Should you sit or stand on the bus? If so, is it okay to sit next to someone who is already sitting? Blindfold then – is it mandatory or just recommended?
Over the past year, the answer to these questions has varied, and when TV 2 talks to Ruter, it’s not just just explaining everything.
– There have been a lot of changes in the last year, so it’s easy to go buzzing. I became a little insecure even now, says press officer in Ruter, Øystein Dahl Johansen.
Do not travel unless you have to
The rules that apply depend on municipal rules, recommendations from the health authorities and infection pressure. Dahl Johansen, on the other hand, points out that it is a recommendation that has been constant:
– The main encouragement is still not to travel unless you have to. In addition, it is very important not to travel by public transport if you are ill or suspect infection.
– PRESS GUARD: Øystein Dahl Johansen in Ruter. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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On the other hand, there are some things to keep in mind when traveling. In particular, one should try to avoid traveling at those times when “everyone else” is traveling.
– Now in the summer there is not as much rush in connection with work, but there are often many who travel to the beach or on excursions at the same times. Try to avoid these times, he says.
Seat on bus
One of the recurring questions is whether to stand or sit on the bus. Especially if this means you have to sit right next to a stranger.
– We recommend all travelers to use the seats if they are available. That is, if it is better to sit next to someone who is already sitting, than to stand, the press officer tells TV 2.
He explains that there are mainly two reasons for this.
– This is because you sit with your nose in the same direction, and when you then sit shoulder to shoulder, the distance from mouth to mouth becomes longer. It also makes it easier to move the bus without going on top of each other.
– MUTCHES: At stops and on buses in Oslo where you can not maintain a distance of one meter, it is still mandatory to wear a bandage. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Scanpix
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Mandatory with a face mask
In the municipality of Oslo, the requirement to wear a bandage has been removed if you manage to keep one meter away from others. This also applies to buses.
Mouthpieces are mandatory in Oslo if you are unable to maintain a distance of one meter. In other municipalities, it is not the same order, he says and continues:
– In practice, this means that you can take off the bandage as you leave Oslo municipality, even though we recommend that everyone make an independent assessment of whether it is justifiable.
Opens the front doors
Ruter’s buses have kept the front door closed during the pandemic, but are now in the process of reopening.
– We are in the process of opening the doors at the front of our buses. Many of the green buses have already opened, and we are in the process of a gradual opening with the red ones. It takes some time due to the fact that there is a lot of marking that must be in place, we are also in the middle of the holiday.
Dahl Johansen believes this is an important step in preventing infection on public transport.
– It is both to create better movement for travelers, but also for aeration. Replacing the air on the bus is beneficial in terms of infection control.
– CLOSED: Routes’ buses and trams have kept the front doors closed due to the pandemic. Now they are reopening. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
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Increased traffic recently
Korona has affected ticket sales to Ruter, and when the pandemic occurred, they had a fall of 78 percent almost overnight. Now they notice that it is starting to pick up again.
– Compared to then, there are far more who are traveling now. We have an estimate of a so-called normal week, and at the start of the pandemic we were at about 32 percent of a normal week. This summer we have been up to 74 percent of the normal week, so we clearly see that more people are traveling and buying tickets now, says Øystein Dahl Johansen.
And to those who plan to travel this summer, but find it difficult to understand the rules, he has some comforting words:
– I understand that it is easy to get confused, but our website has updated information about which guidelines apply.
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