Capital Metro will provide a “Service Recognition Bonus” for employees who deliver critical service to community members relying on transit during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Capital Metro Board Chair Wade Cooper and President/CEO Randy Clarke.
Capital Metro will provide a $150 weekly bonus for fulltime operational staff whose job duties could not be performed from home during the local and state public health executive orders. The bonus will be paid in one lump sum for the period between March 24 and April 30.
The staff receiving the payment includes bus, rail and demand response operators and engineers, as well as staff members who need to leave their homes and interact with the public or groups of employees to perform their jobs, such as those who work in maintenance, public facilities, the operations control center, customer experience and quality assurance.
“We are so grateful for these everyday heroes that deliver critical transit service to those that still need it,” said Cooper. “They have shown resilience, flexibility and dedication to our community during this crisis,”
Clarke added, “This is another way for us to say thank you for their dedication to our community.”
The Service Recognition Bonus is the latest step the agency has taken to protect and support its staff and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Capital Metro's measures to date include social distancing on vehicles, public service messages, face coverings and temperature checks for staff and enhanced cleaning throughout the day.
Before the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed, Capital Metro implemented a three-week supplemental sick leave program, which is in addition to paid time off already accrued by an employee, to support team members with households affected by COVID-19. The paid leave program is available for service providers as well as to Capital Metro employees.
While ridership has dropped around 60 percent in recent weeks, Capital Metro says it still delivers around almost 40,000 essential trips per day. Those who are fighting the crisis at the frontline are among the customers the agency serves. The federal CARES Act provides the critical funding needed to continue to operate this service for the community and to avoid staff lay-offs.
Capital Metro says it recognizes that frontline employees are a lifeline for so many in the community. The Service Recognition Bonus is meant to show support and appreciation to those who hold such critical roles in transit operations.
