Next time you're taking the GO train, things may look a little different. Metrolinx is piloting plastic seat dividers on trains and buses this week to help curb the spread of germs. GO train seats will have clear plastic boards acting as barriers between passengers.
Five GO trains and 30 GO buses that are installed with the protective pieces of plastic will run throughout the summer.
The initiative began on June 30, according to Metrolinx. Some buses are already operating with the test dividers, while the trains with these barriers will go into service on July 6.
The public transport agency has put a number of other safety measures in place as part of the new normal.
"Since January we have implemented over 40 safety measures to ensure our transit stations, trains and buses are safe," Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins wrote in an email to Narcity.
"Plexiglass barriers between seats are just one way to limit transmission of the virus. But we will continue to step up our cleaning and disinfecting & adding hand sanitizer dispensers on buses, in stations & trains."
One way doors with designated entry or exit only signs have also been added to the trial trains, as well as directional stickers on the floors to guide passengers in a steady flow.
The directional wayfinding signage on the floors as well as the entry or exit-only doors is meant to limit face to face interactions, according to Metrolinx.
By maintaining a safe flow of traffic, the public can avoid unnecessary contact between one another.
Metrolinx will also be taking customer feedback on their new system before deciding to place the safety methods into all trains and buses.
Although masks are not mandatory on GO vehicles, Anne Marie Aikins has said that they encourage people to wear them.
"We ask our customers to do their part too: wear a face covering, use the hand sanitizer and wash your hands and please stay home if sick," she wrote.
In addition to the pilot project, Metrolinx is now also doing a mid-day cleaning program on trains and buses on top of their daily disinfection routine.
The TTC has also implemented similar protective measures onboard vehicles, such as blocking off seats and asking all passengers to wear face coverings.