In addition to the approximately 220,000 students, Kansas school buses also transport a countless number of germs every day. Students and drivers can contaminate an area as soon as they touch it. Handrails, seat backs, seat cushions and windows are all common touch areas. The COVID-19 situation has brought and an increased awareness to cleaning and disinfecting school vehicles. This document contains information to assist you with cleaning your activity and school buses along with your school passenger vehicles.  All school vehicles should be considered an extension of the classroom with the same expectation of cleanliness.

Cleaning Information Document 

Effective February 25, 2022, CDC does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs.

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/face-masks-public-transportation.html
• Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Department Of Health And Human Services Order Under Section 361 Of The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264) And 42 Code Of Federal Regulations 70.2, 71.31(B), 71.32(B) Requirement For Persons To Wear Masks While On Conveyances And At Transportation Hubs 
• Federal Regulation 42 CFR 70.1.
• Face Mask Extension Statement

FACE MASKS WHILE DRIVING SCHOOL BUS
If your school requires a face mask, a standard exemption to most orders state, “A person for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations” We believe this exemption would apply to a school bus driver while actually physically driving the bus. This does not include the time when the bus is parked or not moving due to loading or unloading students, during these times the bus driver should be wearing a mask. If an extra measure of safety is desired, the first two rows of seats in the bus may be kept empty of passengers to provide some distancing from the driver.

MASK DEFINITION
Per the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services current order, "Mask means a material covering the nose and mouth of the wearer, excluding face shields".

Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools (updated 1-6-2022)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html

HAND SANITIZER
Hand sanitizer is allowed on the bus, however you cannot have a mounted hand sanitizer. Pumps and spray bottles containing hand sanitizer are allowed and can be used when students enter and exit the bus. These items shall be stored and secured anytime the bus is in motion.

TALKING WITH CHILDREN ABOUT COVID-19
CDC has created recommendations to help adults have conversatins with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/talking-with-children.html

PRINT RESOURCES DEVELOPED BY CDC TO SUPPORT COVID-19 RECOMMENDATIONS
What you should know about COVID-19 to protect yourself and others
Important Information About Your Cloth Face Coverings
COVID-19: Quarantine vs. Isolation 
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)​ 
How to Safely Wear and Take Off a Cloth Face Covering​

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Considerations for Schools (updated May 19, 2020)

TEMPERATURE
Per the CDC - Any temperature 100.4 F or greater is considered a fever.

SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SCHOOL VEHICLES 
Note, this information is for guidance only. In the event a school vehicle is used to transport students while in Phase I or Phase II of Gov. Laura Kelly’s AD ASTRA plan to reopen Kansas, social distancing would apply. Social Distancing and School Vehicles Document (revised May 19, 2020)

BUS MODIFICATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS
Any modification of the bus is prohibited under Kansas law. This includes but is not limited to: the installation of any type of barrier around the driver, mounted hand sanitizers, curtains and air filtering systems.
Modification Guidance 

STARTS TASK FORCE
STARTS (Student Transportation Aligned for Return to School) Task Force, is a collaboration among the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation (NASDPTS), and the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) to research, review, and report on matters relating to COVID-19 and student transportation. The task force has developed resources that have been specifically created to enable school transportation professionals to accelerate their individual planning efforts in support of their local school reopening plans. https://www.napt.org/starts  

UPCOMING EVENTS
Please check our Upcoming Events web page which will be updated frequently for current information on our available trainings.