Bloemfontein, 16 March 2020: Interstate Bus Lines released a statement that the Company is working closely with the Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport, Provincial Health Department and other authorities in dealing with the possible spread of COVID 19.
Following the ministerial briefing earlier on today, IBL Management will implement a three-pronged approach to combat the spread of this virus. The three approaches are: education, implementing cautionary measures and implementing a business continuity plan, which will look at reduced shifts. These precautionary measures should be utilised in unison with the primary message and responsibility of each citizen to maintain basic personal hygiene. Interstate Bus Lines Management plans to:
- Intensify bus cleaning at our depots and introduce extra cleaning teams.
- Provide hand sanitizers to our frontline personnel such as drivers and cashiers that handle cash.
- Mobilise resources and as soon as they are delivered, we will set hand sanitizers dispensers at our main loading terminal mainly at Central Park, Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo.
- Encourage passengers to keep bus windows opened to allow for proper ventilation.
- Urge all our passengers not to litter and not to use snuff and alcohol inside the bus.
- Also support the announcement by President Ramaphosa that non-essential traveling is discouraged.
- In light of the concerns around public gathering of over 100, and in view of the fact that some of our buses have loading capacity of more than 100 passengers, to this end, we wish to confirm that with the upcoming school closure, we will continue to use these buses as they assist in extending the distance between passengers.
- Continue to encourage all our passengers and employees to emphasis on personal hygiene and coughing etiquette.
- Encourage passengers with COVID 19 symptoms of compromised immunity to stay at home and not to use buses to eliminate possible spread of the virus.
- Encourage our passengers to minimise contact by not pushing each other as they board buses.
Our government has urged all citizens to assume an active role in fighting the spread of this pandemic by promoting personal hygiene. We are confident that all our passengers and community at large will rise to this challenge facing our country.
Please direct any information or questions that you might have to our Stakeholder Relations Manager, Vuyo Ondala on 051-4087016 or vuyo.ondala@interstate.co.za or ibl@interstate.co.za.
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GEORGE MOKGOTHU
CEO INTERSTATE BUS LINES
