Announcements

Webinar: Transit’s Response to the Coronavirus

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) hosted a webinar on transit’s response to the coronavirus. You can watch the webinar and download the slides here:

“Transit’s Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)”

Learn about the transit industry’s response to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and how agencies have dealt with the outbreak of SARS and other infectious diseases in the past.

Hear from transit agency CEOs, risk and safety officers, and a university biosafety specialist regarding best practices and how to prepare your agency for a potential spread of the virus.

In addition, APTA provides an overview of its standard on “Developing a Contagious Virus Response Plan” and also discusses important Transportation Research Board publications on disease planning and response.

Moderator: Jeff Nelson, APTA Vice Chair and GM, MetroLink, Moline, IL

Panelists:

• Karl Gnadt, GM, Champaign-Urbana MTD, Urbana, IL
• Betty Hasserjian, Acting Chief Safety Officer, TTC, Toronto, ON
• Kenneth Hernandez, Chief Risk, Safety and Asset Management Officer, LA Metro, Los Angeles, CA
• Esmeralda Meyer, M.D., JM., Associate Biosafety Officer, Environmental Health and Safety Office, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Additional resources for transit providers regarding the coronavirus:

• Important coronavirus information from OTAT and list of canceled RTAP trainings.
• Announcement on how FTA will help transit agencies respond to coronavirus.
• MnDOT published a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Transit Agencies during thisFederal and State Declared Emergency in response to COVID-19
• The combined February-March 2020 issue of the Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight newsletter is now available. The issue includes information on FTA’s coronavirus policies and frequently asked questions, along with PTSAP webinars, reminders, and funding opportunities.
• National RTAP has published Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information and Resources for Transit, a technical brief that that will provide your transit agency staff and passengers with information and resources about the risks and evidence-based strategies. The brief covers what is known about COVID-19 at this time and the basics of planning, prevention and treatment.