Sun Metro LIFT COVID19 Initiatives Ellen A Smyth

Sun Metro LIFT COVID-19 Initiatives Ellen A. Smyth, PE, MPA, Managing Director Sun Metro & Environmental Services

2 Sun Metro LIFT COVID-19 Response • As a division of Sun Metro, we continue to provide essential public transit services to El Paso, while taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of passengers and employees alike • Continuous coordination of efforts with key partners: • COEP senior leadership • Emergency Operations Center • Federal Transit Association • Texas Department of Transportation • American Public Transportation Association • Texas Transit Association • South West Transit Association • Project Amistad • MV Transportation

3 Office Safety Protocols • All Sun Metro staff, whether in the office or on the field, are wearing masks as required by the new City of El Paso emergency directive • Employee social distancing • ELS (Eliminate/Limit/Sanitize) high contact areas within the facility (kitchen utensils, use of shared equipment) • Doors are kept open within the building to minimize hand contact

4 Employee Screenings • All employees are screened before starting their shift: • If they’re symptomatic (fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell, etc) • Have been in contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive • Employees have one designated entrance and are asked to sanitize their hands prior to entering the building – a hand-washing station is also being installed at the entrance • Use of PPE is enforced

Service Safety Protocols • Buses are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected twice a day • Cleaning out debris, sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning of drivers’ area and washing of exterior of bus • All contact areas within the bus are disinfected after each passenger drop-off • Passengers are seated at a distance from one another • Limit of 2 -3 passengers per trip whenever possible • Passengers not wearing a mask are offered to wear one • Fares waived on March 22 nd for Fixed Route, Brio and LIFT 5

Call Center and Scheduling 6 • All Passengers are screened prior to scheduling their trip • Automatically scheduled trips were cancelled to allow passengers to call in and get screened • Symptomatic or COVID-19 positive passengers are not allowed to use Sun Metro LIFT • Sun Metro contracted with Project Amistad (via MV) to transport COVID-19 individuals with severe disabilities who otherwise do not have any other means of transportation (i. e. someone in a mobility device) • Fixed Route passengers who use a mobility device are encouraged to use the LIFT

7 Impact of COVID-19 on Paratransit Service