How is Turlock keeping bus riders safe from COVID-19? Here’s the latest safety device
To reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses, the city of Turlock installed air purification devices on all of its buses last week.
The ultraviolet light equipment runs on electrical power and does not use any chemicals or filters, unlike other safety technology added to Turlock Transit buses earlier this year, the city said Friday in a press release.
Designed by Pennsylvania-based United Safety and Survivability Corporation (USSC), the new devices eliminate more than 99% of germs, microbes, viruses and bacteria from the air and surfaces, the city said.
Turlock installed air filtration devices in the driver’s area of buses in January, but they use filters that must be replaced after 1,000 active hours, the city said previously. Turlock Transit was the first public transportation agency in California to install the AirBubble devices on its buses, transit manager Wayne York said in the release, adding how they also help with air pollution.
“The deployment of this technology from USSC takes that commitment to the next level by allowing us to actively treat the air while the bus is in operation, giving passengers peace of mind when traveling, even after the current pandemic has ended,” York said in the release.
Passengers can spot the devices near or inside the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems on buses. Turlock also bought the air purification devices for the Roger K. Fall Transit Center and plans to install them within the next month, the city said. Altogether, the equipment cost about $70,000, which the city paid for with local transportation funds that can be spent only on transit, the city said.
Other coronavirus safety measures include Turlock Transit staff encouraging physical distancing and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces throughout the day. Per federal requirements, everyone must wear face masks while riding buses, waiting at bus stops or inside the transit center. Staff also provide free masks and hand sanitizer bottles upon request, the city said.
