What can bus operators do to minimise risks and increase safety for passengers and drivers?
“As a bus operator, we advise you to look at which product accessories and customisations are suitable for your application. For example, it could involve looking at processes for boarding, disembarking or payment, to minimize contact with the driver. You can also ensure there are decontamination solutions in place for your vehicles such as air purifiers, separation glass, hand sanitiser and other disinfecting solutions. It is also important to have clear communication with passengers about the recommendations that apply and what measures need to be taken on board the bus. It not only increases awareness, but also reduces anxiety.”
What should passengers be thinking about when travelling by bus?
“Basically, it is about following the recommendations from local authorities and the coach operator. It is still possible to travel safely by long distance bus, even today.”
Volvo Buses is currently offering a sanitation program, the Clean & Care Program, for coach customers in Europe. What does that mean?
“We want to support our customer in offering their passengers a safe way to travel by coach in these times. Therefore, we created a strategy which includes a sanitation program to increase the safety on board and minimise the risks for both passengers and crew, while still guaranteeing a comfortable and relaxing journey. Clean & Care Program includes a number of measures to minimise the risk of infection, for example general maintenance recommendations, air disinfection equipment, driver separators (partition walls) and hand disinfection dispensers. Of course, it is also possible to retrofit existing Volvo buses with this too.”
Will the pandemic affect how Volvo Buses works with issues of safety going forward?
“Volvo Buses is continuously working to improve safety for passengers, drivers and guides. For example, we introduced first aid kits to our buses many years ago, and ten years ago we started offering defibrillators. Safety in relation to infectious diseases is a relatively new phenomenon that we will continue to address.”
Read about the Clean & Care Program >
