Metro News Release

For immediate release: November 24, 2004

Metro to decontaminate vehicles for flu season

Viruses such as flu, common cold can be addressed

Metro officials are prepared for the upcoming cold and flu season on its bus and rail car fleet in the Washington Metropolitan region. Customer exposure to viruses such as the flu and common cold can be decreased through its vehicle cleaning and disinfection program.

"In preparation for the upcoming cold and flu season, we have a safe and effective method of cleaning and disinfecting buses, rail cars and handrails inside our train stations," said Fred Goodine, Metro’s Assistant General Manager for System Safety and Risk Protection. "With flu vaccinations in short supplies this winter, we want to do our part to ensure that our passenger equipment and train stations stay as clean and safe as possible for our customers."

Metro will have more than 30 cases of hospital grade cleaner/disinfectant ready for use. The product, EcoTru, is proven nontoxic and noncorrosive, making it safe for Metro employees, customers, the environment, and vehicle materials and equipment. It contains the active ingredient that the World Health Organization recommended for killing the SARS virus last summer. It has been proven effective against other serious biological illnesses as well. Once the EcoTru is applied, it takes only a few minutes to disinfect a surface.

During its routine cleaning maintenance cycles, the product will be applied to all hand contact surfaces inside rail cars, buses, and escalator handrails, locations where customers would normally come in contact with when passing through the system.

"This is just another example of a major transit authority in the world trying to improve the everyday quality of life for its customers and to mitigate their chances for an exposure during the winter season," Mr. Goodine explained. "We hope it helps assure our customers that we are taking a proactive and practical approach to minimize their exposure and risk. In less than five minutes, we can decontaminate a rail car, a bus or a handrail inside a train station."

News release issued on November 24, 2004.