TAMPA — A third Hillsborough transit employee tested positive for COVID-19, the agency said Friday.
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority posted Friday night on its blog that the employee is not a bus driver. The transit authority has more than 823 employees.
In April, the transit agency confirmed that two Hillsborough bus drivers had tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The agency continues to remind people to ride the bus only for essential purposes. Those who are sick are asked not to take public transit and should self-isolate to avoid possibly exposing others, the announcement said.
The past couple of months saw service cuts and ridership drops as coronavirus cases started to spread through Tampa Bay.
A March 2020 ridership and productivity report from the agency shows that monthly ridership for all modes has decreased from the year before by 27.3 percent “due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
A bar chart shows that ridership from October through February was fairly consistent with the previous year, but then March saw a steep decline in riders. Individual trips dropped by more than 308,000 in March alone, according to the report.
The transit agency’s board of directors is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting Monday, where the report will be presented.
• • •
Tampa Bay Times coronavirus coverage
GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information.
SO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE? Read these 10 tips first
DID YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS? A Tampa Bay Times reporter would like to talk to you.
WHAT’S OPEN?: This list includes local establishments doing business in various ways.
LOCAL RESTAURANTS: The updated database of Tampa Bay restaurants open for dine-in or takeout
UNEMPLOYMENT Q&A: We answer your questions about Florida unemployment benefits
LISTEN TO THE CORONAVIRUS PODCAST: New episodes every week, including interviews with experts and reporters
HAVE A TIP?: Send us confidential news tips
We’re working hard to bring you the latest news on the coronavirus in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription.