Bus drivers not expected to enforce mask rules

Photo: ODT files
Photo: ODT files
Bus drivers in Dunedin and Queenstown will not be expected to force passengers to wear face masks or deny entry to people not wearing one.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced this week that mask wearing on public transport under Alert Levels 2, 3 and 4, including on buses, planes, ferries and taxis, would become mandatory from Monday.

Otago Regional Council transport manager Garry Maloney said the council was awaiting more advice from the Government, but it would be up to passengers to do the right thing.

"We will have signage up to remind people to wear face coverings but, like scanning QR codes for contact tracing, it is ultimately passengers’ responsibility to follow the Government’s requirements ...

"Drivers will not be expected to force passengers to wear face coverings or deny bus entry to people without masks."

It is not yet known whether children will have to wear face coverings, but he said advice in the past had been that young children should not wear them.

A wide range of face coverings, such as scarves, bandanas and T-shirts, would be acceptable for most people during Level 2.

However, people with a higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19 should use medical masks, Mr Maloney said.

Southern Taxis chief executive Anthony Ware said the company would enforce mask wearing from Monday, but it was still working through what to do if someone wanted to travel in a taxi but did not have a mask.

"Some people might not be able to afford them or they may just forget them."

The option of supplying masks in the taxis was being discussed, he said.

Mr Ware had concerns about how it would affect the business if he had to turn customers away, but he agreed with the new rule despite that.

"We have to knock [Covid-19] on the head."

Auckland Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt also said yesterday that bus drivers would not enforce the Government's plan to make face masks mandatory on public transport.

While it was a good idea, the job of bus drivers was to drive the bus.

``The bus driver can't drive the bus and monitor what is happening down the back of the bus,'' he said.

``We don't know who is going to enforce it. It is certainly not going to be the driver.''

molly.houseman@odt.co.nz

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