15 TTC employees have now tested positive for coronavirus

Apr 15 2020, 1:19 pm

Fifteen TTC employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and 240 are in self-isolation, according to the transit commission.

As of April 15, four more TTC employees have tested positive for the virus, since the last report on Monday.

According to the TTC, the four new cases include another wheel-trans operator, and a waste management operator who works in the Building Services Section of Plant Maintenance, a bus operator at Arrow and a bus maintenance garage coach technician at Queensway.

“Like all employers, we continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on our workforce and take all appropriate action to ensure any reported positive cases are handled in conjunction with Toronto Public Health and our own Occupational Health and Safety Department,” the TTC said.

Once the transit system is notified of a positive diagnosis they “immediately” engage with Toronto Public Health to investigate and decide on the next steps, including notifying those who may need to take additional actions.

“At every location, we take action to ensure enhanced cleaning measures as recommended by public health officials, such as additional surface cleaning in frequently accessed areas, are undertaken as soon as possible,” the TTC said.

As there is now community spread of coronavirus in the city, Toronto Public Health is asking all individuals who have symptoms to self-isolate at home for 14 days from when the symptoms begin and to call Telehealth Ontario, their local public health department, or their health care provider, and for TTC employees to call the transit system’s Occupational Health and Safety Department.

The other 11 TTC employees who have tested positive so far include: a bus operator from Wilson; a staff member from Station Services, a bus mechanic at Duncan Shop; a subway operator at Wilson; two wheel-trans operators; a bus technician at the Old Davenport building; two bus operators at Mt Dennis; a station collector from Danforth Division; and a Streetcar operator from Roncesvalles Division.

During the course of the pandemic, the TTC has been mandating rules to ensure physical distancing for customers and transit workers.

On March 24, the TTC announced it was no longer accepting payment by cash, tickets, or tokens on buses and asked all customers to board and exit using the rear doors when possible to keep operators safe and ensure physical distancing.

On March 31, the transit system encouraged transit users to get on buses off peak hours and on April 1, they announced that they will be adding more buses during peak service hours.

And on April 8, the TTC began implementing vinyl barriers on its buses to better protect operators during the pandemic, installing and making 150 barriers a day.

Clarrie FeinsteinClarrie Feinstein

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