SEPTA Limiting Number Of Passengers On Buses, Trolleys, Onboard Fare Collection Suspended With Backdoor Boarding

Alecia Reid reports.

TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP WITHCOOPER UNIVERSITY HEALTH ANDVIRTUA HEALTH.FURTHER CHANGES FOR SEPTA GOINTO EFFECT PART OF THEIREVIDENT TO PROVIDE SAFE TRAVELAMID THE COVID-19 CRISIS."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERALICIA READ IS IN CENTER CITYWITH EXACTLY WHAT THOSE CHANGESWILL BE.GOOD AFTERNOON.Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON,JIM.LOCAL 234 HAS BEEN PUSHING FORCHANGES TO FURTHER PROTECTDRIVERS AND OPERATORS OF SEPTAAND IN THE INTERIM SEPTA HASMADE SOME CHANGES STARTINGTODAY.SOME OF THOSE MAJOR CHANGESINCLUDE LIMITING 20 PASSENGERSPER BUS AND 25 PER TROLLEY.KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCING INMIND.TO FURTHER PROTECT DRIVERS ANDPASSENGERS ALIKE.BOARDING IS NOW THROUGH THE BACKDOOR WITH BACK DOOR BOARDING ONBOARD FAIR COLLECTION HAS BEENSUSPENDED.FRONT DOOR BOARDING, HOWEVER,WILL CONTINUE ONLY FOR PEOPLEWITH DISABILITIES.THE UNION HAS BEEN CONCERNEDABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE STILLTAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ANDWITH THAT SEPTA IS REMINDING THEPUBLIC THAT CURRENT SERVICES AREMEANT TO TRANSPORT ONLYESSENTIAL WORKERS TO AND FROMWORK AND THOSE NEEDING ACCESS TOHOSPITALS, PHARMACIES OR GROCERYSTORES.IN A STATEMENT SEPTA SAYS THEAGENCY HAS DRAMATICALLYAUGMENTED THE CLEANING OFSTATIONS, VEHICLES AND OTHERWORK AREAS.EVEN USING THIRD PARTYINDUSTRIAL CLEANERS.BUT THE UNION SAYS, OTHERWISE.THEY'RE DEMANDING PERSONALPROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND SAYMEMBERS CANNOT CONTINUE WORKINGIN UNSAFE CONDITIONS.GLOVES, OF LOCATION HAS TOHAVE HAND SANITIZER.WE HAVE MASKS ESPECIALLY FORPEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE SHOPSWE'VE HAD 13 PEOPLE TESTPOSITIVE NOW FOR THE VIRUS THELAST SIX DAYS OR SO.IT'S GOING UP EVERY DAY.SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED.WE NEED TO HAVE -- STOP HAVINGGATHERINGS IN THE SHOP WHERE YOUGET WORK BRIEFINGS IN THEMORNING.Reporter: THIS IS HAS BEENON-GOING CONVERSATION, HOWEVER,THE UNION SAYS TOMORROW ISSEPTA'S DEADLINE TO PROVIDECLEANING SUPPLIES AND OTHER PPEEQUIPMENT.WHAT ACTIONS THEY'LL TAKE IFTHOSE AREN'T MET IS STILL UP FORDISCUSSION.