Taxi and limo drivers at Pearson Airport suffer 4 deaths due to coronavirus

Essential workers are not the only ones risking their safety in the workforce as many other occupations require interacting with the public.

Along with essential workers, post office staff, cleaners, delivery drivers, public transit workers, and more are drivers transporting residents to their destinations.

It is hard to follow a two-meter distancing rule in a vehicle and drivers working out of Toronto Pearson airport are facing this problem. Many of the taxi and limousine drivers have been infected with coronavirus and some have died as a result, according to BlogTO.

The union that represents the drivers has now revealed that at least four of them have died because of the virus and there have been 15 cases among staff. The union noted that workers are “very scared.”

Due to the pandemic, there is less demand for travel services meaning there are fewer limos and taxis at airports. There are additional sanitization measures for those drivers who are continuing to work.

When speaking with CBC News, drivers said they want more protections and PPE, such as plexiglass shields and passenger screening.

Taxis, limos and few others are the only airport transportation available for some, since recent travellers showing symptoms of the virus were banned from using public transportation to return home from the airport, over a month ago.

Recommendations were recently issued by Toronto Public Health for taxi and rideshare drivers to consider things like “wearing a non-medical mask” and to “consider installing plexiglass shields.”

Drivers are currently responsible for their own safety and PPE