ECAT Cuts Routes, Service Hours Following Driver’s Positive Test For COVID-19

June 20, 2020

Following the revelation that a driver has tested positive for COVID-19, Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) has cut their service level because “many” employees are on quarantine, according to Escambia County.

Starting Monday, June 22 until further notice, ECAT and ADA Transportation will run peak service only, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. then 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. This modified service will take place Monday through Saturday, without service on Sundays. Buses will run every two hours with the final route trips departing ECAT and downtown at 6 p.m. ECAT will temporarily suspend routes 41, 59A and 59X. Beach Trolleys will run regular hours 4 p.m. to midnight, with limited service running two trolleys instead of three. Schedules are subject to change as more drivers return to work.

The change in service came after it was announced Wednesday that a driver tested positive, likely from a relative, Escambia County.

The employee was at work on Saturday, June 13 for the first time since April 8 and is home on quarantine.

The county said Friday that the employee did not drive any ECAT regular routes and did not have direct contact with any passengers. All staff members who had direct close contact with the employee have been notified, advised to test for COVID-19 and quarantined. ECAT facilities and vehicles are disinfected daily with many areas also cleaned regularly during and between shifts.

Comments

4 Responses to “ECAT Cuts Routes, Service Hours Following Driver’s Positive Test For COVID-19”

  1. Dar on June 27th, 2020 2:37 am

    This situation is causing me personally to to now spend almost $70 a week to get home from work every day. I would have to leave work by 9:30 to catch last morning bus , cutting my hrs to work or I can sit around fo an extra 4 hours ( with no pay ) till the 3:30 bus comes by work not getting home till after 4. Please get busses running again

  2. Judie Holt on June 20th, 2020 1:59 pm

    I don t use ecat, but I m sure some people use ecat to go to work and for appointments. I just hope employers and etc. understand the tardiness this will be causing.

  3. David Huie Green on June 20th, 2020 1:22 pm

    REGARDING:
    ” We have one employee out of 100+- test positive and we slow down this whole heavily subsidized operation.”

    Very likely, that one came in contact with many of the others, which would be why they are in quarantine.

    The alternative is to have exposed and possibly infectious drivers meeting with many people on their way to work and exposing them. They then expose everyone at work and their families. A certain percentage of those exposed will die. Others may be sick for months.

    Does trying to protect other people seem unreasonable?

    David for better consequences

  4. M in Bratt on June 20th, 2020 8:30 am

    How much sense does this make? We have one employee out of 100+- test positive and we slow down this whole heavily subsidized operation. If walmart and publix used this logic, we would not be able to buy groceries. But we could take this opportunity to protect the employees of this tax sucking operation from any chance of catching covid and shut this whole operation down.