Maciej Wawszczak tells Vancouver Is Awesome that he had to change trains at Bridgeport due to the track issue, and that it was packed with people.
"Translink could not be reached over the phone within a reasonable timeframe," he writes.
Wawszczak adds that there was no one inside the train to monitor social distancing. He adds that, "TransLink has failed within social distancing guidelines as passengers had to stand."
In response to his statement, TransLink Media Spokesperson Ben Murphy tells V.I.A. in an email that the transportation agency makes every effort to enure physical distancing on board all modes of transit.
"Canada Line has seen ridership decrease by around 85% which has allowed for far greater physical distancing for customers on board," explains Murphy.
"During this morning’s unplanned service disruption we deployed extra staff and bus services to limit crowding and assist with any additional passenger volumes."
In the wake of COVID-19, many Metro Vancouverites spend the majority of their day at home. However, a number of front line workers continue to interact with the public every day, including health care workers, grocery store clerks, and, of course, transit staff.
While TransLink has implemented a number of changes to protect its employees as well as the public at large, transit operators and attendants put themselves at risk to provide vital transportation to people across the Lower Mainland.
Read how three transit employees navigate the COVID-19 pandemic here.
