{"id":1318713,"date":"2020-03-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/?p=994587"},"modified":"2020-03-13T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-13T06:00:00","slug":"rfta-pumps-100000-into-battle-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread-on-aspen-area-buses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/rfta-pumps-100000-into-battle-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread-on-aspen-area-buses\/","title":{"rendered":"RFTA pumps $100,000 into battle to prevent coronavirus spread on Aspen-area buses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.8983240223464\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-994587-806\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | RFTA employee Patricia Rosales Trigo, left, and lead mechanic Will Fabela disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>RFTA employee Patricia Rosales Trigo, left, and lead mechanic Will Fabela disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"RFTA employee Patricia Rosales Trigo, left, and lead mechanic Will Fabela disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-1-1024x692.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-1-1024x692.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-2-683x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | A rider alert is posted on the fare box of RFTA buses on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The alert urges passengers to not get on the bus if they are experiencing respiratory issues. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>A rider alert is posted on the fare box of RFTA buses on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The alert urges passengers to not get on the bus if they are experiencing respiratory issues. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-2-683x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A rider alert is posted on the fare box of RFTA buses on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The alert urges passengers to not get on the bus if they are experiencing respiratory issues. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | The first two rows of a RFTA bus is closed off to give the bus drivers distance from passengers due to the coronavirus on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>The first two rows of a RFTA bus is closed off to give the bus drivers distance from passengers due to the coronavirus on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"The first two rows of a RFTA bus is closed off to give the bus drivers distance from passengers due to the coronavirus on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-4-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"RFTA\/courtesy photo | A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>A worker from RFTA&#8217;s maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.<\/strong><br \/>RFTA\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-4-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-5-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"RFTA\/courtesy photo | A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>A worker from RFTA&#8217;s maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.<\/strong><br \/>RFTA\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-5-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-6-1024x768.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"RFTA\/courtesy photo | A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>A worker from RFTA&#8217;s maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.<\/strong><br \/>RFTA\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-6-1024x768.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A worker from RFTA's maintenance department sprays a bus with a virucide at the Aspen facility on Thursday. Buses serving the upper Roaring Fork Valley are being sprayed daily to try to fend off coronavirus.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-7-1024x692.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/coronarfta-atd-031320-2-7-1024x692.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/rfta-pumps-100000-into-battle-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread-on-aspen-area-buses\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/rfta-pumps-100000-into-battle-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread-on-aspen-area-buses\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority\u2019s board of directors on Thursday approved budgeting $100,000 to prevent the spread of coronavirus on the public bus system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Even before the expenditure, RFTA started disinfecting buses used in the Aspen area with a virucide every day. The \u201cfogging\u201d operations also will begin this week at RFTA\u2019s facility in Glenwood Springs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cOur target is to be fogging everything by Sunday,\u201d Dan Blankenship, RFTA\u2019s CEO, said Thursday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Workers in the maintenance department in Aspen have been using sprayers that provide a fog of the disinfectant on the interior of buses. Any buses in the fleet that haven\u2019t been fogged are getting a thorough wipe-down on handrails in the aisles and the seats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The buses are fogged every day in Aspen as they are lined up for refueling. They must be aired out by opening windows and using fans for two hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s huge,\u201d Blankenship said. \u201cIt\u2019s not the most glamorous job in the Roaring Fork Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While the maintenance department has taken up most of the duty, RFTA must also rely on temporary worker services and hire more seasonal workers, Blankenship said. That\u2019s part of the reason for the supplemental budget appropriation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The disinfectant regimen also covers bus stations, ticket vending machines and other facilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">RFTA also is taking steps to keep drivers safe. Seats in the front three rows of larger buses are being roped off to create a buffer between passengers and drivers. A white line of demarcation for passengers to be standing while the bus is moving also has been moved back. Signs will be placed on fare boxes telling people to stay off buses if they are sick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The \u201cfirst line of defense\u201d is asking people to be considerate, Blankenship said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ed Cortez, the president of the local chapter of the drivers\u2019 union, credited RFTA leadership for meeting with union representatives and getting their input on precautions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe\u2019ve done everything we can do at this point to protect our drivers and protect our passengers,\u201d Cortez said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The union\u2019s concern is keeping drivers safe from contracting the virus from a passenger and preventing turning the drivers into carriers who could spread the virus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe are on the front line every day,\u201d Cortez said. \u201cWe see people who are coming onto the bus sick every day, whether or not they have the virus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Blankenship said 35% of RFTA drivers are age 65 or older, which is listed in some reports as at-risk to the virus. RFTA is urging any drivers who experience symptoms of the virus to stay home and use sick time. Those who don\u2019t have enough accrued sick time can borrow ahead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Seasonal workers who don\u2019t receive sick time or vacation will be given a \u201cmodest amount\u201d of sick time due to the crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">RFTA hasn\u2019t received notification from state or local health officials that the 10 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Pitkin County reported that they rode buses. However, Blankenship thinks it is a good possibility that tourists staying in Aspen were riding skier shuttles to Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk or Snowmass during their stay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">So far, RFTA hasn\u2019t noticed a drop in passengers, but the coronavirus situation has evolved dramatically in the past two days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">If the number of passengers plummets or there is a shortage of drivers due to illness, RFTA has three levels of contingency plans in place for service cuts. First steps might include reducing skier shuttles or eliminating redundancy in commuter service, Blankenship said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">RFTA\u2019s board members complimented the staff for its preparations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cTo the entire team that\u2019s worked on the plan, the board wants to thank each and every one of you,\u201d said board chair Markey Butler, who is the mayor of Snowmass Village.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The board passed a resolution that will allow it to conduct meetings remotely through the rest of 2020 \u201cin case social distancing measures become advisable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/rfta-pumps-100000-into-battle-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread-on-aspen-area-buses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RFTA employee Patricia Rosales Trigo, left, and lead mechanic Will Fabela disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times RFTA lead mechanic Will Fabela, right, and Patricia Rosales Trigo disinfect a bus at the Aspen Maintenance Facility on Thursday, March 12, 2020. (Kelsey [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1318713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-04 07:56:22","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1318713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318713\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1318713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1318713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1318713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}