KANSAS CITY, Mo. — School buses will run routes around Kansas City, Missouri, Monday as Kansas City Public Schools begin the first phase of returning to in-person learning since switching to a remote model when the novel coronavirus pandemic hit about one year ago.
“Our students see us first to start their day and then we’re the last ones they see, so we really have to nail this thing,” explained KCPS Director of Transportation Chris Walls. “It’s really a critical part that can set a solid tone and positive tone.”
About 8,000 students in the public school district ride the bus.
Walls explained some of the measures the transportation department is taking to keep students safe while riding the bus to and from school:
- A scanner will read the RFID card in every student’s ID badge as they enter the bus. This will let the district know who was on which bus at which time in case any contact tracing needs to be done.
- Masks are required on buses.
- Students will have assigned seating designed where the first child to board the bus takes the seat in the back of the bus. Students will unload the bus front to back.
- Only one student will sit at each seat. An exception will be made for students who live in the same household.
- There is hand sanitizer on the bus.
- Drivers disinfect the entire bus with a spray bottle and an environmentally-friendly solution after every route. Each bus runs about three routes in the morning and three routes in the afternoon.
- The front two seats will remain empty to give the bus driver social distance.
Walls said the buses are only eight feet wide, making social distancing difficult. But he’s confident other preventative measures in place will create a safe environment for children.
