OTTAWA -- OC Transpo says the five buses that were used by a driver who had tested positive for COVID-19 have been sanitized and are now back on the road.
OC Transpo said on April 1 a driver had tested positive for the virus. The five buses used by the driver in the 48 hours before they began showing symptoms were pulled from service for a full sanitation process.
Director of Transit Operations Jim Greer tells CTV News Ottawa in a statement the buses were removed March 31, when Ottawa Public Health confirmed the operator's diagnosis. A company called GTA's Finest Restoration Services Ottawa handled the cleaning.
"As OC Transpo has been restricting the entry of external vendors into the garages due to social distancing measures, the impacted buses were towed to the vendor's facility," Greer said. "In its facility, the vendor is equipped and has direct access to the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitizing equipment to conduct the work."
The facility is located on Kenaston Street. During the cleaning process, some buses were parked on the street, near residential homes.
Andrew Hendriks, Director of Health Protection at Ottawa Public Health, told CTV News Ottawa this does not present a public risk.
"There was no public risk, as the bus was parked several metres away from the private homes," Hendriks said in a statement.
The driver first began showing symptoms March 20 and went into self-isolation. Greer tells Newstalk 580 CFRA in a statement other operators drove the five buses before they were pulled from service March 31, but he said the buses are cleaned daily.
"Yes, the buses would have been driven by other operators," Greer said. "However, as part of OC Transpo's response to the COVID-19 situation, and in following the guidelines of public health authorities, each bus undergoes a thorough, daily cleaning. Bus operator cabs are wiped down daily with anti-viral disinfectant.
"As advised by Ottawa Public Health, this situation is considered to be very low risk as, for the past few weeks, most customers have been entering from the rear doors, limiting contact between bus operators and customers."
OC Transpo began asking customers to board at the back of the bus in mid-March, and put up yellow tape near the front.
Greer said the buses were returned to service Tuesday, April 7.
So far, OC Transpo has publicly identified two employees who have contracted COVID-19: the aforementioned bus driver and an O-Train ambassador. Both came down with symptoms in late March and are self-isolating.
With files from Newstalk 580 CFRA's Maddy Eisenberg.
