News
Coronavirus: Enhanced Maintenance Protocol, Plus, What You Can Do to Help
April 3, 2020
As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, essential services remain operational, including Omnitrans, the largest public transit provider in San Bernardino County. While we encourage all to stay at home and ONLY ride the bus for essential needs, we have done our part and enhanced daily bus maintenance protocol to include disinfecting of high-touch areas in our vehicles.
In addition to daily cleansing with all-purpose cleaners, our utility service workers and custodians have been utilizing industrial-grade disinfectant products to help minimize spread of COVID-19 onboard Omnitrans vehicles and facilities. The video below depicts this enhanced bus maintenance process:
Battling coronavirus requires a good faith effort from all. We strongly encourage you to also adopt precautionary measures as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omnitrans reminds you to take the following into consideration if riding the bus during this time:
- Always avoid riding Omnitrans when feeling sick. Stay home!
- Reduce your use of public transit to essential trips only. Examples of essential trips include medical appointments, dialysis, work, food, pharmacy, or grocery runs. Eliminate all non-essential trips.
- Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds before and after riding the bus. Utilizing hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is also recommended.
- Wear a facial covering such as non-medical face mask, scarf, bandana, handkerchief or other dense cloth.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or use the inside of your elbow to cover yourself.
- Practice social distancing (at least 6 feet between people) whenever possible. If there are too many people at a bus stop, consider taking the next bus. In instances of overcrowding, our operators will call into dispatch to deploy another vehicle to the affected route.
- Do not stand near the bus operator or in the restricted securement area. All customers must board and exit using the rear entrance, unless you are traveling with a mobility device.
- Consider adjusting trips to off-peak periods (non-commute periods), especially if not work-related.
- Limit carry-on items and keep aisles clear. No items will be placed in restricted areas.
- Be courteous to other riders and the bus operator by following the CDC’s COVID-19 precautionary tips.
Your cooperation and understanding are appreciated. We will get through this together!
- Transit App has been Upgraded with OmniRide Fare Option
Paying For Fares Made Easier! - West Valley Connector Update
Omnitrans is happy to give an update on the West - Yucaipa Rodeo Shuttle
Yee-Haw! If you’re ready to saddle up and celebrate this
Why did you change the departure time of the 6:15am bus for Route 8? It now leaves at 6:45am. That bus got those customers that work for Amazon to work on time for the 7:00am shift. Now we have to find alternate means to get to work on time. The only other option would be Route 5. But then you would have to walk from Waterman and Central to the site. But you changed the departure times and frequency times on that route also. This is a big inconvenience for many.
Hi Jason, and thank you for sharing your concern. Further research and conversation with our planners revealed that the service reduction on Route 8 did impact the trip you mention. The trip that got the Amazon workers to work at 6:30 was a trip that unfortunately had to be temporarily dropped. During this time, the trip available to get to Amazon for the time in question is the 5:45 trip that gets them there at 6:01, which we realize is very early. We hope that this inconvenience will come to an end shortly after the COVID-19 response is lifted. Omnitrans has attempted to make service adjustments that will serve our customers for essential trips while trying to maximize availability. We apologize for this temporary inconvenience and appreciate your patience with us as we navigate these challenging times.
Are you still going to eliminate route 5 and if so how do these people get to work
Are bus passes accepted on the bus during Covid-19?
Hi Jacob. Yes, we are now collecting bus fare (cash and bus passes.)