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Shield our workers Good work society 2020 woman with mask and face shield that protects her eyes from spit

Locally Made Face Shields for GRTC Bus Operators

May 11, 2020

Press Releases

For Immediate Release
May 11, 2020
For more information, contact:
CARRIE ROSE PACE – (804) 516-4148 – carrie.rosepace@ridegrtc.com

Locally Made Face Shields for GRTC Bus Operators
400 face shields provided to frontline staff.

RICHMOND, Va. (May 11, 2020) – GRTC bus Operators have another layer of protection this week with locally made face shields. GRTC purchased 200 face shields for bus Operators from the Good Work Society. This purchase was matched with 200 more donated by the Founder and Executive Director of the Good Work Society Larkin Garbee. Face shields arrived today and are currently being distributed to frontline staff.

GRTC Chief Executive Officer Julie Timm says, “The GRTC team is working non-stop to find new and creative ways to put more direct protection from COVID-19 into the hands of our frontline bus Operators. These face shields offer one more layer of protection for our critical staff while they serve our community’s essential trips. I am deeply grateful for the matching shield donation to double the power of our purchase.” Face Shield Example

Face shields are not mandatory to wear, but they are available to all Operators who choose to wear in service. The shields provide a full range of view without obstruction. The plastic shield is removable for regular cleaning.

The Good Work Society, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) non-profit, is locally manufacturing the GOODSHIELD2020, which is a face shield using a network of #MAKEITTHRU volunteers with 3D printers across the greater Richmond region. The Good Work Society has collaborated with RVAProjectShield and launched a North Carolina GOODHealth Task Force to provide more than 19,000 face shields across Virginia and North Carolina for essential workers during COVID-19.

“At the GOOD WORK Society, we believe in doing work for good and helping people do good work while maintaining good health,” says Larkin Garbee, Founder and Executive Director at GOOD WORK Society. “We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with GRTC to provide one more layer of protection for the bus drivers who are the heroes that show up every day to serve our community”.

In addition to face shields, GRTC continues to procure and provide cloth face masks, protective gloves and cleaning supplies to staff. This week, GRTC also began testing a retrofitted driver shield on a bus that previously did not have a shield installed. After receiving operator feedback on the new driver shield installation, GRTC plans to retrofit the rest of the fleet with these protective barriers. There are already 31 buses with driver shields previously installed.

High-touch surfaces at GRTC facilities and vehicles are disinfected daily with many areas also cleaned regularly during and between shifts. Staff also continue to practice social distancing and follow CDC guidance to wear cloth face coverings. Customers are strongly encouraged to wear cloth face masks or coverings while riding to protect GRTC staff and other passengers according to CDC guidelines.

For the most complete and latest GRTC updates during this pandemic, please visit our website.

GRTC is a public service corporation providing mobility services in the Greater Richmond area. GRTC’s current operational budget of $53.9M primarily funds daily mobility operations and vehicle maintenance. GRTC provides more than 9.25 million trips annually.