Taylor Gatenby is one of the 75,000+ people who rely on public transit to get to work everyday. She is a cashier at a small local store that provides essential equipment to various government and public organizations, including transit workers and transit police, Vancouver Police Department and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, military, emergency medical service workers and fire fighters. In addition, the local business also serves the general public offering a wider range of outdoor tools and clothing.

When the pandemic broke out, many businesses have diversified their products to join the battle against COVID-19. Taylor’s company is not an exception. These days it stays open to supply much-needed equipment and protective gear, from masks to specialized apparel for those working on the frontline. They are also trying to source other essential products, including face shields and get them out to various destinations.

The security gear store also supplies large volume of sanitizers. “The amount really varies depending on the requirements of different organizations and departments,” Taylor explains. “Sometimes we’d supply them in drums. Just to give you an idea, you would need a wrench and a hose pump to get those out of the containers. Some other departments would buy four litre bottles in mass quantities.”

It has been a challenging time for Taylor and her colleagues, since they also want to make sure they can serve the general public when they can. For safety reasons, the store has encouraged its customers to order products online and has made in-store pick up and home delivery options available to those who need them.

“We still have customers, especially frontline workers, who drop by our store for essentials like uniforms.” Taylor mentions. As a cashier, she regularly manages one-on-one interactions. To stay safe, she makes sure she always wears gloves, disinfects high touch surfaces, such as the debit machine, and works behind the plexiglass partition that the store has set up for their employees.

Everyday Taylor takes SkyTrain and a bus to commute to work from Downtown Vancouver.

“I’m just so proud to be part of a community that is working hard to keep the front liners and the rest of us safe. I’m proud of every other worker who shows up at work to make sure we’re all okay.”

When asked about the first thing she would do after the quarantine ends, Taylor replied “I will take a plane and visit my grandmother in Kelowna. It’s really hard because I can’t be there for her right now.”

We, at TransLink, are deeply grateful for all the hard work that frontline workers are doing during this difficult time, while also dealing with all the personal challenges that the pandemic poses. Do you have a story like Taylor’s or know someone doing good these days? If so, we’d love to hear from you via our social channels or email.