COVID-19 continues to be a significant impact on our lives, with the number of cases on the rise again recently. With many out there already traveling to their workplaces to pull through these tough times, public transport commuting is still the top mode of transport to commute to and from our destinations, whether it is work, school. In addition to that, due to the travel restrictions imposed, there might be more traveling by buses and trains now as people might also use public transport to travel to the various domestic recreation sites to cure their holiday blues, especially in dense cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and London.
To help you get that extra peace of mind, here are some tips for you to stay as safe as much as you can while traveling on Public Transport in this COVID-19 pandemic.
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Choosing a different mode of transport where you will be less likely to come into close proximity with others is a great way to start. This will not only benefit you, but it will also lessen the pressure and the number of people taking public transport. The lesser contact, the better.
Think about walking or cycling to your destinations if you can or when they are closeby. Remember to keep a distance between you and others around you at all times.
If you want to get somewhere fast, Car rentals and Car-sharing are a viable option as they are now more accessible than ever. Always sanitize the car before and after you use it and make sure the cabin is well ventilated during your journey to minimize the risks. You could argue that taxis, Grab, uber, or gojek do the same but, by renting and driving the cars yourself, you are staying in your own safety bubble, sparing you and the cab drivers with more risks.
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Peak hours in Public Transportation means more people, which also means that you will come into contact with many people in packed trains and buses, making their way to and from work or school. Choose to travel during off-peak hours whenever you can, leave your house earlier in the morning, or make your way home later in the evening. A bonus to doing this is that if you do choose to travel during the off-peak hours, your journey will not only be that little bit safer, but it will also be a bit more peaceful as well.
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Before actually setting out to your destinations, plan ahead, and choose your routes carefully. Take the most direct routes that lead to your destination to minimize the time you spend outside. Avoid going to and through places where you know are generally busy, you can alight a stop before your intended station if you know there are more people there. Another thing to consider when planning your journey is that you could walk for more parts of your trip.
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Minimize your contact with everything when you are out and about. Go contactless with your purchases by using contactless payments such as ApplePay, GooglePay, or any contactless cards available. Where possible, use your mobile phones when topping-up or purchasing tickets by doing the transactions through the respective mobile apps.
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It has to go without saying that you should always follow the standard safety measures such as wearing a mask at all times and maintaining a safe distance between you and the next person. Safe distancing might be a hard thing to do when traveling on a packed bus or train, but whenever possible, always try to distance yourself from the next person. Bring a hand sanitizer with you when using public transport. Clean your hands after alighting as you may have used the handrails or touched some other parts of the vehicle. Due to the nature of the virus spreading through droplets, try not to speak during the commute (even if you’re already wearing a mask).
If you are traveling overseas, check out our past blog “Planning To Travel Soon? Here Are 10 Travel Safety Tips For You To Know” for travel specific tips.
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In summary here is a checklist of what you should ask yourself whenever you plan to go out on Public Transport:
COVID-19 is a complex virus that we are all still trying to understand. These traveling tips are just precautionary measures to help you minimize the risks as much as you can whenever you are traveling around domestically. Of course, staying at home as much as possible is still the best, we understand that sometimes we really have to get out of the house to attend to something.
Stay Safe!
