MEDFORD, Ore. — The Rogue Valley Transportation District is rolling out more restrictions in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus, including the requirement that passengers wear masks.
Beginning Friday, all passengers or visitors to RVTD facilities will have to wear some sort of mask that covers the nose and mouth. Public health officials have recommended homemade cloth masks, to avoid taking surgical and N95 masks from healthcare workers.
"The CDC recommends that anyone leaving their homes should use face coverings to limit their potential exposure to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus and to prevent exposing others," RVTD said.
The transportation district said that it is also metering the amount of passengers on each bus, so that they never exceed a recommended capacity limit of more than 20 people, and only for "necessary" or essential trips.
RVTD said that it was considering marking off seats to ensure physical distancing, and drivers have been issued a temporary raise of $2 per hour as "hazard pay."
Service on all routes before 6 a.m. and most routes after 6 p.m. will be suspended beginning April 14, with all routes stopping at 7 p.m. latest. All Saturday service will be suspended beginning April 18.
On Monday, RVTD temporarily suspended the 1X route from Medford to Ashland, suspended Route 21 North Medford and Poplar Square, and the Route 27 Medford Crosstown runs on a Saturday schedule once every hour.
