While continuing to put safety first, as of March 23 OCTA had taken the following steps in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
OCTA has temporarily reduced bus service to the Sunday service levels until further notice in response to lower ridership and to minimize risk to the drivers and public. OC ACCESS paratransit service continues to operate as usual for those who require the service. OCTA continues cleaning all buses every night with anti-viral disinfectant and with an enhanced focus on cleaning surfaces that are touched most frequently. A video on cleaning procedures was produced and shared with the public.
Construction on the I-405 Improvement Project, OC Streetcar and I-5 improvements continue because highway and rail infrastructure projects have been designated a critical service. Efforts are being made to expedite work during this time because of low traffic.
To minimize risk for employees and the public, OCTA Store hours have been temporarily reduced to 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many services provided by the store are also available online.
OCTA employees who are able to work from home have been doing so since mid-March and an internal COVID-19 Action Task Force has been meeting daily to share updates and make decisions. The agency has also been involved in the County’s Emergency Operations Center and is assisting in decisions pertaining to transportation.
In addition, on March 27 the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the $2 trillion economic aid package that includes $25 billion in emergency funding for public transportation.