Riding HTA During COVID-19

Posted on: December 3, 2020

Riding HTA During COVID-19

Humboldt County Moved to Purple COVID-19 Tier, bringing new restrictions, more rigorous cleaning procedures, and required face coverings among changes made in response to COVID-19.

HTA remains committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our customers and staff, as our community continues to work together during this pandemic. Our team continues to diligently monitor the Coronavirus outbreak, and we look to provide timely communication and updates to all HTA Customers and employees.

Our frontline staff has worked around-the-clock, to ensure that our buses remain safe for our employees and a reliable option for carrying essential workers (e.g. First-responders, healthcare, grocery store, and warehouse workers, etc.), and those making essential trips.

We have implemented changes on how you ride, with guidance from the Humboldt County Department of Public Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

HTA Office

Due to pandemic the HTA Office is CLOSED. Please call 707-443-0826 to schedule an appointment or to pick up orders, ticket sales, lost and found or general questions.

Our Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-Noon, 1:00pm-4:30pm.

Face Coverings Are Currently Strongly Recommended 

Please follow this link for the existing California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance for the use of face coverings: Guidance For the Use of Face Coverings

Social Distancing

Customers should remain at least six feet apart while riding HTA Buses, where possible, and when boarding/exiting the vehicle. We’ve placed signs on our buses that remind customers to keep a safe distance, and wear a mask as required.

For the safety of our Operators, we now have a designated social distancing area on our buses. We ask that you give our Operators plenty of space, and avoid approaching them when possible.

Current Service

HTA is operating on a schedule effective May 18, 2020. We strongly recommend that you check our service alerts before making  trips – it’s where you can find the most up-to-date information on delays or changes.

Cleaning & Sanitation

HTA has implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, to help protect against the spread of COVID-19. We’re cleaning and sanitizing our entire fleet nightly, and using hospital-grade solutions to wipe down high touch areas, such as stanchions, nylon straps, rails, seats, front and rear doors, seat frames, chime cords, stop buttons, the Operator cabin, fogging buses and more. We’re also disinfecting the locations where our essential employees work daily, including our Maintenance and Fuel & Wash facilities, as well as our administrative office.

Safety Tips

Safety is a shared responsibility, and customers awareness of and engagement with their own safety will be key. Everyone in the system will have a role to play in keeping our city healthy, and we all play a role in keeping HTA Buses healthy and safe. Below are safety tips to follow when traveling on public transit:

  • Please Wear a face covering for  travel when riding transit or out in public.
  • Whenever possible, leave at least six feet of space between you and others, and avoid sitting in a vacant seat directly next to another passenger.
  • Avoid crowded buses and wait for the next bus, when possible.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, before and after you travel. Hand washing tips from the CDC can be viewed here.
  • Use hand sanitizing stations installed in every bus after touching frequently handled surfaces, such as stanchion bars, straps, seat backs, or handles.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands).
  • Limit unnecessary travel and stay home if you are not feeling well, even if your symptoms are mild.

By working together, we can flatten the curve and protect the most at-risk members of our communities!