Effective Aug. 24, all passengers will be required to wear a face covering while on board transit busses in Nanaimo and province-wide. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MUST HAVE MASK

Mandatory face coverings on way for RDN transit buses

Aug 6, 2020 | 12:28 PM

NANAIMO — Travellers on board buses in the Regional District of Nanaimo will soon be required to wear a face covering.

BC Transit, in coordination with other transportation groups across the province, are making masks mandatory while on board effective Aug. 24. The move includes all RDN buses between Cedar and Bowser.

The change will not be officially enforced however, continuing the province’s approach of education over enforcement for public health measures such as masks and social distancing.

“The role for the driver is just to inform, not enforce,” Darren Marshall, manager RDN transit operations told NanaimoNewsNOW. “This is an educational step without enforcement implementing the new policy for wearing face coverings on transit busses throughout the province.”

Marshall added customers will be required to bring their own mask, however a joint effort between the RDN and BC Transit will make a limited number of face coverings available over the coming weeks.

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Currently, there is no public health order mandating the wearing of masks or maintaining a minimum physical distance despite being strongly recommended daily by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Children under the age of five and those who are unable to wear a mask will not be required to meet this new policy.

Wearing masks has been recommended by RDN transit officials for an extended period of time.

Enhanced cleaning and installation of physical barriers have been in place for RDN transit busses since the spring as additional measures to halt the spread of COVID-19.

“The cleaning procedures are still in place, we’re cleaning the busses daily and sanitizing as needed and throughout the week,” Marshall said.

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