Union calls for better protections after surge in COVID-19 cases among drivers

A sharp climb in the number of OC Transpo drivers recently testing positive for COVID-19 is prompting employees and their union leadership to demand more protective measures, including the return of rear-bus boarding and accelerated vaccinations.

"There's been more positive tests in the last couple of weeks since the spike in this new wave," said Clint Crabtree, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, which represents many of OC Transpo's employees.

Since the start of the pandemic, the city has proactively sent out memos when a bus driver or rail operator tests positive for COVID-19. Earlier this year, there were several cases announced per month, but the frequency of the cases began to pick up speed around mid-March.

Since the start of April, 11 bus drivers have tested positive seven of them last week alone. As well, nine maintenance employeeswere also confirmed to have contracted the illnessso far this month.

It is not clear where OC Transpo workers contracted COVID-19, however a positive case has consequences for more than just the individual. Close contacts at work and home all have to self-isolate for 14 days, which could pose a staffing problem should cases escalate, said Crabtree.

Late last week in the Westboro bus crash trial, for example, the Crown said COVID-19-related "complications" had affected three of four OC Transpo employees scheduled to testify,such that they couldn't appear in court in person.

'Anxiety levels to the max'

CBC spoke with several bus drivers who did not want to be named because they are concerned about the consequences of speaking out. They saidthere is a small minority of passengers who do not wear masks as they board the bus. They alsoestimate that as many asa quarter of passengers do not wear their masksproperly or pull them down beneath their chins at some point on the trip to talk, eat or drink.

With so many public spaces closed, drivers saidthey see more homeless people riding the bus for something to do a vulnerable population that doesn't always have access to clean masks.

"I've seen people pick up masks from the ground and put them on their face before getting on the bus, which isn't safe for them," one driver told CBC. "And it certainly doesn't feel safe for me or my passengers, either."

A number of bus routes that operate through the downtown core, or ones that travel to one of the city's hospitals, are often full. Physical distancing is recommended, but not enforced.

As one driver told CBC, many passengers choose to sit near the driver: "It's just human nature."

The community transmission of COVID-19 is at a record-high level in Ottawa as the more-contagious B117 variant is now the dominant strain in circulation.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has said there are no proven links of transmission between drivers andmembers of the public.

That's cold comfort to the transit employees who are "absolutely concerned," according to their union leader.

"They've been concerned since Day One, but when you start to see numbers climbing and more people in the ICU and hospitals, I mean, that just raises everybody's anxiety level to the max," said Crabtree.

He said employees are also worried about spreading the illness to their families.

Vaccines, distancing measures, extra buses

Considering that transit is imperative for many including health-care workers and essential retail employees OC Transpoemployees have arguedthey should receive their vaccinations sooner than the current schedule dictates.

• Move OC Transpo workers up vaccination queue, union urges

While they wait for their jabs, Crabtree saidthe city should re-instate rear-door entrance only on busesto better protect drivers and block some seats to encourage more social distancing. Last year, OC Transpoinstalled a sheet of clear plastic,similar to a shower curtain, to help protect drivers.

Additional buses on some of the busier routes, such as route numbers 6, 7, 11, 12, 44 and 88, could also help thin out crowds, he said.

More enforcementof the mandatory mask rules would be welcomed by employees, but Crabtree questioned whether the city has the capacity to do so.

Some drivers expressed concern over occasional crowding in theshuttle van that employees use to travel between their vehicles or transit stop and their work locations. He said OC Transpo began to use onlyfull-sized buses for allshuttle service.

As well, while eating and drinking is not recommended in the employee lounges, drivers told CBC that those rules are not enforced.

• OC Transpo finances in 'very, very good shape,' says city

No one from OC Transpoor the city made themselves available to CBC for an interview.

OC Transpo is "meeting all service requirements and we have measures in place to address any capacity issues," OC Transpo General Manager John Manconiwrote in an email to CBC.

"Staff will continue to monitor ridership and will adjust service as needed and as resources allow. If customers observe any overcrowding, we ask them to contact us atoctranspo.comso that we can investigate."