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VIA’s buses clear the air with new purification systems

Posted: 2 May 2022 | | No comments yet

With the addition of UV-powered devices that target airborne viruses, VIA’s transit vehicles can now reduce the spread of germs and bacteria in the air – creating a healthy, safe environment for its passengers and employees.

VIA’s buses and vans clear the air with new purification system

Credit: VIA Metropolitan Transit

VIA Metropolitan Transit has announced that all of its active vehicles now have an air purification system on board in order to reduce the spread of airborne viruses and to help to maintain a safer, healthier environment for its customers and employees. The installation of 562 Active Air Purification Systems was completed in March 2022.

According to the agency, Active Air Purification systems provide continuous air purification, enhancing VIA’s daily cleaning and sanitising routines. The system uses ultraviolet (UV) technology that creates and disperses low-dose hydrogen peroxide into the air to mitigate airborne pathogens, including COVID-19. The naturally occurring hydroperoxide is safe for passengers and eliminates 99 per cent of germs, microbes, viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces, according to the manufacturer.

Furthermore, this technology is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and provides a more routine cleaning cycle recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Similar systems have been used in health care facilities for many years. The device is made by United Safety and Survivability Corporation and requires minimal maintenance, other than replacing the UV bulb approximately once a year.

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VIA has long maintained a rigorous, daily cleaning and sanitising protocol for its vehicles and facilities. The addition of air purification systems aboard vehicles is part of a range of measures used by VIA to create a healthy, safe environment for passengers, operators and the community.

Since early 2020, VIA implemented additional measures to help protect against the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. This includes hand-sanitising stations installed on all vehicles, operator compartment doors and periodic cleaning of high-touch surfaces for vehicles in the field, among other safeguards. The Active Air Purification system replaces the need for manual cleaning throughout the day.

“VIA continuously researches and implements best practices for the health and safety of our customers and community, including new technology and innovations that help us to work smarter for everyone’s well-being,” said VIA’s President and CEO, Jeffrey C. Arndt. “As ridership continues to grow and our community keeps moving forward, recommendations and guidelines for public transit users may change, but their safety will remain our top priority.”