Catching public transport post “stay home”.

Hi Everyone 👋 ,

Today marks the first day of me returning into the office for work now that the restrictions have eased and things are slowly going back to “normal”. I have to admit that when I was advised that I’ll be needing to go back into the office, I felt anxious and a bit distressed. Australia has been successful in flattening the curve however the pandemic is not over yet especially now with a potential 2nd wave on its way. For now, I am needed back in the office for 2 days a week to start off with and I will be working the other 3 days at home.

So, travelling to work. I was really tempted to book a car spot for parking close to work however the drive into the city would be really frustrating during peak hour. It would literally take nearly 1.5 hours or more just to drive it due to the heavy traffic. Giving up on that idea, I packed my face mask and hand sanitiser and jumped on the train.

The first train I caught was near empty but when I changed trains, there were more people on that train. Thankfully the social distancing rules are enforced by using these stickers.

These green stickers indicate the seats where you can sit. The seats without a sticker can not be seated on. The train carriages are monitored by rail staff as they walk down occasionally to ensure people are following the rules. The maximum capacity per carriage is 36 people. If you cannot find a vacant seat, you’ll have to get off the train and wait for the next one.

I couldn’t take a picture during peak hour train where there were more people due to respecting other people’s privacy. I almost had to hop off the train as I couldn’t find a seat. Luckily I walked down a few carriages before finding the last seat and was allowed on.

The standing area also limits the number of people standing and is marked by stickers.

This is apparently the new “norm” that’s sticking around for a while. It’s going to take some time to get used to. There are some companies who don’t wish to see their employees late to work due to not getting a seat on public transport which is why they’ve chosen to keep the staff working from home and postponing returns to the workplace until later in the year.

Overall, I did enjoy being able to sit on the train and to watch my dramas like how I used to. The only thing was that it was unsettling with the covid thoughts running through me head every now and then. I mean, there are some inconsiderate people who cough and sneeze without covering their mouth so that does irritate me and the thought of a potential second wave coming very soon now that school holidays are here so that sets off a bit of anxiety. There is however rail staff walking through the sanitise the handles and poles on the train which was good to see.

In general, I think the way the government and rail company is handling and managing public transport during this time is ok. I still don’t wish to see everyone returning to work as before just yet for everyone’s safety.