The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) has taken several steps to protect its more than one million daily riders and 10,000 employees from contracting the H1N1 Flu.

Metro is using an environmentally friendly disinfectant cleaner to wipe down surfaces throughout the Metro system to help keep riders and employees from catching the flu. The disinfectant is used to clean and disinfect “contact-surfaces” in the Metrorail and Metrobus systems. Metrobuses and Metrorail trains and equipment are disinfected every week and will undergo more frequent cleaning if necessary.

Additional actions taken by Metro in preparation for a regional flu event include establishing roles and responsibilities of staff at all levels to ensure seamless continuity of operations; coordinating planning with federal, state and local governments, including health departments, emergency management agencies, and service groups; and establishing an H1N1 Flu customer outreach program with a Website.

“Metro is committed to providing safe transit service and to protecting the health and well-being of our employees, riders and the regional community,” said Metro GM John Catoe. “Our primary focus is to keep Metro operations and services running at or close to normal levels during a regional flu event.”