CapMetro Drivers Test Positive for COVID-19

Four Capital Metro employees, including three operators and one mechanic, have tested positive for COVID-19, the transit authority announced today, April 2.

The employees' names and medical status is not being released, but CapMetro has identified which bus routes were driven by the affected operators within the last 14 days (the mechanic has not interacted with the public):

• Route 300 (Springdale/Oltorf) on March 19, 23, 24, 25;

• Route 325 (Metric/Rundberg) on March 24, 25;

• Route 335 (35th/38th) on March 26;

• Route 383 (Research/Braker) on March 21, 22, 23;

• Route 935 (Tech Ridge Express) on March 23, 24, 25, 26;

• Route 985 (Leander/Lakeline Direct) on March 19.

The transit authority asks that anyone who has ridden these routes in the last 14 days monitor themselves and contact their health provider if they develop any symptoms. Capital Metro has removed from service the buses driven by the affected operators for deep cleaning; it had already adopted enhanced hygiene measures, including daily on-board disinfection and rear-door boarding, by mid-March.

The affected employees are eligible for up to three weeks of supplemental sick leave in addition to their accrued paid time off, another provision of Capital Metro's COVID-19 response. The agency reiterates that while it continues to provide thousands of rides a day even amidst steep declines in ridership, it strongly encourages people take transit only for "essential" trips.