A bus stop on Front St. in downtown Nanaimo asking transit riders to wear a face covering while on board. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Wear a mask

Bus riders and ferry customers required to mask up

Aug 24, 2020 | 5:30 AM

NANAIMO — Face coverings are now mandatory for RDN Transit and BC Ferries customers.

The policies take effect Monday, Aug 24 in light of elevated COVID-19 caseloads in B.C. in recent weeks.

The RDN’s face covering policy is being implemented as an educational move without enforcement, which exempts certain riders, including those for medical reasons and children under five-years-old.

“RDN Transit employees will assume if someone is not wearing a face covering the person meets the exclusion criteria,” a release said.

Five hundred free face coverings are being handed out to RDN transit riders throughout the region on Aug. 24 at the Woodgrove and Parksville transit exchanges.

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Wearing a mask or face covering was recommended by RDN transit officials for several months. Promotional signs advising riders to wear some form of face covering were posted at various bus stop locations throughout the mid island.

As of Aug. 24, BC Ferries is also mandating the use of face masks or coverings at all BC Ferries terminals and vessels.

Exceptions include customers under two-years-old and those with underlying medical conditions or disabilities preventing the ability to wearing a covering.

Other exceptions where face coverings don’t apply are inside a vehicle or while eating or drinking in common areas of ferry vessels.

Previously BC Ferries required customers to wear masks in situations where physical distancing could not be maintained.

In a BC Ferries news release company president and CEO Mark Collins asked people not to travel on their vessels if they’re feeling sick.

“We do not tolerate any form of abuse, including verbal abuse, towards our employees. Failure to follow direction and abuse of any kind will result in denial of travel,” Collins said.

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