Sacramento transit adds bus trips for ‘essential’ travel during coronavirus outbreak
Sacramento Regional Transit expected the coronavirus outbreak would lead to driver shortages and saw a 75 percent drop in ridership after schools and businesses closed to limit the number of people infected with the COVID-19 respiratory disease.
But the transit service on Wednesday announced that it was adding bus service to busier routes so it can continue to offer transportation to workers in “essential” industries and promote social distancing to slow the coronavirus spread.
Starting Monday, RT will be adding more frequency and earlier start times to five highly-used bus routes: 15, 30, 51, 72 and 87, according to a news release that includes details about the additional bus trips.
Route 30, for instance, will be adding 29 trips, and Route 72 will be adding 30 trips. Transit officials also said that most routes will have earlier start times and increased frequency of 15 to 30 minutes during peak commute hours.
Last month, RT temporarily reduced service because of coronavirus closures for schools and businesses, along with county and state orders telling residents to stay home as much as possible, expect for essential employment or chores.
“SacRT heard from riders that they needed more peak hour commute options on bus, and the added frequency should help essential employees get to work and allow customers to get to other vital destinations, like grocery stores and medical appointments,” officials said in the news release.
RT also has added extra buses to routes 51, 67, 68, 84 and 93 during peak commute hours to promote social distancing. Officials said they will continue to monitor ridership and RT has additional buses ready to help on other routes if needed.
RT employees continue to fog and sanitize buses, light rail vehicles and facilities each day. And precautions have been added to buses to limit the potential exposure to COVID-19 for employees and passengers. Sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, disposable gloves, masks and safety glasses have been given to employees, according to the transit service.
But officials also said that public transit should only be used for essential travel; to get food, medicine or to work at a job deemed essential under Sacramento County’s stay-at-home order.
RT riders can go online to check updates on its COVID-19 page at sacrt.com/covid19 or its Twitter account and Facebook page, and sign up for email alerts.
