The district will conduct transportation activities that are consistent with state-issued public transit guidance and NYSED School Reopening guidelines. Students and school staff must wear acceptable face coverings at all times on school buses (e.g., entering, exiting, and seated) and should maintain appropriate social distancing to the extent practicable.
Students who are able will be required to wear masks and social distance on the bus to the extent practicable; however, students whose physical or mental health would be impaired are not required to wear a face covering, but must be appropriately socially distanced. Members of the same household may be seated within 6 feet of each other. Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to drop off or walk students to school to reduce density on buses.
All buses that are used every day by districts and contract carriers will be cleaned/ disinfected once a day. High contact spots will be wiped down after the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) run depending upon the disinfection schedule.
School buses shall not be equipped with hand sanitizer due to its combustible composition and potential liability to the carrier or district. School bus drivers, monitors and attendants must not carry personal bottles of hand sanitizer with them on school buses.
Wheelchair school buses will configure wheelchair placement to ensure social distancing of 6 feet.
Whether school is in session remotely or otherwise, pupil transportation will be provided to nonpublic, parochial, private, charter schools or students whose Individualized Education Plans have placed them out of the district whose schools are meeting in in-person sessions.
All students are entitled to transportation by the district to the extent required by law. Transportation departments do not have the ability or the right to deny transportation for children who are in foster care, homeless or attend private or charter schools. Parents who may have missed the due date to request out of district transportation due to a reasonable excuse may file a 310 appeal with the Commissioner of Education.
School Bus Staff
School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics are required to perform a self-health assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 before arriving at work. If personnel are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, they will notify their employer as per the reporting policies and seek medical attention.
School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics must wear a face covering along with an optional face shield.
Transportation staff (drivers, monitors, attendants, mechanics and cleaners) will be trained and provided periodic refreshers on the proper use of personal protective equipment and the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
Transportation departments/carriers will need to provide Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and gloves for drivers, monitors and attendants in buses as well as hand sanitizer for all staff in their transportation locations such as dispatch offices, employee lunch/break rooms and/or bus garages.
Drivers, monitors and attendants who must have direct physical contact with a child must wear gloves.
The following protocols will be followed by MCSD Transportation Department to keep students and staff safe:
Students
– All parents and guardians will be required to ensure their child/children are not experiencing any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and do not have a fever of 100 degrees or more prior to them boarding bus or other method of transportation to school
– Students must wear mask on bus – if student is unable to medically tolerate a face covering – with prior permission student will be allowed on bus and will have assigned seat socially distanced from other students
o If student does not have a mask the district will provide student with mask
– All students will have assigned seats
o Siblings or children who reside in the same household will be encouraged to sit together
– Students must social distance (six feet separation) on the bus
– Students will not be allowed to eat or drink on the bus
– When students embark and disembark the bus, they will be required to follow social distancing protocols (this will increase the time required to load and unload buses at stops
– Students will disembark the bus immediately upon arrival at the school
– Hand Sanitizer will NOT be permitted on the bus – the school will provide hand sanitizer when students enter the building or classroom
Drivers and Bus Aides
– School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics shall perform a self-health assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 before arriving to work
– Drivers and bus aides must wear mask
– Drivers and bus aides must wear gloves if have direct physical contact with a child
– All transportation staff will be trained and provided periodic refreshers on the proper use of personal protective equipment and the signs and symptoms of COVID-19
– All transportation staff will be required to wash their hands with soap and water before and after bus runs to keep healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections from one person to the next
– Buses will be disinfected after the AM run and after PM run
– When temperatures are above 45 degrees, school buses will transport passengers with roof hatchers and/or windows slightly opened to provide sufficient air flow
For more information about training protocol for students and staff and how transportation information will be communicated, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our reopening plan.