TranGO addresses extended safety measures for passengers, drivers

OKANOGAN – Though there is not yet any known case of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Okanogan County, the epidemic is a topic of concern in every business, school, agency, and household in the county. That is certainly the case at TranGO, the Okanogan County Transit Authority where CEO Kelly Scalf said of the COVID-19 epidemic: “It’s been the major topic of the week.”
In remarks to The Quad last Friday, March 6, Scalf said her agency is still in the early stages of confronting the potential of passenger and driver exposure to COVID-19 on TranGO vehicles and how best to address that threat.
“People should be aware that cleaning happens all the time,” said Scalf who pointed out that vehicle cleaning and sanitization was a regular routine before the corona virus became an issue. “High-touch surfaces are sanitized overnight.”
Scalf said her team is conferring with partner agency Okanogan County Transportation and Nutrition (OCTN) and the county health district as well as federal and state resources to determine the best measures to follow to extend their vehicle cleaning and sanitation even further. That is no easy assignment where a service like public transportation is concerned.
Differences in vehicle manufacture require different approaches to cleaning and sanitizing for such fixtures as cloth versus vinyl seats. Scalf said TranGO is evaluating the benefits of fogging systems that employ a disinfectant that is sprayed into a vehicle and allowed to remain overnight.
“Prevention is the best thing we can do,” said Scalf. “We were just talking about posting information in our vehicles reminding passengers to wash their hands, and cover their mouths, etc.”
“We also have a supply chain issue and we’re are dealing with that,” Scalf said.
Federal agencies like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recommend extra care be taken with door-to-door transport vehicles where passengers using mobility devices like wheelchairs come into closer contact with drivers.
Unlike EMS personnel who respond to emergencies and have the appropriate protective clothing to wear when doing so, transit drivers are not so equipped and would probably find donning protective clothing incompatible with their repeated contact with passengers throughout a typical workday.
“We are planning for the worst and hoping for better results,” said Scalf who had just participated in an American Public Transportation Association webinar addressing passenger and driver safety measures.
Part of TranGO’s planning scenario is taking a longer view if the service needs to operate with a shortage of drivers or must designate priority routes in the event of some route cancellations. Screening passengers to help identify carriers of the virus another option if the epidemic’s spread so warrants.
 “This is all evolving,” said Scalf. “We want to keep our passengers and drivers safe.”