Economics
Fearful Commuters on Trains, Buses Hold One Key to U.S. Recovery
- Transit agencies prepare for passengers as economy reopens
- Transmission risk in close quarters could keep people away
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Masks are mandatory on subways and buses in Washington. San Francisco is betting longer trains will help riders social distance. Crews disinfect New York’s trains daily -- stations twice a day -- and are testing ultraviolet light devices to see if they kill Covid-19 on surfaces.
As states gradually reopen, transit agencies are taking steps to coax back passengers who’ve been told for months to avoid just such tight quarters with strangers -- an effort that will ultimately influence the economic recovery.