Thunder Bay city transit is tossing around ideas on how to stop people from using the bus for non-essential reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amalgamated Transit Union head Ken Koza tells us they’ve been looking around the country, as this isn’t just a problem exclusive to Thunder Bay.
“There’s some properties that are blocking off some seats in the bus to make that people are practicing social distancing,” says Koza.
The union boss adds another idea is to limit the amount of people, but stopped short of saying fines are on the table.
“We transport a vulnerable population. It’s hard with what’s going on to implement these things in trying to keep people safe. There’s just some people that don’t abide by those rules,” says the union head.
He repeated this is a free service for those needing rides for trips considered essential.
“There’s a recent news article that came out with Hamilton, where the mayor and president of the ATU came out and wanted to remind the public that the buses are not there for something just to do,” stated Koza.
Monday night city council will examine reducing service to Sunday/holiday hours.
