UTRGV Parking and Transportation Services is ready to meet the challenges of providing passengers a safe ride on the vaquero express this fall semester amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Executive Director of Parking and Transportation Services Rodney Gomez said the department is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers.
“Everyone who wants to board needs to wear a mask, they need to keep that mask on while they’re riding,” Gomez said. “So, you can’t just put the mask on and take the mask off while you’re inside.”
According to Gomez, high touch areas in shuttles will be sanitized after every trip and vehicles will be fully sanitized at the end of each day.
VOLT, the electric carts which transport students to and from parking lots, will also run this semester with similar social distancing and sanitizing procedures in place.
Gomez said bus stops will also have social distancing enforcement.
“When people come to actually board the bus wherever they wait at the bus stop, we’re going to have social distancing in place,” Gomez said. “So, we’ll have a staff member out there just to sort of help people maintain that distance.”
Safety is a number one concern for Mass Communication Senior Alex Valdes who relies on shuttle transportation and worries about his family at home.
“Both of my parents are what I would consider immunocompromised,” Valdez said. “Just because they’re already susceptible to certain illnesses or diseases that [COVID-19] can worsen or cause as a consequence.”
Valdes hopes the safety measures will be respected, not just for himself, but for the safety of others such as shuttle drivers.
Gomez said the department is also concerned for their drivers and have installed plexiglass barriers to prevent transmission as passengers board.
For up to date shuttle and VOLT schedules, visit the UTRGV Parking and Transportation Services’ website.
FOR VAQUERO NEWS, I’M JUSTIN ELIZALDE
