Ottawa's Oc Transpo Offers Free Transit During Covid-19

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on public transportation systems, including the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus service. In response to the spread of the virus, OCTA implemented several measures to protect the health and safety of its employees and passengers. These measures included enhanced bus cleanings, social distancing, and the distribution of free face coverings and hand sanitizers. Additionally, OCTA reduced its bus service to a Sunday schedule, resulting in a decrease in the frequency of buses on certain routes. While OCTA did not provide free bus rides during the coronavirus pandemic, it took proactive steps to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees and riders.

OCTA's safety measures during the pandemic

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has implemented several safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and safety of its passengers and employees.

OCTA has been enforcing social distancing on its buses by limiting the number of passengers and requiring them to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet when possible. To assist passengers in planning their trips and maintaining social distancing, OCTA launched a free Transit app that provides real-time information on bus capacity and location. The app indicates whether a bus has "many seats" (less than one-third full), "some seats" (less than two-thirds full), or "very limited seats" (more than two-thirds full).

OCTA has also prioritized the distribution of free face coverings to its passengers, providing more than 560,000 disposable face masks and working with community partners to distribute thousands of reusable face coverings to those in need. Face coverings are federally mandated to be worn on public transit, and signs on buses notify passengers of this requirement.

To further enhance safety, OCTA has implemented enhanced bus cleanings, installed Plexiglas driver shields, and provided hand sanitizer stations on every bus. Additionally, OCTA has transitioned more than 500 administrative employees to work remotely and offered a pilot program to distribute free face coverings to riders.

OCTA has also made operational changes to adjust to the needs of its ridership, reducing bus service to a Sunday service schedule, which is about 40% of the typical weekday service. These measures have been implemented to protect the health of employees and passengers while ensuring essential workers and vulnerable members of the community can continue to rely on public transportation.

Reduced ridership during the pandemic

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) witnessed a significant drop in ridership during the coronavirus pandemic. On March 19, 2020, fewer than 50,000 passengers boarded OCTA buses, a sharp decline from the typical average weekday ridership of 125,000. This decrease in ridership prompted OCTA to adjust its bus services accordingly, opting to operate on a Sunday schedule for the foreseeable future. This decision was made to protect the health and safety of both employees and passengers.

OCTA implemented several measures to ensure the well-being of its employees and passengers. In alignment with state and federal guidelines, employees over 65 or with underlying health issues were asked to stay at home. Additionally, OCTA distributed over 560,000 free face coverings to passengers and installed plexiglass shields to separate coach operators from passengers. Enhanced bus cleanings, social distancing, and hand sanitizer stations were also introduced as part of OCTA's safety protocols.

To assist passengers in making informed travel decisions, OCTA introduced a real-time app that provides information on bus capacity and the number of available seats. This app empowers passengers to plan their trips and maintain physical distancing by choosing buses with available seats. The app indicates the level of occupancy, with "many seats" representing less than one-third full, "some seats" indicating less than two-thirds full, and "very limited seats" for buses that are more than two-thirds full.

OCTA's commitment to health and safety during the pandemic extended beyond its bus services. The authority assisted the county's Health Care Agency by providing buses to transport medical staff to vaccination sites, demonstrating their proactive role in facilitating vaccination efforts. Furthermore, OCTA transitioned more than 500 administrative employees to remote work and actively communicated changes and updates to the public through various channels, including rider alerts, onboard information, emails, and social media posts.

The reduction in ridership during the pandemic led OCTA to adapt its operations, prioritizing the health and safety of its employees and passengers while continuing to provide essential transportation services to the community.

OCTA's bus schedule changes

OCTAs Bus Schedule Changes

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has implemented several changes to its bus services in response to the coronavirus pandemic. These changes aim to protect the health and safety of both passengers and employees while maintaining essential transportation services for the public.

Firstly, OCTA has transitioned to a Sunday schedule for bus services, representing a reduction to about 40% of the regular weekday service. This change took effect on March 23, 2020, and will continue indefinitely. Specific routes, such as the Bravo! Route 529 between Huntington Beach and Fullerton, have been suspended entirely. Passengers can refer to the OCBus.com website for the most current schedule information.

Secondly, OCTA is committed to rigorous cleaning and sanitation protocols. Buses are cleaned daily, and enhanced bus cleanings have been implemented to minimise the risk of virus transmission. Additionally, OCTA prioritises social distancing on board its buses, limiting the number of passengers to ensure at least six feet of physical distance between individuals whenever possible.

Thirdly, OCTA has distributed more than 560,000 free face coverings to passengers, in compliance with federal mandates. These face coverings are now required to be worn on public transit. OCTA has also installed hand sanitiser stations on every bus and at major transit hubs, providing additional resources for passengers to maintain hygiene practices.

Lastly, OCTA has made adjustments to boarding procedures, encouraging passengers to board through the rear doors of buses whenever possible. These changes are designed to protect the health of both passengers and bus operators by minimising close contact during the boarding process.

OCTA's employee policy during the pandemic

To protect its employees' health during the coronavirus pandemic, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) implemented several measures. These policies aimed to ensure the safety of OCTA's staff while maintaining essential transportation services for the public.

Work-from-home arrangements

OCTA followed state and federal guidelines by requiring employees over 65 or with underlying health issues to stay at home. Additionally, the organisation transitioned more than 500 administrative employees to work remotely.

Reduced bus services

The work-from-home arrangements, coupled with school closures, resulted in staffing challenges for OCTA. As a result, they reduced their bus services, adopting a Sunday schedule seven days a week. This change meant operating at about 40% of the regular weekday service. Certain routes were suspended entirely.

Health and safety measures

OCTA prioritised health and safety by implementing enhanced bus cleanings and providing free face coverings and hand sanitiser stations on every bus. They also installed Plexiglas driver shields as a barrier between coach operators and passengers.

Social distancing

OCTA enforced social distancing on buses by limiting the number of passengers and requiring them to board through the rear doors. They also launched a real-time app, showing bus capacity and available seats to help riders plan their trips and maintain physical distancing.

OCTA's free services for health workers

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has implemented several measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. OCTA has been prioritising health and safety by providing enhanced bus cleanings, social distancing on board, free face coverings, and hand sanitiser stations on every bus. In addition, OCTA has distributed more than 560,000 disposable face coverings to passengers with the support of the Federal Transit Administration and has worked with community partners to distribute thousands of reusable face coverings to those in need.

OCTA has also taken other health measures, such as transitioning more than 500 administrative employees to work remotely and installing Plexiglas driver shields as a barrier between coach operators and passengers. They have also implemented a real-time bus capacity app to help passengers plan their trips and maintain physical distancing.

To support health workers, OCTA has provided free public transport for health workers in many cities. In some cities, OCTA has created a special shuttle service for health workers. OCTA has also assisted the county's Health Care Agency by providing a bus to shuttle medical staff from the Disneyland super site to a smaller clinic for seniors in Santa Ana to receive vaccinations.

OCTA stands ready to help with additional transportation for health workers as needed and continues to work closely with the county's Health Care Agency and emergency operations to respond to the public health crisis.

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