The world was altered when COVID-19 emerged in 2020. When the United States declared a national emergency on March 13, every business, including Propark Mobility, had to adapt and pivot. While many industries came to a veritable standstill – parking and transportation included – healthcare saw an increase in activity.

One such healthcare facility was Yale New Haven Health Services (YNHHS) in New Haven, Conn. As a longtime partner, Propark Mobility has proudly provided shuttle transportation services for YNHHS for years. When faced with the reality of the pandemic, we immediately took these four steps to protect healthcare employees and guests, as well as our team members:

Established Safety Protocol

Propark instituted a robust virus protection protocol based on guidelines from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Department of Health. Ensuring our employees were well versed in proper hand-washing hygiene and respiratory etiquette, we provided them with access to a continuously updated information portal. Additionally, we began supplying our team with cleaning equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and implemented pre-shift temperature screenings.

Prioritized Social Distancing While Maintaining Efficiency

Understanding that social distancing is a cornerstone of COVID-19 transmission prevention, Propark increased the number of shuttle routes to ensure that our ridership would be able to remain properly distanced. With more frequent shuttle pickups, we were able to keep capacity at 50% or less while ensuring that seats remained blocked off to strictly comply with social distancing guidelines. Propark also installed hand sanitizer stations for riders, along with plastic safety sheeting to provide a barrier between the driver and passengers, all of whom are required to wear facemasks while on the shuttle bus.

Developed Certified CleanCo Standards

With the development of our industry-leading Certified CleanCo Transportation Program, we implemented aggressive shuttle cleaning rhythms, ensuring buses get cleaned and disinfected multiple times per day. Now, drivers are responsible for disinfecting all high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, every hour. During their breaks, the buses undergo comprehensive cleaning by a team of staff members. Additionally, the vehicles are deep cleaned overnight, using a process of intense steaming through an electrostatic sprayer and disinfecting mister, which penetrate hard-to-reach surfaces and cloth materials.

Instilled Consumer Confidence

Because it is paramount to drive consumer confidence in our cleaning and sanitation rhythms, Propark has also developed a comprehensive strategy that covers signage, cleanliness, guest interaction scripts, appearance of staff, and more. Our cleaning and disinfecting protocols align with the latest CDC guidelines and OSHA recommendations, ensuring that, on behalf of our clients, we convey an organized and safe operating environment.

With a partnership that spans a quarter of a century, Propark has been proud to further develop our support of Yale-New Haven Health Services, including providing drivers for the hospital’s mobile COVID testing unit. We continue to monitor the latest guidelines from the appropriate federal and state departments and organizations in order to ensure that we provide our team members and ridership with safe, assured transportation services during these unprecedented times.

To learn more about Propark’s services, contact us today by filling out the form below.