Like almost all of Perth businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic was something we were all not expecting. It has certainly been a challenging period for our team at Horizons West, with amendments to rosters, opening times and cleaning procedures. However, the good news is, throughout the pandemic, we’ve remained open for business. This can be brought down to us acting on regulatory precautions swiftly to ensure both the safety of our staff and travellers while onboard. So you are up to date on what these precautions mean for your safety, we’ve outlined key information below.
COVID- 19 Prevention: Bus Cleaning Procedures
Between each and every bus journey, our drives have been briefed on cleaning requirements. Cleaning will be made to all hard surfaces and ‘touch-points’ within the vehicle using authorised disinfectants and cloths used will be replaced each and every time a vehicle is cleaned. This cleaning extends to all handrails, sets, window ledges, seatbelts and modesty panels. Basically, any surface that comes into contact with a passenger, we will be cleaning. This is to ensure that the vehicle is ready to go for the next group and we can keep everyone COVIDSafe.
COVID-19 Prevention: Driver Procedures
In order to keep not only our passengers but also our employees protected, each driver has undertaken adequate briefing and training in hand hygiene. Each driver during their shift are required to complete the following:
- Washing of hands with soap and water regularly throughout their shifts
- Using hand sanitizer before the next group boards
- Cover any cough or sneeze with their elbow or tissues on board, followed by hand sanitizing. Used tissued to be discarded immediately
- Maintaining social distancing (1.5m) while greeting passengers and disembarking.
COVID-19 Prevention: Head Office Procedures
We’ve made adequate changes to our working space within our head office, too. All employees are encouraged to frequently use hand hygiene with added soap and sanitizer stations. In addition, the required space of 2m squared has been taken into account and employee lunch breaks are staggered. We have also used this as an opportunity for some of our staff to work from home.
Our Commitment to You
We know the above might sound like a lot, but we wanted to assure you we are taking all the right steps to make sure your next trip on board is safe and in line with Government regulations. We are frequently updating our policies and procedures to ensure they align with the most up to date information. We use credible sources to guide us on these decisions, including the following:
- Australian Health Department
- WA Health Department
- COVID Clinic Information
- Corona Virus (COVID-19) Resources
- Corona Virus Health Information Line – 1800 020 080
So, with that in mind, if you had to postpone your bus hire due to the pandemic or you’re now on the hunt for a transfer solution for your next event (under 100 people of course), let’s chat. We can help organise a raft of possibilities and locations across our great state.
If you need some inspiration, we’ve put together a few guides to help you along the way: