On Wednesday, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District announced that one of its operators has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently recovering at home. 

The operator last worked on Monday when the employee rode the 6 Orange bus line from noon to 4 p.m. and the 5/50 Green from 5:50 to 10:30 p.m.. 

According to MTD, the employee wore their mask and practiced proper social distancing from passengers. Interactions between the driver and passengers were brief. Other MTD workers who were near the employee were notified, sent to get tested and are under quarantine. 

MTD vehicles and areas that have been confirmed to be exposed to COVID-19 were removed from service immediately and are cleaned and disinfected. 

“Current MTD protocols include cleaning and disinfecting every in-service vehicle once per day. MTD is also deploying employees to clean high-touch areas such as handles and vertical stanchions at major transfer points like Illinois Terminal and Lincoln Square,” said Autumn Soliman, marketing manager for MTD, in a news release on Wednesday. 

The employee will not resume work until the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District agrees on their return. 

“Other MTD employees identified as having close contact with the employee have been notified, sent for testing and put under modified quarantine. Public Health defines close contact as interactions of six feet or less for 15 minutes or longer,” Soliman said in the release. 

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