Passengers will be asked to wear masks when the Orange-Sydney coach service resumes next month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australia Wide Coaches managing director Richard Dawes said the company was keen to get back on the road after the service closed in March due to COVID-19.
We are encouraging people to wear the masks.
- Richard Dawes, Australia Wide Coaches managing director
Mr Dawes said they would start with a limited service and would not be conveying passengers to or from Sydney's international airport.
"We are encouraging people to wear the masks," he said.
Mr Dawes said the practice was in line with public health, transport and industry association recommendations but wearing masks would not be made compulsory for travellers.
He said the coach services would run from Orange to Sydney on Mondays, Tuesdays, Friday and Saturdays from Friday December 4.
The return service from Sydney-Orange will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
He said they had been the busiest days for travel before the pandemic hit.
Mr Dawes said the company would review demand to assess whether they could return to a daily service.
He said the company had not laid off staff in the eight-month hiatus.
"We've been able to redeploy the staff out on Trainlink-contracted services," he said.
However, Mr Dawes said he hoped Orange people would get behind the service and begin using it again.
"It's easy to close a business, it's a lot harder to re-start it," he said.
Mr Dawes said the company would have coronavirus protection measures in place for passengers.
"This includes regular cleaning of all touch surfaces, temperature testing of all passengers, fogging disinfectant of the vehicle at the end of the shift and hand sanitiser.
"We will also limit the number of passengers to each service for social distancing purposes."
He said guaranteed seating, free Wi-Fi and USB charging points would be available to all passengers.
The company is offering a $69 return fare for people who booked online.
HAVE YOUR SAY
- Send us a letter to the editor using the form below ...