Santa Barbara taking additional precautions to protect bus riders

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) is actively responding to the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 virus by taking additional precautions to protect bus riders and the MTD workforce.

Along with the rest of the transit industry, MTD leaders are closely following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

MTD says additional disinfecting of the bus fleet is taking place nightly, using hospital grade disinfectant on all high-touch surfaces such as door handles, stanchions, seat back handles, grab bars, fareboxes, and driver areas.

Portable toilets at the temporary Transit Center are outfitted with hand sanitizer dispensers.

All bus services are currently running on a normal schedule.

While there are currently no identified cases of COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County, MTD is asking community members to follow smart health practices by doing the following, as recommended by the CDC and the Public Health officials:

• Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay away from work, school, transit, and other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.