The Butler Transit Authority adopted a coronavirus operations response plan Tuesday, a day after addressing an unexpected issue stemming from the virus.

The authority adopted the 20-page response plan developed by MV Transportation Inc, the company that contractually provides bus drivers and maintenance staff to the authority.

The plan came up after authority officials said they were prepared to change some bus stops due to concerns that VA Butler Health Care had about the possible spread of the disease to its facilities.

At 11 a.m. Monday, VA Butler Health Care told the authority that at 2 p.m. that day hospital staff would board buses at stops at the facilties on North Duffy Road and New Castle Road and verbally screen all passengers to determine if they have the virus or cold symptoms, traveled to countries with high incidence of the virus or had contact with people who had visited those countries, solicitor Rebecca Black said.

The screenings would have been “very invasive” and resulted in delays in the bus schedules, she said. Passengers not going to the VA facilities would have been subjected to the screening, she said.

The authority responded by saying it would cease making stops at the facilities and change the stops to somewhere close by where a VA shuttle would have to take them to the facilities, she said.

A compromise was worked out. The VA agreed to screen only the passengers who exited the bus at the facilities and the authority agreed not to change the bus stops, Black said.

John Paul, authority executive director, said VA Butler Health Care was acting out of concern for its patients.

VA officials couldn't be reach for comment Tuesday evening.

Following that discussion, the authority board adopted the operations response plan.

MV Transportation has experience dealing with many other contagious diseases during the 45 years it has been in business, said Charles Parham of MV Transportation.

“This is not something new to them,” Parham said.

The plan asks employees who may have driven an infected passenger to remain home on paid administrative leave as a precaution. An employee who believes they were exposed to a passenger or patient with the virus is to stay home and seek medical care. They will be able to use sick time for days off of work.

MV recommends that customers who may have been exposed to avoid public transportation and take medical transportation to a hospital or health clinic.

The plan, which will be posted on the authority's website, also contains information about the virus from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.