Current Metrolink Efforts to Protect Against COVID-19
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Since March, Metrolink significantly enhanced cleaning and other safety protocols on its trains as well as at its various employee work locations. This includes:
- Increasing the number of cleaning staff so passenger cars are cleaned more frequently throughout the day.
- Enhancing cleaning protocols which now include wiping down regularly touched surfaces such as doors, restrooms, head rests, armrests, handrails, tables and trash areas using additional disinfecting products, as well as the daily use of electrostatic sprayers that mist hospital-grade disinfectant on all areas of train cars – especially helpful for hidden and hard-to-reach locations. (See demo here in English y aquí en Espanol)
- Daily disinfecting of locations where Metrolink essential employees work – including crew bases, dispatch centers and the downtown Los Angeles office location.
- Installing more hand sanitizer stations on trains and office locations, and ensuring they are filled more often.
- Providing face masks to all employees and customer-facing contractors while at the same time mandating all employees strictly follow social distancing guidelines.
- Continuing to reiterate to our team members are riders guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and other health authorities on ways to keep themselves and others safe through personal hygiene and social distancing.
“It’s no surprise to us that safety is top of mind with our customers. Safety has always been Priority One at Metrolink – and the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded the measures we take to keep our riders and employees safe. Riders can expect to see enhanced cleaning protocols and new social distancing measures that we will announce in the coming weeks,” said Don Filippi, Metrolink’s Chief of Safety, Security and Compliance. “Feedback is a gift; we are grateful to our riders who provided their valuable feedback about how best to serve them.”
What’s Next?
“Our team is putting the finishing touches on a safety and customer-focused recovery plan that our Board will consider this month. This plan will be informed by the survey results, guidance from health authorities and requirements of State and local government officials,” said Metrolink Board Chair Brian Humphrey. “We are looking forward to our team preparing short, medium and long-term recommendations to address the new world we all must navigate.”
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Metrolink is Southern California’s commuter rail service enabling people to connect to their jobs and explore all that the region has to offer. Every year, Metrolink has nearly 12 million boardings from people who ditch their cars to avoid gridlock, removing an estimated 9.3 million vehicles from the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 metric tons. Metrolink is the largest commuter rail agency in California and the third largest in the United States operating seven lines along a 538-mile network that travels across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.