resource and protecting them and our customers has been our first priority during these extraordinary times,” said Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Paul J. Ballard. “There’s a growing body of research from around the world that indicates that people are not contracting COVID-19 by riding transit. If we all hold ourselves accountable and follow the safety protocols we’ve become accustomed to, we can be partners in safety.”
RTD has implemented a variety of safety measures to instill confidence in employees and passengers, and will start a new effort by making face coverings available to riders as supplies last. RTD’s safety protocols thus far include:
- Cleaning and sanitizing buses and trains daily.
- Requiring operators and riders to wear masks.
- Providing operators an ample supply of PPE, including face coverings, gloves, hand sanitizer, and face shields.
- Producing and starting to install operator barriers in-house, saving the agency a substantial amount of money versus having a third-party vendor produce and install them.
- Promoting social distancing on the system and staging buses in areas along our more popular bus routes to accommodate capacity limits.
- Reminding passengers safety is everyone’s responsibility and riders should use good judgement when using the system.
RTD recently resumed MallRide service and will begin collecting fares and reinstituting front-door boarding on July 1, all in an effort to transition into a new normal and help the agency address its financial impacts from COVID. Riders are encouraged to use mobile tickets through the Mobile Tickets app, the Uber app and the Transit app. These contactless payment options can help with safety by lessening contact with the farebox on buses and at the ticket vending machines.
RTD outlines how it has been preparing for recovery in the agency’s “Let’s Get Our Region Moving Again” video.
To welcome the public back on board, RTD staff and Board members continue to greet riders by handing out hand sanitizer and face coverings at various stations. For locations and times visit, RTD-Denver.com.
Regional Transportation District
1660 Blake Street
Denver, CO
80202
720.326.7311
Media Line
ABOUT RTD
The Regional Transportation District develops, operates and maintains a public transportation system that meets the transit needs of close to 3 million people within an eight-county service area in the Denver Metro region. RTD’s buses, rail lines, shuttles and additional services provide approximately 100 million annual passenger trips. For more information, visit rtd-denver.com, call 303-299-6000 and follow along on social media: www.facebook.com/RideRTD, @RideRTD on Twitter, @ridertd on Instagram and rideRTDco on YouTube. For the most current RTD news, visit the News Stop, at rtd-denver.com/news-stop.
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