Yolobus says a bus driver has tested positive for COVID-19
The Yolo County Transportation District says a Yolobus bus driver has tested positive for COVID-19, the infectious respiratory diseases caused by the coronavirus.
The driver had not been at work for Yolobus since July 7 and has reportedly been in self-isolation since July 10, according to a news release. Yolobus officials said they were notified of the bus driver’s diagnosis on Monday.
The driver is an employee of Transdev, the contractor that operates transit services for Yolobus. Officials said the driver is the first employee working at Yolobus known to have contracted the virus. They also said Transdev has notified others employees who may have had prolonged contact with the driver, so they can be watchful of symptoms.
On Thursday afternoon, Yolobus officials released a list of routes, bus numbers, dates and times the bus driver worked from June 27 through July 7. The bus route list is included in the Yolobus online news release announcing the driver’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Yolobus has implemented cleaning and disinfection processes. Officials said bus drivers and service workers wipe down and sanitize touch points between bus trips, and the buses are disinfected at least once a day using a medical-grade fine mist sprayer such as those used in medical facilities.
Transdev also has doubled the frequency of the misting process for the buses after they return from morning peak-hour service, according to Yolobus.
“We have rigorous processes and protocols in place to protect passengers and employees that not only meet, but often exceed” guidelines by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yolobus Executive Director Terry Bassett said in the news release. “This vigilance for health safety is our top priority, since COVID-19 is still in our collective midst.”
Bus drivers and passengers are required to wear masks, Yolobus said, and the transit service has a limited supply of masks available on buses for passengers who don’t have one.
All Yolobus buses have plexiglas barriers installed near the driver to provide additional protection and ensure social distancing. Drivers have the option of wearing face shields in addition to masks.
The driver who has contracted COVID-19 has to be medically cleared before returning to work.
“If members of the public have concerns that they may have come into contact with the affected (bus driver), we advise closely monitoring their health and following all CDC guidelines, including contacting a medical professional should they develop symptoms,” Bassett said in the news release.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 7:54 PM.
