SAN ANTONIO – VIA is taking extra steps to keep city buses, which see dozens of riders daily, clean amid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
VIA said it has a “rigorous cleaning program" that includes disinfecting buses, vans and facilities around the clock.
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Buses and their seats and rails will be cleaned in the middle and end of the day, according to VIA. Floors, surfaces, handles and handrails in transit centers and park and ride facilities will also be disinfected at a higher frequency.
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Restrooms will be cleaned three times a day and hand sanitizing stations will be spread throughout facilities.
Additional staffing will also be on-site to help enforce health and safety procedures.
VIA has more than 500 buses and 140 vans in its fleet.
There have been no cases of COVID-19 spread by public transportation, according to VIA.
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said Sunday that three cases of COVID-19 in the city are travel related.
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The CDC encourages people to refrain from touching their faces, avoid those who are sick, cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, wash their hands often and disinfect frequently touched areas.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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