TAMPA, Fla. — All local school districts across the Tampa Bay area have safety precautions for students riding the bus.
Those include everything from requiring students to wear face coverings to providing masks to them if they don't have one. Frequent hand sanitizing, seating charts and signs on the bus to allow for social distancing are some of the other safety measures that will be in place.
Here is a list of school bus safety measures broken down local districts.
Hillsborough County:
Masks or face covering are required on the school bus. Disposable ones will be made available for those who don’t have one. Students will be required to follow a special seating chart with social distancing in mind. Here are specific guidelines detailed by the Hillsborough County School Board.
Pinellas County:
School district leaders in Pinellas County have been fine-tuning transportation plans for quite some time. All students riding the bus will be required to wear face masks or coverings. In an effort to maintain social distancing, students will be required to load from back to front decreasing the opportunity for students to walk past each other. Each bus is equipped with hand sanitizer.
For more on school bus safety in Pinellas, click here.
Pasco County:
All students are required to wear face masks or a face covering on the school bus. Students riding the bus will have to follow a special seating arraignment placing siblings or students from the same household in the same seats. Social distancing will be followed as much as possible.
Here are the specific guidelines listed for Pasco County school buses.
Polk County:
Students who ride the bus will be required to wear masks or face coverings. Parents who would like their students to ride the bus have to register their students in order for students to receive a bus assignment.
Seat assignments are also based on pick-up and drop-off locations to allow for social distancing. Buses will be sanitized between runs and deeper cleaning will take place at the end of the day.
Manatee County:
Students riding the bus in Manatee County will be required to wear face masks or a face covering. Parents must register for students to ride the bus. Students will have to follow social distancing guidelines when possible. Hand sanitizing and frequent bus sanitization are also part of safety protocols. For more on their transportation guidelines, click here.
Sarasota County:
Students are required to wear face masks or a covering on the school bus. Like other school districts, siblings or students from the same household will be assigned to sit together on the bus. Each bus is equipped with hand sanitizer. Buses will be thoroughly disinfected throughout the day and in between student drop off and pick up. Click here for more info.
Hernando County:
Students are always required to wear a mask on the school bus. Hand sanitizer will be made available on all school buses. Each bus will be cleaned throughout the day and in between pick up and drop off times. Read more about Hernando County transportation safety plans here.
Hardee County:
Students are required to wear a mask or face covering on the bus. Each bus will be equipped with signs to allow for social distancing and student will have to follow a seating assignment. Bus drivers are responsible for deep cleaning their buses to include, handrails, seats, and doors between pick up and drop off times. They will be deep cleaned at night.
Citrus County:
Students are required to wear face coverings on the school bus. Hand sanitizer will be provided for students. Buses will be sanitized by bus drivers after pick up and drop off. They will also be disinfected throughout the day. For detailed information click here.
Highlands County:
Students will be required to wear face masks or coverings on the bus. Temperature checks will be taken as students get on the bus. Students with 100.4 or higher temperatures will not be allowed on the school bus and will not be allowed to attend school. Parents of elementary school students must wait with their children until their child is on the bus.
For more information click here.
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