Message to our Customers from CEO Emmett Heath: We’re All in This Together

As we have shared over the past few days, our top priority right now is to provide a safe ride for our customers and a safe working environment for our employees. We are continuing to provide our normal level of service and hope to do so for as long as we can.

Today, I would also like to take a moment to thank all of the Community Transit employees and contractors who are working tirelessly to ensure we maintain safe and dependable service during this time. While our bus drivers are the primary face of our agency, we have hundreds of employees you may never meet who are working long hours during this time. Our entire agency is committed and focused on doing whatever we can to pitch in and provide critical services to you.

Many of these staff members cannot do their jobs from home. I want to share a special note of recognition to these front-line employees who are coming to work every day to keep our operations running smoothly, from drivers, dispatchers, mechanics, technical teams, Ambassador team and facilities crews to our road supervisors and customer care team helping riders at stops, over the phone, and at the RideStore; thank you. 

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to read our most recent customer communication (March 13) that details our current disinfection protocols and our request that you partner with us in preventing the spread of COVID-19. We are also keeping our website updated with key information for riders and our communities.

Community Transit is made up of an incredible team of people who are committed to the community, to you and to each other. I am humbled to be their colleague.

If you’re on the bus today, please remember to follow social distancing guidelines with both your fellow riders and your bus driver. If you can, take a moment to say thank you to your bus driver, even from six feet away. Wednesday March 18 is Transit Driver Appreciation Day and I hope you will join me in expressing our deep gratitude to our drivers.

We are all in this together. Whether or not you are still using our services or are able to stay home during this time, we wish you good health for the weeks and months ahead.  

Emmett

Emmett Heath

CEO, Community Transit

Coronavirus Update: Staying Informed

Our ongoing commitment to providing a safe ride for both our customers and our employees is our top priority. In addition to our weekly cleaning practices, we continue to disinfect all buses daily using a backpack sprayer and spray down all hard surfaces with the disinfectant Virex II 256, specifically to address COVID-19.

We ask that all riders partner with us in preventing the spread of coronavirus by following this guidance:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will do if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes with unwashed hands to avoid transferring germs.
• Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces, like counters, light switches and doorknobs.
• Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with others.

This week, the Governor provided guidance to transportation agencies, asking for agencies to do everything possible to encourage space between people. 

As our ridership has declined, this has naturally allowed for more space between riders. We will continue to monitor ridership daily and are working to ensure, to the best of our ability, that we are able to provide the ongoing transportation service that our customers need. We remain committed to providing current service levels as long as we are able to do so.

Providing a safe transit journey requires a partnership with our riders. Please visit our webpage where we will post updates on how we're working with local agencies to keep our communities healthy. We are also providing links to local health authorities should you have questions or concerns about the coronavirus.

Please Subscribe to free electronic alerts by email and/or texts and Follow @MyCommTrans on Twitter. Visit our blog to learn more about how we are responding to coronavirus/COVID-19 concerns.

Our top priorities are to continue service to the public and to keep our employees healthy and safe. Thank you for your patience and partnering with us to help prevent the spread of illness.

Coronavirus Update: How we’re responding to COVID-19 concerns

By Laurel McJannet

Be it by bus, paratransit, or vanpool, Community Transit provides vital transportation services. We transport people within Snohomish County, as well as to and from locations in King County.

Understandably, you may be feeling anxious and concern about the safety of public transit as the news of COVID-19 novel coronavirus continues to be in the headlines, social media and the topic of conversation with family and friends. We take these concerns very seriously.

Staying Informed

Updates and news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly. We are evaluating the situation daily and follow guidance provided by local health authorities. Our goal is to apply best practices to keep our customers and employees healthy. If you have questions and concerns about coronavirus, we encourage you to contact the local health authorities:

• Snohomish Health District (public health district for Snohomish County)
• Washington State Department of Health (Washington state government)
• Call Center: 1-800-525-0127, then press #
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. government)

Backpacks charge in preparation
for nightly bus disinfection.

Updated cleaning procedures

Last week we updated our vehicle cleaning procedures to include nightly disinfecting of all high-touch areas in all our buses. We want to ensure clean surfaces each morning to assist our riders in having a safe journey to their destination. If you have any concerns or observe a bus or vehicle that needs attention, please alert a transit employee right away.

Communication

Providing a safe transit journey requires a partnership with our riders in helping to prevent the spread of illness. We have messages available on our buses and online:

·      We’ve placed posters from the Snohomish Health District aboard all buses and at transit centers to remind everyone how they can keep themselves and others healthy.

·      For updates and to check out our FAQs, please visit our dedicated webpage at https://www.communitytransit.org/coronavirus.

·      Join us on Facebook for our Community Transit Live webcasts to ask questions. We will have our regularly scheduled webcast on Tuesday, March 10 at Noon (https://www.facebook.com/communitytransit/videos/1089224144751532/) We will also have a webcast every Tuesday in the month of March.

Postponing non-essential meetings

Based on the latest guidance from the Snohomish Health District, Community Transit is postponing in-person, non-essential events and meetings that are open to the general public, whether on- or off-site, until after March 31. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Our top priorities are to continue service to the public and to keep our employees healthy and safe. Thank you for partnering with us to help prevent the spread of illness. And, stay well!