School bus companies establish new COVID-19 safety protocols

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As parents prepare their children for first day of school in Duval County, Durham School Services and Student Transportation of America are also preparing to safely transport kids to and from schools.

Tune into CBS47/FOX30 Action News Jax at 5 for a a live report that will give you a look at the steps being taken.

According to Duval County Public Schools, about 28,000 students have registered for transportation, thus far. DCPS is encouraging all parents who need bus service and have selected brick-and-mortar learning, to register as soon as possible. Parents can contact the transportation call center at 904-858-6200 if they have questions.

Durham School Services and Student Transportation of America are the bus companies that work with DCPS to transport kids to-and-from school. The STA laid out a number of procedures and protocols to keep drivers and students safe when school resume on Aug. 20. Those safety protocols include:

• STA drivers and monitors will wear face masks at all times on duty, while operating a vehicle, and when interacting with others.
• Gloves are available to STA drivers upon request.
• A box of masks will be available for students on each bus in the event they forget theirs.
• All STA vehicles will be cleaned in accordance with applicable federal, state, local and district guidelines, and each cleaning will use materials approved by the CDC and EPA.

When possible, STA will be loading school buses from back to front, and unloading from front to back. Students will have assigned seating, with members of the same family sitting together, provided the driver can confirm family members.

Cox Media Group