COVID-19 – Emergency Management Tips and Practices for Bus Transit Systems Prepared for: Florida Department of Transportation Office of Freight, Logistics, and Passenger Operations Prepared by: Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida Published: April 1, 2020 Revision: March 10, 2021 Revision: March 10, 2021 Table of Contents List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................................... iii Emergency Management Tips and Practices for Transit .................................................................................... 1 Supplies ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 Hazard Risk Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidance ................................................................................................... 2 U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) .................................................. 4 Federal Mask Requirement for Surface Transportation Providers ............................................................ 5 Additional Resources .................................................................................................................................. 5 Transportation Research Board: A Pandemic Playbook for Transportation Agencies ................................... 6 Operator Barrier Guidance Document ........................................................................................................... 7 Emerging Technology to Eliminate or Mitigate Viruses ................................................................................. 7 Re-opening Guidance ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Vaccinations .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Mitigations on Public Transit Buses ................................................................................................................ 9 Example Mitigations on Public Transit Buses ........................................................................................... 10 Mitigations for Public Transit Facilities ........................................................................................................ 15 Mitigations at Transit Fleet/Facility Maintenance ....................................................................................... 17 Example Mitigations at Transit Fleet/Facility Maintenance ..................................................................... 18 Public Transit Employees Working Remotely ............................................................................................... 20 Transit Service Modification Examples ......................................................................................................... 20 Transit Fare Adjustments ............................................................................................................................. 22 Use of Personal Protective Equipment ......................................................................................................... 22 Preliminary Screening of Employee and Patrons ......................................................................................... 26 Social Distancing ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Example Social Distancing ........................................................................................................................ 28 Transit Worker Wellness .............................................................................................................................. 29 Utilizing Social Media ................................................................................................................................... 31 Example Social Media Posts ..................................................................................................................... 32 State of Florida Proclamations ..................................................................................................................... 40 Rule 14-90 Florida Administrative Code Waiver Requests ........................................................................... 40 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) ..................................................................................... 41 Other Resource Sites ........................................................................................................................................ 42 Page i Revision: March 10, 2021 Video Resources ............................................................................................................................................... 45 Appendix A: Assessment Tools and Checklists from NCHRP Report 769: A Guide for Public Transportation Pandemic Planning and Response .................................................................................................................... 47 Appendix B: Transit Workforce Issues and FAQ Assembled by APTA .............................................................. 60 Appendix C: StarMetro Driver Protection Panels ............................................................................................. 66 Appendix D: Gainesville RTS Notification for Essential Trips Only ................................................................... 70 Appendix E: Marketing Materials from Across Florida ..................................................................................... 71 Appendix F: Operator Barriers to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 ....................................................................... 84 Appendix G: Pandemic Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan Checklists ................................ 87 Appendix H: Weekly COVID-19 Articles ............................................................................................................ 90 Appendix I: LeeTran Rider Operator Barrier ................................................................................................... 128 Appendix J: Operator Barriers to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 (LeeTran) ..................................................... 133 Page ii Revision: March 10, 2021 List of Figures Figure 1: CDC Handwashing Guidelines .............................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2. CDC How to Choose a Mask ................................................................................................................ 4 Figure 3. CDC How to Wear a Mask .................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 4: Example destination sign for boarding and alighting. ....................................................................... 10 Figure 5: Sample message from mobile data terminal..................................................................................... 11 Figure 6: Agency notification about fare suspension and operator safety. .................................................... 11 Figure 7: Closing rows behind driver for spacing. ............................................................................................ 12 Figure 8: Spraying surfaces ............................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 9: Cleaning commonly touched surfaces ............................................................................................... 13 Figure 10: Hand sanitizer mounted near the rear passenger door. ................................................................. 13 Figure 11. Sanitizing operator compartment. .................................................................................................. 13 Figure 12. Fogging the inside of a transit bus. .................................................................................................. 14 Figure 13. Total hours disinfecting vehicles during December 2020. .............................................................. 14 Figure 14. Installing permanent and temporary bus operator barriers. .......................................................... 14 Figure 15: Limiting seating at transit stations. ................................................................................................. 15 Figure 16: Sanitizing bus shelter. ...................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 17. One-way signage at transit facility. ................................................................................................. 16 Figure 18. Mounting hand sanitizer dispenser at a rail transit station. ........................................................... 17 Figure 19: Sanitizing high touch areas. ............................................................................................................. 18 Figure 20: Cleaning the operator compartment .............................................................................................