Regarding the Social Distancing and Precautionary Measures in the Public Transport

1. In accordance with the authorisation provided for in Sub-paragraph 4.37 of Cabinet Order No. 103 of 12 March 2020, Regarding the Declaration of Emergency Situation, the Minister for Transport shall approve the measures for reducing the number of persons in public transport and thus ensuring social distancing, concurrently providing a possibility for persons to get to work, and shall approve the measures for the provision and use of public transport (Annex).

2. Carriers may, in addition to the measures referred to in Annex to the Order, take other proportionate precautionary measures if they do not affect the number of passengers serviced by public transport. The costs and losses related to the introduced precautionary measures shall be reimbursed in accordance with the procedures specified in Cabinet Regulation No. 435 of 28 July 2015, Procedures by which the Losses and Expenditures Related to the Provision of Public Transport Services shall be Determined and Reimbursed, and the Tariff for Public Transport Service shall be Determined.

3. Carriers shall be informed of this Order and the execution thereof as regards carriages in city routes shall be controlled by local governments of the respective cities, but as regards routes of regional significance - valsts sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību "Autotransporta direkcija" [State limited liability company Road Transport Administration].

4. The Order shall come into force on 27 March 2020 and shall remain in force while the Sub-paragraph 4.37 of Cabinet Order No. 103 of 12 March 2020, Regarding the Declaration of Emergency Situation, is applicable.

Minister T. Linkaits

Annex
Order of the Minister for Transport No. 01-03/79
26 March 2020

Social Distancing and Precautionary Measures in the Public Transport

I. Measures for carriers

1. The number of passengers must be regularly monitored, and vehicles with sufficient capacity must be assigned for servicing the routes.

2. The use of the buses of category M2 (minibuses) must be limited as much as possible for the carriage of passengers. In the buses of category M2, passengers may not use standing places.

3. In carriages by buses where a specific number of tickets are sold, they shall be sold in a number which does not exceed 50 % of the number of seats in the bus. When selling the tickets, the driver of the vehicle (hereinafter - the driver) must ensure that not more than 50 % of the number of seats in the bus are filled at the same time. The driver has the right to refuse entry if the number of passengers in the bus can exceed 50 % of the number of seats in the bus.

4. Where possible, the seating of passengers in the interior of the vehicle must be organised so that the seat next to a passenger would not be taken, and the seats would be located alternatively, and the passengers would, while sitting or standing, keep a 2-meter distance (except for members of one household and passengers with children).

5. It must be ensured that the driver, while fulfilling work duties, is distanced from passengers, but in vehicles where the driver's cab is not separated from the interior - that at least the first row of seats is not available to passengers.

6. Those seats which may not be taken must be visually marked or otherwise demarcated.

7. Passengers must be invited to use the possibilities for remote ticket purchasing as much as possible. The possibilities for passengers to purchase transport tickets from the driver or conductor must be reduced. Where this is not possible, the driver or conductor must wear rubber gloves for the use of electronic tools, issuing of tickets and receipt of payment, or they must disinfect their hands immediately thereafter.

8. Visible or audible information must be provided to passengers regarding the precautionary measures in vehicles, on websites, and at stops, bus stations, train stations etc.

9. Daily processing of the surfaces in the interior and cab of a vehicle with disinfectants must be ensured.

10. The driver must be provided with rubber gloves, as well as a hand sanitiser or a possibility to disinfect hands before and after performance of the journey.

11. Drivers and conductors must be instructed on these measures, and other parties involved must be informed thereof.

II. Measures for the organisers of carriages

12. Conditions of this order must be taken into account in planning journeys along routes and, if necessary, journeys must be provided.

13. The possibility to fully or partially waive the application of fare relief must be assessed in order to ensure the execution of this Order.

III. Measures for Passengers

14. Before travelling by public transport, the need for such travel must be evaluated, and public transport should only be used in important cases (to travel to work, shop, pharmacy or other visits and therefrom).

15. When possible, the travel should be done at a time when the public transport is used by fewer passengers.

16. Those passengers who correspond to the group subject to the risk of infection must evaluate the possibility to use the public transport only in case of absolute necessity, and as much as possible use it outside the peak periods - from 10:00 o'clock until 15:00 o'clock.

17. Public transport should not be used for travelling short distances, other modes of transport should be chosen.

18. Ticket for travelling by public transport should be purchased before the travel using the remote ticket purchasing possibilities as much as possible.

19. In the interior of the vehicle, only those seats which are allowed by the carrier may be taken. When entering and exiting, and choosing a standing place, 2-meter distance must be kept (except for members of one household and passengers with

20. Where necessary, other passengers must be informed of the imposed precautionary measures, and the driver, conductor and responsible State institutions must be informed of the breach of these requirements.

Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)