Union demanding answers as COVID-19 cases spike among OC Transpo drivers

The head of OC Transpo's union wants the city to get to the bottom of what's behind a recent COVID-19 outbreak among drivers.

Seven drivershave tested positive for the virus so far this month and there are worries among transit advocates that the spike in cases could raise fear among transit users.

"Let's trace it properly and see where it's beginning and that is my expectation from the employer, to find out where the root is of this problem and get it corrected," said Clint Crabtree, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union local 279.

He said it's not just transit users who are worried about contracting the illness.

"There's been fear and anxiety amongst my membership since this pandemic began."

That anxiety has only grown since OC Transpo began allowing front door boarding again, he said.

He wants the transit agency to better enforce the mandatory mask policy on buses, trains and inside LRT stations, something drivers are telling him passengers are not always adhering to, especially at night.

It also shouldn't be up to drivers to risk getting into confrontations with passengers to enforce the transit agency's policies, he said.

"In no way shape or form am I blaming the passengers or the public for any sort of outbreak but we would like to see [100 per cent compliance] as well just so we can help keep everybody safe at the same time. Let's let's do it together. Let's keep everybody safe."

Crabtree believes additional measures could be taken, including taking employees' temperatures and installing permanent barriers, not just temporary plastic shields, between bus drivers and the rest of the bus.

No clear link

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, OC Transpo has implemented a mandatory mask policy inside its office common areas, including lunchooms, and is providing more hand sanitizer at the entrance to its buildings.

Since the start of the pandemic, 32 OC Transpo employees have tested positive for the illness, Troy Charter, director of transit operations with the City of Ottawa wrote in a statement Tuesday.

Despite the recent spike in illnesses among bus drivers, there is still no clear link between the cases.

"There are many variables involved in each case, both at home and at work. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that there is close contact between employees and customers," he said.