By DONNA HARRIS
While keeping students 6 feet apart on a bus is impossible, Bartow County's two school transportation departments are doing everything they can to make their buses safe for their young riders.
The bus drivers and staff members in Bartow County and Cartersville City schools are taking every available precaution, including sanitizing and masks, to protect their riders from being exposed to COVID-19.d
"We use an [Environmental Protection Agency]-recommended disinfectant for COVID-19 on all buses after morning and afternoon routes," BCS Transportation Director Jody Elrod said, noting 148 of the district's 185 buses are route buses that are on the road every morning and afternoon. "Weather permitting, we also run with the top roof hatches open to help with air circulation. Our drivers have done a really good job keeping the buses clean and disinfected, paying special attention to the high-touch areas like the handrails coming up the steps and the top of the seats."
Drivers also "certainly try to social distance on the routes that, numbers-wise, allow us to do so" and encourage students to wear a face covering while riding the bus, Elrod said.
"Masks are not required, but students and staff certainly can wear them if they choose to do so," he said. "We have many students and staff members that do wear masks daily."
Cartersville's 28 bus drivers basically are following the same protocols as Bartow County, according to Transportation Supervisor Kimberly Black.
"We are trying to improve the ventilation on the buses with multiple open windows," she said. "Our bus drivers are disinfecting their buses before, between and after each of their routes."
Since social distancing is a "very limited option on the school bus," Black said face coverings are encouraged.
"Masks are required for the bus driver and strongly recommended for students," she said. "Ninety to 95% of our students are wearing masks."
Both school districts report bus ridership was down about 50% when school started in August but has increased over the last few months.
"That helped us tremendously with social distancing on the buses," Elrod said. "We have seen a gradual increase since then, and I would say we have about 60 to 65% of our normal riders now."
Black said Cartersville's ridership has "steadily increased since September."
"Some of our buses are at full capacity while others are still down 10 to 15%," she said.
Both leaders believe their system's school buses are as safe as they can possibly be for students to ride.
"Personally, my children ride the bus every day, and I know what a great job our drivers are doing to keep the inside of the bus disinfected and cleaned on a daily basis," said Elrod, who has two sons enrolled in the county system.
"I’m confident that we are utilizing the most effective procedure to maintain as much safety as possible," Black said.
Elrod said he had two bus drivers quit because of COVID-19, but Cartersville hasn't had any resign, according to Black.
"We've had a couple early on before school started that had some concerns," Elrod said. "Basically, they were saying, 'I'm not comfortable getting on that school bus with those kids' so they resigned their positions."
While Cartersville is fully staffed at the moment, Bartow County currently has six vacant bus driver positions, according to Elrod.
"Thankfully, we have some really good folks in our training program right now, and they will be ready to drive by the first of the year," he said.
The pandemic has affected other areas of the transportation departments besides the buses.
"We were not able to have our annual state bus safety meeting in person this summer, [but] through the [Georgia Department of Education], we were able to provide that online for our drivers," Elrod said. "Several other events, such as our bus driver appreciation breakfast, had to be canceled. We were able to recognize our drivers for the great job they do by providing them shirts from the district."
Black said Cartersville's drivers also had to do the state safety renewal training online, and "all employees are practicing social distancing procedures in all areas of the transportation department."
Elrod said district employees "appreciate our school bus drivers in Bartow County."
"I get to work every day with the most dedicated, hard-working people around that absolutely love kids," he said.
He also said he is grateful to Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page and the school board members "for all of their support" during the pandemic.
"They have provided everything we have asked for so we can do our job of getting our kids to and from school safely," he said.
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