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Media Contact: Pat Walsh
Email: Pat.Walsh@LTD.org
Phone:541-513-1236

• Suspend Sunday service; no buses will operate on Sunday; and
• Monday through Friday bus service will operate at an enhanced Sunday-level of service with expanded hours to core routes. With the addition of limited service on the 92 and 96 routes.
• The first buses will leave the Eugene and Springfield Stations at 7:30 a.m. and the last buses will leave at 10:30 p.m. The extended service covers the following routes: EmX, 11, 13, 24, 36, 41, 51, 66, & 67.
• Saturday will operate on a normal Sunday level service.
  
• Please go to www.LTD.org for complete details.

LTD also announced that its paratransit service, RideSource, will operate regular Sunday service Monday through Saturday for only essential trips. On Sundays, RideSource will operate a Sunday-level service for medically essential trips only.

In addition, LTD’s Point2Point Business Commute Challenge and its associated activities slated for April and May have been cancelled.

“We understand that all of these changes are inconvenient for people, especially for passengers who rely on LTD as their primary or only means of transportation,” said Aurora Jackson, LTD’s general manager. “They were not easy decisions to make, but they were made with an abundance of caution for our employees, passengers, and the public to limit their potential exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus.”

LTD’s changes in daily bus, RideSource ADA services, and the cancellation of the Business Commute Challenge, were made in conjunction with Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order to Oregonians to stay home, stay safe, and that includes not taking unnecessary trips aboard public transit buses and other public transportation services.

“Since Governor Brown issued the Executive Order earlier this week, ridership has dropped substantially, as would be expected,” Jackson said. “We believe the changes to services announced today, while inconvenient, will limit bus operators, passengers, and the public’s potential exposure to the coronavirus, while still meeting basic public transportation needs until this global health crisis is past.”

If riding the bus is absolutely necessary, LTD asks passengers to stay six-feet away from other passengers and follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the exposure and spread of the coronavirus, including:

• Keep six-feet away from other passengers (social distancing).
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.”

Source: CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

Othersources: https://lanecounty.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3585881&pageId=16503774

Additionally, LTD has taken the following steps to reduce bus operator and passenger risk to potential exposure to the coronavirus, including:

• LTD continues to clean buses daily with strong, but safe, disinfectants. As an added precaution, District employees and administrators are cleaning buses during the weekday afternoons at the Eugene, Springfield, and Willow Creek stations at high ridership times.
• Bus service is now free to all passengers. Passengers are asked to enter and exit the bus from its rear doors, and not take unnecessary trips until further notice. Older adults and people with disabilities can still use the bus’s front door for access.  LTD will address how to ensure pass-holders are provided value for their pre-purchased fare, and we will be communicating that process as it is developed in the coming weeks.
• The RideSource Shopper has been suspended for now. RideSource is encouraging customers to only schedule trips that are essential.
• LTD’s administrative offices in Glenwood and the Customer Service Counter at the Eugene Station are closed. For those with questions for the administrative team, they should call 541-682-6100. Customer service questions can be answered by calling 541-687-5555.
• EmGo and The Cottage Grove Connector are suspended until further notice.
• LTD cancelled all scheduled public meetings until further notice. This includes the monthly Board of Directors' meeting and work sessions. LTD’s Board of Directors and executive team are exploring technology solutions to schedule public meetings in the coming weeks that don’t require a face-to-face presence.
• With the exception of operations and maintenance staff, LTD employees are working remotely as much as is possible.

LTD passengers are encouraged to check the LTD COVID-19 webpage for updates (https://www.LTD.org/covid-19/) or to call the Customer Service Center at 541-687-5555 (7-1-1 TTY), 541-682-5558 (Fax) or 800-248-3861 (Toll free).