The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has started an initiative to provide “Travel Healthy” kits to encourage customers to use public transportation again.
According to NBC Chicago, the kits will include a 2 oz. bottle of hand sanitizer, a reusable cloth mask, and tips for how to stay healthy and safe while riding public transit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTA began passing out these kits on June 23rd and according to the mayor’s office, the kits will be distributed at the most populated rail stations and bus terminals.
As a result of the pandemic, CTA has implemented new travel policies such as rear-boarding on buses and bus crowding management, allowing drivers to bypass certain stops if the bus has more than 15 people on a 40-foot bus or more than 22 people on a 60-foot bus.
“With these new measures, we’re further ensuring the health and safety of not only our most vulnerable residents but also our CTA employees, who are transporting our police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and healthcare workers from the frontlines of this fight to their homes,” says Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
There will also be a new ridership dashboard that will show the available amount of seats on each bus, enforcing proper social distancing.