CINCINNATI, Ohio — Since March, more and more regional transit authority operators across Ohio have contracted COVID-19. So far, nine Cincinnati Metro operators have tested positive.

What You Need To Know


  • Dozens of transit operators have tested positive for COVID-19 across the state

  • New measures include daily bus cleanings, contactless pay and mask requirements

  • Passengers said they feel safe with the new measures

“Only six of our 500 have provided service to customers during that time, and they were also behind plexiglass shields. Many of them were wearing masks, so we feel like the risk was pretty low,” said Brandy Jones, the Cincinnati Metro external affairs vice president.

And Metro isn’t the only transit authority with operators testing positive. 

Since the pandemic, a total of 13 Cleveland Regional Transit Authority operators have tested positive for COVID-19.
Nine Central Ohio Transit Authority operators in Columbus have also tested positive.

“Whenever we do have a positive case we do communicate that to our public, and we put which routes they were on and what times so that anyone who may be uncertain that they were on that trip or if they are having symptoms we want them to be aware,” said Jones.

At the beginning of the pandemic, many of the transit authorities installed a plexiglass divider between the passengers and the operators and required passengers to board from the rear of the bus. Now they’re doing even more.

“We are taking a number of measures to keep our vehicles clean, to put up barriers between our operators and our customers, encouraging everyone to wear masks and when possible to spread out and pay on their smartphones to make sure they’re not touching the fare box,” she said.

Many of the transit authorities are also making sure to spray down the buses daily with a disinfectant that kills the virus on contact. 

“I feel very safe,” said Sandra Jones, a Metro passenger. “They taking very good precautions with the things hanging up and all that. And the masks. I think they are doing a wonderful job.”

And although Metro passenger Sandra Jones feels safe, she makes sure to take the safety precautions a step further.

“I always have the wipes inside my purse,” said Jones. “I wipe down my seat and I wipe down when I touch the door and anything like that just to be careful.”

And the safety of the passengers and operators is something Brandy says is Metro’s top priority. 

“We do encourage all of our employees to practice safety precautions and we’re doing everything we can in our facility and our buses to keep our employees and our customers safe,” said Brandy.