Masks now mandatory when travelling on buses in Mississauga
Published June 10, 2020 at 5:10 pm
If you regularly use MiWay to commute, you will soon have to wear a mask and resume paying fares.
The city of Mississauga says that starting July 2, residents will be required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering on MiWay, at stops and in transit terminals to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19.
Fare collection, which was temporarily suspended amid the pandemic while the city installed protective plastic shields to better separate drivers from passengers, will also resume that day.
Children under the age of two and people with disabilities or other medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask will not be required to wear one.
Front door boarding for all customers will also resume on July 2. Commuters with disabilities have been permitted to use the ramps at the front of buses over the course of the crisis.
“To help keep our riders and drivers safe and following the strong recommendation of Peel Public Health and the governments of Ontario and Canada, we will be mandating transit riders to wear masks while riding MiWay,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie in a statement.
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“Additional safety measures, including the installation of plexiglass barriers, will enable us to resume fare collection and front door boarding next month. These measures will help our city recover much-needed revenue as a result of this crisis while ensuring the safety of riders. We are taking a thoughtful and phased approach to recovery that prioritizes health and safety, and reduces the risk of a second wave.”
The city has lost substantial revenue due to the suspension of transit fares. A recent report indicates that the city could lose up to $25.8 million on MiWay-generated revenue by June 30.
The city also says that MiWay will reopen the City Centre Transit Terminal (CCTT) fares booth on June 24 to provide customers with the opportunity to purchase PRESTO fares in advance of the resumption of fare collection. The booth will be open Monday to Friday from 11:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice with physical distancing measures in place.
PRESTO customers are strongly encouraged to load their cards online to avoid congestion at the terminal.
Going forward, all MiWay buses will operate at 50 per cent seated capacity to continue to allow for physical distancing.
At a June 10 council meeting, city staff confirmed that transit operators will not be expected to refuse entry to riders who refuse to wear a mask and that staff will continue to focus on educating the public on the benefits of mask-wearing.
Council also indicated that MiWay will give out complimentary non-medical masks to passengers who do not have their own for a limited time.
“The health and safety of our customers and transit operators is our top priority at MiWay,” said Geoff Marinoff, Director, Transit, in a statement.
“We have put several measures in place to ensure a safer commute when travelling on MiWay and we remain committed to providing city-wide transit service during this time. We support the physical distancing efforts recommended by Peel Public Health, and the provincial and federal governments but acknowledge this is not always possible on public transit. We are all in this together and by limiting transit use to essential travel only and wearing your face covering will help us all flatten the curve.”
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