GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Rapid bus service in Grand Rapids is among businesses hit by rising COVID-19 cases and one employee is worried management isn't doing enough to stop the spread.
"It's very scary," says the employee.
The employee says they are vaccinated and boosted, but doesn't feel like enough.
"I've talked to a lot of the supervisors and a lot of them have told me they're not vaccinated and will not get vaccinated," they said.
They claim it's not just supervisors, either, saying less than half of the 239 bus drivers on staff are vaccinated.
"We have about a 40% vaccination rate for drivers, according to what I've been told by people within the company," they say.
The Rapid confirmed to 13 On Your Side that it has not implemented a vaccine mandate, saying in part, "we are awaiting guidance from MIOSHA regarding the federal mandate for large employers".
The bus system does require masks to be worn by staff and riders on their busses. The concerned employee, however, claims that is not being enforced.
The Rapid tells us in the last seven days, it has had five positive COVID tests among employees. And in December, there were 15 total cases.
The concerned employee fears without a vaccine mandate, those numbers will only get worse.
"Because we serve so many people in the community, we need to put the community first, take the politics out in the pandemic," says the employee. "And unfortunately, The Rapid is not doing that."
The employee tells us another worker at The Rapid died this week. The company confirmed that is accurate, and a family member of the deceased said the death was related to COVID-19.
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