Bloomington Transit and Indiana University Campus Bus Service must accommodate both COVID-19 concerns and increased ridership as students return to campus. Officials from both organizations said they began last spring using plexiglass barriers to protect drivers, an electrostatic sprayer for nightly disinfecting and rear-door boarding, but passengers can do their part to help buses run safely and smoothly as well.
“Try and get an earlier bus rather than waiting for that last bus before your class,” director of Campus Bus Brian Noojin said to students.
Campus buses, which are free, will begin running at 7 a.m. to account for earlier class times. Noojin said he hopes a new route that begins and ends at Briscoe Quad will help reduce overcrowding.
Bloomington Transit suspended fares until Sept. 15 and plans to reassess that as time goes, said general manager Lew May. On Tuesday, the Federal Transit Administration announced it would award Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation $3.2 million to buy four new electric buses and charging stations.
Campus Bus will return to normal service level and boarding from the front on Aug. 17. BT will do the same beginning Aug. 24.
State, Monroe County, and IU policies all require every passenger to wear a mask when riding a bus.
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