Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has announced new policies and procedures to ensure adequate social distancing and safety on its vehicles.
As a baseline measure, VTA is subjecting its vehicles to advanced cleaning measures. VTA is also overtly requesting that its riders always stay 6 feet apart from one another, and only utilize its services for essential travel—namely to receive or provide food or medical care.
Meanwhile, VTA encourages its passengers to wear cloth face masks over their mouths and noses. Their drivers will be masked, as well.
For the time being, VTA’s largest bus (the 60-footer) will only seat 9 individuals, its second-largest bus (40 feet) will only seat 6 individuals, and its smallest bus (35 feet) will only seat 5 individuals, it being noted that an “individual” can be defined as a couple or family or other group living together (and thus don’t have to keep 6 feet between them while traveling).
To adhere to these limits, buses may have to disallow some passengers from stepping aboard at some stops.
The buses, like the light rails, have been marked up to ensure that riders can follow social distancing mandates. On the rails, the cars have been coupled so as to ensure adequate room for distancing.
