LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Metrolink today announced it has completed the installation of two hand sanitizing stations on each of its 215 train cars, more than doubling the amount available, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to COVID-19, Metrolink said it provided sanitizer stations on every train, but not every car. In the transit provider's recent COVID-19 customer survey, hand sanitizers on all train cars replaced Wi-Fi as the top customer-requested amenity.
Hand sanitizing stations are available near each door of every train car, so passengers can use them when entering and exiting at either end of the cars.
“As our region continues the process of returning to work, Metrolink riders can have confidence that safety remains our foundational value,” said Metrolink Board Chair Brian Humphrey. “We have been hard at work since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that our service, which is essential to so many, remains a safe way for people to travel across Southern California.”
In the COVID-19 Customer Survey, Metrolink riders identified measures to help maintain social distancing and cleanliness on board trains as the two most important improvements they want to see on Metrolink trains.
“We know we are in unprecedented times, and our riders are looking to us to reassure them that they are safe riding our system,” Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins said. “We want our riders and the community to know that we are not only listening but are also taking action as we build smarter, better essential Metrolink service for the region.”
On July 2, Metrolink debuted “How Full Is My Train?,” an online social-distancing tool that allows riders to check recent ridership levels of a train they plan to ride and confirm they will have the ability to maintain the recommended six-foot distance from fellow riders.
Metrolink said it constantly monitors boardings with the goal of keeping ridership at or below 30% of the available seats per train to ensure plenty of room for social distancing.
In May, Metrolink announced enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures that include daily deep cleaning and electrostatic spraying of hospital-grade disinfectants on its trains.
Riders and employees are required to wear a face mask while riding on trains.
For more information on how Metrolink is working to keep riders and employees safe, go to metrolinktrains.com/safety.