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COVID-19 INFORMATION

COVID-19 Precautions

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Driver and Bus Safety

Kootenay Gateway is dedicated to ensuring our services comply with Provincial Health guidelines to protect our customers and our employees. The safety of our employees, their families and our communities is of the utmost importance to us. We have adopted stringent safety measures to limit exposure, including maintaining distance between workers and ensuring adequate hygiene processes. For the safety of our drivers and passengers, we will continue to enforce the following conditions:


Exposure Control Measures For Drivers/Staff

  • Encourage physical distancing between employees and passengers (minimum of 2 metres) and discourage physical contact, including during loading and unloading. As per Transport Canada’s guidance, it is strongly encouraged for drivers and passengers to wear non‐medical masks/face coverings when physical distancing is not possible.

  • Maintain distance between the driver and the seats immediately behind the driver using a barrier, or closing those seats off to passengers, when numbers allow

  • Regularly scheduled cleaning with a fogger & disinfecting agent happens between trips. 

  • Drivers will have access to disposable wipes, or disinfecting agents to sanitize any frequently touched hard surfaces, and gloves if cleaning high touch surfaces. Drivers will also be equipped with their own personal sized hand sanitizer to use as needed.

  • Encourage passengers to remove their own garbage at the end of a trip or use the provided garbage disposal unit within the bus.

  • Drivers will be required to thoroughly wash their hands or use an alcohol‐based hand sanitizer immediately after fueling or visiting a public establishment.

  • If applicable, drivers/staff should use disposable gloves while loading luggage and use a fresh pair for each new trip, unless a pair of gloves has been designated for this purpose.

  • Drivers/staff should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer once loading of luggage is complete.

  • Drivers/staff should not report to work if they feel ill.

  • Drivers/staff who exhibit symptoms of COVID‐19 (e.g., fever, dry cough, etc.) should be required to inform their employer and contact a health care practitioner, 8‐1‐1, or use the BC COVID‐19 Symptom Self‐Assessment Tool (https://covid19.thrive.health/), if they have come in contact with anyone who has COVID‐19, or if they exhibit symptoms of COVID‐19, and act on the instructions of the tool/health practitioner. Anyone with symptoms should self‐isolate (for at least 10 days or 24 hours after symptoms resolve, 14 days if they have been outside of Canada) pending test results, unless otherwise instructed by a health practitioner.

 

Exposure Control Measures For Passengers

  • Screen passengers for symptoms of COVID‐19 using a series of questions (see below for an example). Passengers will be denied boarding if they answer yes or refuse to answer any screening questions. Passengers who display symptoms will be refused transportation and referred to the provincial government self‐assessment tool, consistent with Transport Canada COVID‐19 travel restrictions.

  1. Do you have a fever and a cough?

  2. Do you have a fever and breathing difficulty?

  3. Have you been refused boarding in the past 14 days due to a medical reason related to COVID‐19?

  • Are you the subject of a provincial/territorial or local public health order?

  • For transportation of passengers in which all passengers are equipped with and asked to wear a non‐medical mask/face covering, no adjustments for seating will be made.

  • For the transportation of passengers who are unable to wear non‐medical masks/face coverings, adjustments will be made to motor coach seating to maintain safe physical distancing between these riders and other passengers if they are from different households by maintaining empty seats.

  • We will be moving to online, electronic, or touchless payment options ONLY.

  • Increased ventilation in transport vehicles (fresh air, not recirculating, windows cracked) and in the storefront space is encouraged.

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To Help Reduce Your Risk Of Infection

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 30 seconds. Using soap and water is the single most effective way of reducing the spread of infection.

  • Do not touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue or the crease of your elbow when you sneeze or cough.

  • Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

  • Do not share food, drinks, utensils, etc.

  • Stay home when you are sick to avoid spreading germs to others

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick, maintain physical distancing

  • Be prepared and informed. Refer to credited sources for information such as BC Ministry of Health, Health Canada and World Health Organization.

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COVID-19 Links for Travellers:​

  • BC Provincial and Regional restrictions updated regularly MORE INFO 

  • Interior Health regulates our region and has orders in place and are enforceable MORE INFO

  • Proof of Vaccination for entry into certain places MORE INFO

  • BC Vaccination Card MORE INFO

  • USA & International Travellers require proof of full vaccination to visit Canada. Ensure you are aware of the requirements to enter Canada and depart back to your country of origin MORE INFO

  • Find out if you can enter Canada MORE INFO

  • ArriveCAN is an accessible APP to help travellers coming into Canada. MORE INFO

  • Canadians departing Canada need to be aware of requirements to depart and to return. See USCDC website for MORE INFO 

  • Dial 811 if you are not feeling well and they will discuss your symptoms. You can call 1-877-740-7747 or Book a Test online

 

 

COVID-19 TESTING for Travel:

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Additional COVID-19 Information:

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Passengers are responsible to be admissible to Canada and USA.

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