Can UV-C Lamps Be Used to Disinfect Public Transportation?

Public transportation is the perfect confluence of circumstances for the spread of bacteria, pathogens, and harmful illnesses throughout the population and an ideal setting for the use of UV-C lamps. With high traffic, a plethora of shared spaces, close contact, and a dependence on manual cleaning methods, public transportation is due for an advancement in disinfection practices and there are few better suited for the job than safeUV 222nm Excimer Lamps. This article will discuss the primary public transportation methods that should consider installing UV-C lamps, the locations within those buildings to install our Flexmount products, and the benefits of using UV-C light to sanitize air and surfaces within these continually occupied spaces.

Public Transportation Applications for UV-C Lamps

Using UV-C lamps to disinfect public transportation is becoming increasingly crucial as 28 million people each year depend largely on these methods to travel to work, events, and social gatherings. With a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the ever-increasing costs of personal vehicles, major cities in the United States and abroad should expect a consistent increase in traffic through public transit facilities in the coming years. Rather than work retroactively to protect commuters, these critical infrastructure programs should be looking forward to new technology like UV-C. Several public transportation methods that could immediately benefit from safeUV 222nm Flexmount Lamps are below:

• Bus Stations/Stops: Supported by a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau Study, commuter bus is the most popular method of public transportation in the United States with over 3.5 million people relying on buses to travel to and from work. Millions of people each day are passing underneath bus stops and into bus stations as possible carriers of harmful pathogens.
• Train Stations: Long-distance trains and commuter rail are another popular method of public transportation, often bringing workers from suburban or rural areas into major cities. Well-placed UV-C lamps in stations, platforms, and inside the trains themselves could prevent the transfer of pathogens from major urban centers to rural areas they would otherwise not reach.
• Subways: Underground stations, cramped platforms, and crowded trains are the perfect setting for bacterial growth. UV-C Lamps in subways could greatly reduce the transmission of airborne, surface, and liquid-laden pathogens and improve the overall quality of life for those using subways for transportation around major cities.
• Airports: Airports are far and away the most critical public transportation option for the installation of UV-C 222nm lamps. Installing these lamps at gates, security checkpoints, and bathrooms could prevent illnesses from spreading rapidly throughout the population. Even a portable Flexmount Lamp could be beneficial to use on an airplane, especially for those with international destinations.

UV-C is the Ideal Sanitizing Technology for Public Transportation

Sanitizing a public transportation facility that experiences tens of thousands of people daily is a unique challenge. With so many shared spaces and touched surfaces to routinely clean, manual cleaning practices may fall short and not provide the adequate levels of disinfection needed to keep a space relatively free of harmful pathogens and bacteria. UV-C is the ideal sanitizing technology for public transportation for several reasons:

• Sanitize Occupied Spaces: A primary benefit of UV-C in particular is that it does not penetrate human skin or eye tissue, unlike the dangerous UV-A and UV-B variants. This means that safeUV 222nm lamps can be used in occupied spaces without any risk to the occupants. As most public transportation systems are inundated with commuters no matter the time of day, UV-C lamps provide a convenient and safe way to continuously sanitize occupied spaces.
• Airborne & Liquid Pathogens:  UV-C light is scientifically proven to eradicate harmful pathogens including coronaviruses, influenzas, and even drug-resistant bacteria. The 222nm wavelength light kills airborne pathogens, surface pathogens, and even pathogens immersed in liquid.
• Continual Traffic: Traffic does not stop in most public transportation scenarios, running 24 hours a day with significant fluctuations around work hours, events, and holidays. UV-C lamps are effective the moment they are turned on and do not experience a drop in effectiveness as traffic increases. Once a bacteria passes underneath the UV-C light, the DNA structure is altered to inhibit reproduction and effectively kills the pathogen.
• Versatile Placement: safeUV Flexmount 241 and Flexmount 241P products offer impressive flexibility when it comes to installation locations. The wall-mounted 241 is the perfect sanitizing solution for stairwells, ticket counters, bathrooms, gates, security areas, and even within the building’s HVAC system to continuously disinfect air as it passes through. Portable units can be used within actual vehicles, small gathering spaces, or even employee spaces like break rooms.
• Reduce Dependency on Manual Cleaning: Relying on manual cleaning methods to properly disinfect public transportation spaces is a fool’s errand. Even the most meticulous cleaning schedule combined with harsh chemicals cannot keep up with the continuous foot traffic of these facilities. Adding UV-C lamps can reduce the dependency on manual cleaning methods, limit the use of harsh chemicals, and create a healthier overall environment.

Purchasing safeUV UV-C Lamps for Public Transportation

safeUV is a proud American manufacturer backed by industry professionals with decades of engineering experience across several unique industries. Our mission is to impact millions of lives with UV-C technology and provide safer communities to learn, play, and work. Improving the safety and quality of public transportation with UV-C is a tremendous undertaking, but as the benefits of human-safe 222nm Excimer Lamps continue to spread, we are ready to answer the call. As the need for public transportation is expected to grow tremendously in the coming years, facilities like bus depots, airports, subway stations, and commuter rail facilities should all consider adding several safeUV lamps to their sanitization practices. Together, we can help keep people happier, healthier, and safer as they travel to and from all of life’s important events. You can contact our team at any point to inquire about our products or receive a quote.

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