MDOT/MTA bus driver tests positive for the coronavirus

Early Wednesday morning, a spokesperson with MDOT/MTA confirmed a bus driver tested positive for the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

RELIABLE BUS SERVICE TOOK ATURN FOR THE WORSE TODAY WITHNEWS THAT ITDRIVER HAD CONTRACTED THECORONAVIRUS.

WMAR 2 NEWSHAGER HAS MORE NOW ON THESAFETY QUESTIONS THAT RAISESFOR OPERATORS AND PASSENGERALIKE.Banner: MTA bus drivercontracts coronavirus/Passengers & operators fearcontamination 1━20 VondaHaney/West Baltimore 2━39Michael McMillan/ Local 1300President 1:1━1:28 BonnieBond/Dundalk 1:5━2:06 Hageragain 2:0━2:24 TRT 2:24(HAGER S━UP) 15:19 "The signsays 'Not in Service', but inreality, many on the busses,which come out of the Easterndivision of Baltimore werestill running routes today inspite of the fact that adriver has now tested positivefor COVI━19." (TRACK) Waitingfor a bus at Pen━North on thecity's west side, Vonda Haneyhad no idea a bus driver nearthe end of her route on theeast side had tested positivefor the coronavirus.

(SOT)34:14 "It makes me extremelynervous, yes, but the way theyhave it now, you don't have tointeract with the bus driver,because again the busses arefree and you're coming in fromthe back." (NAT U━gate)(TRACK) The Eastern busdivision shut down onWednesday for a thoroughcleaning after news that anoperator had been infectedaffecting some of its manyroutes and sending an alarmthrough many of the otherdrivers typically assignedthere.

(SOT)MichaelMcMillan/Local 1300 President:40 "Who she& he or she& hascome in contact with, we don'tknow." (TRACK) Local 1300Union President MichaelMcMillan says along with theirfellow drivers, a singleoperator can come into contactwith as many a thousandpassengers per day, and hequestions the administrationmaking it optional for driversto work or to go home withoutordering mandatory testing orquarantines.

(SOT) 1:05 "Thissupervisor, who is sittingright over there in the car,said that he has orders fromhis management to tell theseoperators who haven't beentested or made aware of thesituation to go to anotherdivision." (TRACK) Anotherdriver from the Easterndivision who did not wish tobe identified for fear oflosing their job told usdrivers there are assigneddifferent busses each dayraising more questions overthe risk of the virusspreading.

(NAT SOT) 19:09 "OhGod.

I just want to get home."(TRACK) For Bonnie Bond, newsof an infected driver added toher worries of contracting thevirus since she has no choice,but to make an occasional tripfrom Dundalk to the BayviewMedical Center for treatment.(SOT) 19:42 "I had to get aCAT Scan." "You came for adoctor's appointment?" "Yes,because I was diagnosed withcancer.

Lung cancer." (HAGERS━UP) 18:10 "In the absenceof any new measures to try toprotect these drivers, theywill continue to go to work,being that mass transit in anessential service, and there'sno question the city and statewill try to keep it running atany cost.

Reporting inBaltimore, Jeff Hager, WMAR 2NewsAFTER THE HOMELESS COM