HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Barbara Lilyhorn, Reno County Public Transportation Director, announced Monday that effective at 7 a.m. on October 13, Rcat will reinstate social distancing for seating passengers on all vehicles. This is due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Reno County. Fixed Routes vehicles will be limited to 6 passengers and will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
"We will limit the capacity on the buses to six," Lilyhorn said. "We will have the seats cordoned off."
Rcat will operate four Fixed routes on the following schedule: 1 North hourly, 1 South hourly, 2 East will operate at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., 2 Northwest will operate at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., Noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Route 3 will operate hourly.
Paratransit vehicles will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
County On Demand will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"When they come on the bus there will only be certain seats that are available," Lilyhorn said. "When we have six people on the bus, that's capacity. That's going to be a change. We had been doing that from March until July, when the mask order went in."
Passengers are required to wear a mask and are asked to observe good hygiene with frequent handwashing and responsible respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into their elbow bend and limiting physical contact with drivers and other passengers. Hand sanitizer is available on all vehicles.
Rcat is first come first served general public transportation funded in part by the KDOT Public Transportation Program.