Last Wednesday one of my kids had Covid. The CDC now requires assigned seats and the kids around him on the bus and in the classroom are quarantined. The rest can't ride my bus ( but I need to run the route anyway) but the next tier ( school ) has no such restrictions.
The problem are the the delays from detection to notification. 6 days of exposure.
plus kids being kids aren't in assigned seats. I'm busy driving, not checking seating charts.
Every day there are changes to my route, to kids on the bus, to routes taken. Today for example I'm assigned a Random route. I'll be told where when etc when I finish my midday. But all the paperwork assigned is still my responsibility.
Good luck! I hope you stay healthy!
do you think you'll get a chance to get vaccinated soon?
It's been 4 years since I last drove a School Bus. I know what you're going through. My runs were with Special Needs children. Luckily I had a Matron on board. I'm happy I'm not knee deep in this anymore. Stay safe, and healthy. Consider the vaccine.
That sounds rough. You can't be responsible for that while trying to drive the bus. I guess that's one reason they closed the schools.
Side note... the CDC doesn't require anything. They only offer guidelines and recommendations. Your local school board and/or state officials make requirements (sometimes by adopting the CDC's guideline as policy).
Maybe you should talk to the local school board? Explain what you just did here, and request a different approach. Perhaps a second adult on the bus who would be responsible for that?
If the school board is unresponsive, take it to the local newspaper.
Be part of the solution!
In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
I want the vaccine I'm 72 and driving hundreds of school kids daily. I should be at the top of the lists but So far no.
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
I start at 6:30 am and I'll be frantically trying to stay on schedule all day. I get home about 5:30-45 and I'm beat.
really don't have time or energy to fight with school boards.
I think I saw you note you use a fan to blow on your forehead to keep your glasses clear. You might want to be careful with that since it might act to circulate particles into your face. I don't know if eyes are a area of worry, but certainly make sure your mask is fully sealed (especially on the top where they tend to leak).
aircooled said:
I think I saw you note you use a fan to blow on your forehead to keep your glasses clear. You might want to be careful with that since it might act to circulate particles into your face. I don't know if eyes are a area of worry, but certainly make sure your mask is fully sealed (especially on the top where they tend to leak).
My masks are tight to my face. ( one advantage of being my shape ( round) I too worried about blowing germs in my face but I realized the germs would have to get behind the fan to do that. And since general airflow it towards the rear of the bus and the windshield is 8 feet from the first seated student I feel pretty safe.
In reply to RX Reven' :
Grin, ummm arctic tundra? 42 below wind chill last week?!?
Dirtydog (Forum Supporter) said:
It's been 4 years since I last drove a School Bus. I know what you're going through. My runs were with Special Needs children. Luckily I had a Matron on board. I'm happy I'm not knee deep in this anymore. Stay safe, and healthy. Consider the vaccine.
My midday routes are for special needs kids. Luckily I don't need a para for any of them. Getting para's who actually show up and don't just fall asleep and ride around. Is surprisingly difficult.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:
That sounds rough. You can't be responsible for that while trying to drive the bus. I guess that's one reason they closed the schools.
Side note... the CDC doesn't require anything. They only offer guidelines and recommendations. Your local school board and/or state officials make requirements (sometimes by adopting the CDC's guideline as policy).
Maybe you should talk to the local school board? Explain what you just did here, and request a different approach. Perhaps a second adult on the bus who would be responsible for that?
If the school board is unresponsive, take it to the local newspaper.
Be part of the solution!
You are right CDC doesn't require assigned seating but the district considers it a requirement.
The schools want all this but it falls on the shoulders of the drivers. We really need para's in every bus. But they give us limitless power to write up students doing something wrong and then stack it up in an office someplace.
It's a rare event that ever gets a response. Let alone a correction.
In reply to frenchyd :
So, they've given you limitless power, but require you to be a distracted driver and give you responsibilities that make driving the vehicle unsafe?
Yeah, that's not a thing.
frenchyd said:
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
I start at 6:30 am and I'll be frantically trying to stay on schedule all day. I get home about 5:30-45 and I'm beat.
really don't have time or energy to fight with school boards.
I would suggest you can't afford not to.
Spending time and energy ranting on the internet sure ain't helping.
I am not trying to be "that guy". Just genuine concern for your safety and the safety of the kids and other drivers.
We all need to put more energy into improving life, and less into ranting on the internet.
In reply to frenchyd :
My friend, I know, I know.
I made 35 trips to the great state of Minnesota in 2019 alone...adding everything up, I've made 75+ trips total.
Just a joke, that's all.
"Minnesota Nice"...is real, thank you for that...the only time I've felt more welcome was Costa Rica...Minnesota doesn't shove boobs in my face, just saying 
It's bizarre if you really know the rules. Students have limitless power if backed up by a parent. A parent who understands there are rules and there are rules that aren't spelled out but clearly understood by the powers that be.
Speaking as a public school employee....
You can't look for logic and reason in the public school system.
The sooner you can suspend logic and reason, the sooner you can embrace a whole world of weird.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:
frenchyd said:
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
I start at 6:30 am and I'll be frantically trying to stay on schedule all day. I get home about 5:30-45 and I'm beat.
really don't have time or energy to fight with school boards.
I would suggest you can't afford not to.
Spending time and energy ranting on the internet sure ain't helping.
I am not trying to be "that guy". Just genuine concern for your safety and the safety of the kids and other drivers.
We all need to put more energy into improving life, and less into ranting on the internet.
I'm sorry you took this as ranting. Most of us drivers who have been doing this for several years kind of roll with the punches.
It can be changed, if you get elected to the school board and find enough people willing to support you.
But you need to understand just because you changed it doesn't mean it will stay changed. It really is democracy at its finest. I mean that with all sincerity.
RX Reven' said:
In reply to frenchyd :
My friend, I know, I know.
I made 35 trips to the great state of Minnesota in 2019 alone...adding everything up, I've made 75+ trips total.
Just a joke, that's all.
"Minnesota Nice"...is real, thank you for that...the only time I've felt more welcome was Costa Rica...Minnesota doesn't shove boobs in my face, just saying
I'm sorry, I was trying to be funny back. I guess you couldn't see my silly grin behind the mask.
In reply to frenchyd :
Of course it's a rant! That's not a bad thing...
Complaining about stuff you can't fix to a bunch of strangers on the internet who are also incapable of fixing it will ALWAYS be a rant- it's the definition of rant! (Rants don't have to be angry to be rants)
My point is you CAN do something about it, and you are the ONLY ONE who can.
You don't have to fight the school board. All you have to do is make a single request, then take it to the local newspaper. It literally could be less effort than this thread.
We seem to forget the power of the press. Local politicians DO NOT want to be in the paper in front of their peers and constituents looking like they don't care about our kids (or worse, that they are willing to put them in harm's way).
This doesn't need to be dramatic. It's a very simple, straightforward, and necessary solution.
Or, we can rant. 
