Saskatoon transit union president says drivers need more protective equipment

The men and women behind the wheels of Saskatoon buses want more protective gear to help ward off COVID-19, according to the president of their union.

"I'm hearing that they're scared, they want to be more protected out there. They want masks, they want gloves, they want sanitizer. We don't have masks," said Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 president Darcy Pederson.

A city official said the public shouldn't expect to see masked drivers anytime soon.

"Saskatoon Transit also continues to follow the lead of the Health Ministry and the Saskatchewan Health Authority; both are following the direction of the World Health Organization and not recommending the use of masks for those who are not sick," said transit director Jim McDonald in an email.

"Masks are in short supply. The current supply is being made available to health care professionals and first responders. The City of Saskatoon continues to source all suppliers to secure more masks. If more stockpiles or sources of masks are made available, the priority will remain with health care professionals and first responders; only after that demand is met will Saskatoon Transit be in a position to explore opportunities to supply masks for operators on a voluntary, not mandatory, basis."

Ridership on Saskatoon buses is down 85 per cent since the city introduced its response to COVID-19, Pederson said.

This reflects the reduced number of buses and routes — there are now 78 on the road, compared with 102 on mid-March — and people choosing to stay home and self isolate, Pederson said.

Bus service is free, but the city only wants people to use buses for essential trips.

Pederson said measures have been taken to keep buses clean and safe.

All hard surfaces are wiped down nightly with disinfectant, while soft surfaces like seats are sprayed with a mist disinfectant.

Riders must use the rear doors to get off and on the buses. They must also stay at least two-metres away from other passengers.

Even with all these measures, Pederson said drivers are on edge.

Pederson said no one has heard whether the entire system would be shut down.

"I think the only way the system would shut down is if the province tells us to shut it down. We have enough operators, we have enough people cleaning and enough mechanics," he said.