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    1. Safety & Security
    2. Safety Services & Products

    Zonar helps agencies sanitize bus fleets through new electronically verifiable process

    May 7, 2020
    Zonar helps ensure fleets are compliant with public transportation agency safety plans during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
    Related To: Zonar
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    Zonar’s Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR®) solution has a new electronically verifiable configuration for ensuring and documenting the sanitation of transit buses.

    The new configuration is a feature for transit fleet managers to ensure buses and equipment are properly sanitized regularly for the safe travel of passengers and operators during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future. The sanitation configuration is an extension of EVIR, which is already used for verifying Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) mandated pre- and post-trip inspections have taken place.

    The new configuration leverages EVIR. With EVIR, transit cleaning crews can verify that every step of the sanitation of transit buses has taken place by scanning an RFID or NFC tag at designated zones, as outlined by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) standards of best practices.

    "Cleanliness has always been a critical component of transit operations – now more than ever," said H. Kevin Mest, senior vice president of passenger services at Zonar. "It is even more crucial to the health and safety of anyone who steps on a transit vehicle to ensure buses are clean and disinfected. Public transportation is often a lifeline for essential workers and families who need public transportation to get to work or for other daily activities – we're committed to helping fleet managers provide confidence and peace of mind to the communities we serve."

    The EVIR configuration for sanitizing transit vehicles can also help transit organizations:

    • Streamline their vehicle sanitation process for improved productivity while prioritizing cleanliness of operations.
    • Digitize the records of cleanings while eliminating a lengthy paper trail and help make a major task easier to manage.
    • Meet new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements of documenting specific disinfectants used for sanitation of vehicles.
    • Increase productivity by identifying the exact areas and sanitation requirements of each zone.
    • Set and monitor expectations of how to sanitize areas and the duration of each task.

    The sanitation configuration is also compliant with Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP). Transit systems that receive Urbanized Area Formula Grants program funds must comply with the new PTASP rule set by the FTA. Effective July 19, 2019, the FTA requires certain public transit agencies and all rail transit operators to develop safety plans. This rule requires these safety plans to include processes, procedures and performance targets for a safety management system (SMS). The deadline for compliance has recently been extended to Dec. 31, 2020—but agencies are still required to work toward compliance.

    Zonar is providing compliance and regulatory assistance and advice on COVID-19 via the Zonar COVID-19 Resource page, as well as a free weekly webinar hosted by the company's Safety & Compliance team. This resource includes on-demand replays and Q&A sessions and 1:1 advice for drivers, operators and businesses around compliance and regulations through an easy-to-use form.