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The Latest
FARE COLLECTION AND FRONT DOOR BOARDING RESUME
As of Monday, May 3, 2021, fare collection and front door boarding resumed on both fixed route and paratransit services. In March of 2020, in response to the pandemic, GCTD temporarily suspended fare collection and requested that customers board through the rear door to support physical distancing. Now, with the number of COVID-19 cases declining, vaccinations increasing, along with an extended list of safety measures in place, front door boarding and fare collectiong can resume safely.
Tickets and passes are now available for purchase at the Customer Service Center (8am-6pm, Mon - Fri) and on the Token Transit Mobile App. Learn more about GCTD's Fares here.
FREE RIDE TO YOUR VACCINE
GCTD is offering free transportation to and from a vaccination site on its GO ACCESS vehicles for anyone with an appointment. The vaccination site must be located within our service area. Here are more important details:
- Individuals need to be at least 16 years of age
- To schedule a ride, call one day in advance
- Have the name/address of the vaccination center ready
- CALL 805-485-2319 (Reservation desk open 8am-5pm)
- You may be sharing your ride; masks and social distancing required
If you need more information on how to make an appointment for your vaccine, please visit Ventura County Recovers.
FEDERAL MASK MANDATE
In order to reduce the potential risk of spreading COVID-19 on public transportation, President Joe Biden issued an executive order on January 21, 2021, promoting COVID-19 safety in domestic and international travel. In order to effectuate this executive order, the CDC released a public health order (“Order”) on January 29, 2021 requiring the use of face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation. The order took effect at 11:59 p.m. on February 1, 2021 and will remain in effect until modified or rescinded. The Order defines “mask” as a material covering the nose and mouth of the wearer, and specifically excludes face shields from satisfying the mandate. In order to be properly worn, masks must completely cover the nose and mouth of the wearer and be secure to the head with ties or ear loops. Masks can either be manufactured or homemade, but should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures.
Before this order, GCTD required masks or face coverings (including face shields) upon boarding. Now, face shields will no longer be acceptable and our team is prepared to enforce the new mandate and support passengers in doing so. Our bus operators are supplied with extra face masks to supply passengers as needed, and our Customer Service Center is also stocked with masks to provide to those in need of one.
To learn more about the latest federal mask order, please visit the CDC's website directly for detailed information.
COVID-19 OPERATOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Clear, protective Plexiglass shields are now installed around the bus operator compartment on all buses as an additional safety measure to protect the Operators who have cotinued to provide essential transportation services.
Public Transportation is an Essential Service and Will Continue to Operate to the Furthest Extent Possible
Public transportation is an essential service and will continue to operate to the furthest extent possible. In order to better comply with social distancing requirements on the bus, please reserve travel to essential trips. Fore more information and details about Ventura County response to COVID-19 visit the VC Emergency page here.
Customer Service Center (CSC)
The CSC has reopened for sales. The new business hours are 8am - 6pm and can be reached at 805-487-4222, or customerservice@gctd.org.
GCTD Administration Office
The District's administration office will be closed to the public until further notice. Lost and Found items can be retrived by appointment only, please call 805-483-3959, dial 0 for Operator. Customers can continue to communicate via the call center, the website's comments page, and social media.
Learn more about other measures being taken in response to the spread of COVID-19
The health and safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. We are following the recommendations of health expert organizations, including the Ventura County Public Health department and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are continuing to monitor the issue very closely. As proactive measures, we are taking the following actions to ensure our customers and employees are prepared:
- Established a multi-disciplinary task force to closely monitor events on a local, state, and federal level and follow the directives of the Ventura County Public Health office.
- Placed visual alerts (signs and posters) provided by the CDC/ Ventura Public Health to help employees and customers reduce the risk of transmission.
- GCTD has hired three full-time Fleet and Facility Cleaners to secure additional cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as grab bars, farebox, and bus operator compartment with disinfectant throughout the day both in the field and at the facilty each night.
- Reviewing our facility's supply of hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) and making plans to restock in the event of a shortage.
We encourage all residents to practice good public health hygiene, as this is also the height of the flu season. There are simple preventative actions you can take to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arm or a tissue.
- Get a flu immunization to prevent influenza if you have not done so this season.
- If you are sick, stay home to keep from spreading illness to others.
Preparedness information and up to date news about the situation in the County of Ventura can be found at here.
Video of GCTD Staff Daily Cleaning of Fleet