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After weeklong closure, Cherriots drivers get back to work

Cherriots buses that would normally sit around 30 people have been reconfigured to sit 7 or 8 people under social distancing guidelines. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

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Cherriots drivers are returning to work Tuesday, although some are worried about their safety when getting back into the driver’s seat.

The transit agency said 50 drivers are scheduled to work. The rest, around 70 drivers, will have to use sick leave, vacation time or take unpaid days.

Routes have been cut, with only 17 running on a mostly hourly basis for people going on “essential trips” such as the grocery store, doctor’s appointments or work.

The transit agency is limiting the number of passengers who can get on the bus, giving drivers masks and gloves, and cleaning the buses more frequently.

Cherriots spokeswoman Patricia Feeny said the number of riders allowed on the bus will vary based on who is using the priority seating at the front of the bus, reserved for people with disabilities and seniors. That section will be cordoned off from the rest of the bus, she said.

Feeny said the buses generally will accommodate eight to ten people.

She said drivers loading people in wheelchairs on the bus will be provided with face shields.

Seven employees have self-reported that they tested positive for COVID-19. Another 13 have tested negative, Feeny said.

One driver at the agency, who didn’t wish to be named for fear of retaliation, said he had concerns returning to work on a bus where he frequently has to remind riders to cover their cough or stop flossing their teeth.

He felt that returning to work was not only unsafe for drivers and their families, but also unsafe for passengers, many of whom use transit to go to medical appointments.

There were also concerns about reduced service and free fares, as multiple drivers described buses filled with 20 or more people before the service shutdown on March 31.

“When you go from a 15-minute pulse to a 30-minute pulse, you’re now getting double the people on that bus,” the driver said.

On March 18, Cherriots stopped collecting fares and told riders to enter through the back door to limit contact with drivers. Five days later, the agency started reducing routes because of staffing shortages.

Tuesday bus riders will be subject to the same restrictions and some seats on the bus will be marked as unavailable.

RELATED:

PHOTOS: Cherriots get ready to roll through Salem and Keizer – with limited service

Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected] or @daisysaphara.

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