As B.C.’s economy reopens, TransLink urges customers to have realistic expectations around physical distancing on transit. It is something that may not be possible in some cases as ridership increases.
When distancing is not possible, that is where a mask can be a good recommendation. It will only take a few minutes for thousands of people to crowd on to a platform if there is a technical issue or delay in transit. Wearing masks are not expected to be made mandatory.
TransLink had an 83% drop in ridership during the pandemic. It is now expecting an increase in transit trips as part of B.C.’s economy reopen and many people start to return to their commutes.
During the peak of the pandemic, TransLink urged the public to only use the system for essential trips for nearly two months, resulting in loss of millions of dollars a day in revenue as it maintained basic service levels.
SkyTrain was up to around 90% of its pre-COVID-19 service levels while the SeaBus service had resumed sailings every half hour. The bus service is also being increased, but the capacity remains a challenge since some seats remain closed as a physical distancing precaution. In some cases, it means that the buses need to pass people waiting at stops.
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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200504-coronavirus-what-is-the-best-kind-of-face-mask
https://www.livescience.com/are-face-masks-effective-reducing-coronavirus-spread.html