COVID 19 Fears: Under What Conditions Will You Go Back To Work?

[Buzz]

IF YOU ARE READING THIS PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE PART IN THE POLL!

 IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO OUR UNION AND EMPLOYERS!

Poll results will only be visible to those who have voted.

[PROUD MEMBER]

Big bus maximum of 22 children on the bus. Everybody sits next to the window. Bus driver is required to wear a mask and clean and disinfect his bus twice a day. Once after the morning run and once after the p.m. run. It's up to the parents to distinguish if their child is sick in the morning before they put them on the bus. I don't believe you need the every other seat thing because school bus seats are designed to be compartmentalized. As we all know when you are driving the bus and look in your mirror it is hard to see children sitting in the seats even the big kids if you see them you just about see the top of your head. The back of the seat is a barrier between the children sitting in front and behind each other. If children do not sit near the window then they have to be written up and then it's up to the BOE to either talk to the parents and/or immediately take the child off the run. We all need to get back to work if we demand too much we might not have a job at all. I believe the precautions that I just stated are safe to resume school busing until there is a vaccine.

[LMR]

This seems pretty reasonable to me. I wouldn't have no problem agreeing to this protocol .

[steady]

The BOE will probably mandate that we disinfect the bus after each school drop off.  Each route pick up and drop off re-contaminates the bus.  If you recall the state guidelines for school bus staff , must be trained and supported. The training part sounds interesting.  Maybe we would watch an Owen you-tube video lol.

[OMG]

A temperature check must be taken before any student steps 1 foot on the bus ! I'd also like to see some sort of barrier or curtain between us and the students. If we don't get a barrier between us and the students then there shouldn't be a barrier between us and the office. I can guarantee you this, i'll bet you we are not allowed in the office and we only talk to a dispatcher through the radio or a tiny little hole in the plexiglass protecting them from us.

[Buzz]

1) In the absence of any driver partition, I would not want any kid sitting in either front seat. Make that 20 kids max.

2) We are going to disinfect the bus? With what? How? Short of spraying Lysol or similar ... which the company would have to provide ... I don't see what we could do to "disinfect" the bus at any time. (I don't remember where I read it, but I believe companies will be required to disinfect twice a week. I've heard the company has bought mist sprayers or foggers for this purpose.)

3) Temperature check? Who is going to do this? Us? We have to get close enough to a kid do that? Hmm ...

4) Remove the chocks from windows to allow them to open all the way.

[Buzz]

Here's the article where I read buses must be disinfected twice a week ... could change, I guess.

https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/07/will-nyc-kids-ride-school-buses-in-the-fall-matteo-calls-on-doe-for-answers.html

[PROUD MEMBER]

20 kids max bc you don't want a child seating behind you but apparently it's okay with you that they sit behind each other? Barrier for us but no barrier for the children? Temperature checks on Gen Ed. buses? Matrons for Gen. Ed. buses? With the threat, rumor or whatever you want to call it of doing away with General Ed runs which literally means thousands of jobs, again I'll state we are not in any position to be making demands that we know cannot be met. As far as disinfecting the bus it literally takes 10 minutes. I would assume and hope that each of us clean and disinfect our homes and cars. Obviously there's a virus and we have to take precautions but as I've stated we're not children, we're adults, we transport the children. Summer camps have been open for 3 weeks now and just on SI I've seen SafeCoach, Vinny's & Jewish buses rolling. Are we special? All I know is I like the majority of us need to work and if we're not careful we won't have to worry about the DOE doing away with us. We just might do it to ourselves! We should stop making demands and stop making suggestions and stop taking polls and just hope that when school reopens we have a job and we follow the protocols that the state and Board of Ed give to us. Obviously if they feel it's safe for the children to be on the bus then it's safe for us to drive the bus!!!

[Hammer2161]

Guys this is getting to be a very touchy situation, if our wants or demands are to great I fear we will not have a job to return to.  We will have to wait for the protocols and standards set forth by the DOE and then and only then as ADULTS we will have to make the best decision concerning our lives and the lives of our families. It will be totally understandable if some people do not feel comfortable and refuse to return to work. But many of us need and want to work and hopefully the pressure set forth by the union to get us all that we seem to want doesn't cause both DOE and The Owners to just say you know what fuck it we will distance learn until at least January. Not sure how many of you are paying attention to the College education system but many of them have already stated it will be distance learning till the fall of 2021. Also as ADULTS maybe we should acquire what it is we need to feel safe on our own. I know we seem to want to hold the owner responsible for ensuring we have everything we need before we go back to work but I for one will definitely acquire what i need to ensure that i am comfortable doing my job. Again this is a very touchy situation that will need to be dealt with as such. Let's try to be realistic and hope to have a job to go back to come September.

[Buzz]

20 kids max bc you don't want a child seating behind you but apparently it's okay with you that they sit behind each other? Barrier for us but no barrier for the children?

In your previous post you said the kids were "compartmentalized" because of the high seat backs. That's true. There is no high seat back in front of the front seats ... or at least the one behind the driver.

There is nothing wrong with making suggestions. People want to now they'll have the benefit of some protection and should have some input ... whether anyone pays attention to it or not.

[Buzz]

I know we seem to want to hold the owner responsible for ensuring we have everything we need before we go back to work but I for one will definitely acquire what i need to ensure that i am comfortable doing my job.

I don't know about you, but I haven't been able to find Lysol for months now.

[Hammer2161]

I guess I was a bit lucky and I was able to find a can or two but they were a small fortune. Guess it's luck of the draw.

[PROUD MEMBER]

The drivers seat is a bucket seat that is higher than the compartmentalized seats that the children sit in, unless you have a 20 year or older bus.  And besides that there is a backing between the driver's seat and the seat behind the driver. It also is compartmentalized.
Right now during this crisis and unfortunately the lack of strength in our Union (it's a far cry from what it use to be), I feel that suggestions can be taken as demands and if we step on the wrong foot we May have consequences. Such as no General Ed bussing. Furthermore as I stated no matter what the protocols are the Board  of Ed will not put children on the bus unless they feel those protocols are safe and if they're safe for the children then this safe for us.

[OMG]

How close to us do the students get when they get to the top step to make the left to go down the aisle?  I'll say within 12 inches.  Their backpacks usually hit my right shoulder when they turn left to go down the aisle. 

[Hammer2161]

Not sure how many of the Drivers here have ever done a wheelchair run but it's impossible that you could get any closer to the students then that. Both the driver and matron have to come into direct contact with those children more often than not. Ladies and Gentlemen unfortunately this is the job we have chosen to do, I suggest we all think about what it will take for us to go back to work on a personal level. So that you are prepared either way when they decide to finally go back. Because at that time you will have to decide wether you are going back or not. This will be a very difficult decision for many my advice is don't wait to the last minute to think about what you will be comfortable with. Have an idea so that you do not make your decision in haste.

[Buzz]

How close to us do the students get when they get to the top step to make the left to go down the aisle?  I'll say within 12 inches.  Their backpacks usually hit my right shoulder when they turn left to go down the aisle.

Exactly why we need some kind of driver partition.

[OMG]

MTA busses have protective vinyl curtain. I want and need to go back to work also, but every safety measure must be met. Honestly, a barrier is a priority and a simple fix

[PROUD MEMBER]

Buzz just pick the phone up

[PROUD MEMBER]

I'm SMH

[PROUD MEMBER]

I put it out there a few days ago and I put it out there again this morning about contacting our politicians as far as losing our general Ed runs. All I keep hearing about is safety precautions not one of you have said I pickEd the phone up and I called somebody. Talking amongst each other is not going to help us if this imbecile decides to get rid of general Ed. Let's make sure we still have a job after that we worry about safety there's no sense in worrying about safety if you don't have a job. As I've stated numerous times if the BOE makes protocols that make it safe for the children to ride the bus then it will be safe for you to drive the bus. I'm not going to get into details about Partitions or Curtains or whatever have you. Of course I'm worried about safety but obviously I'm worried about my job first. If the dude gets rid of general Ed, guess what, we won't be talking about the safety of driving a bus anymore. Unfortunately it's apparent to me that many of you aren't really that concerned about your livelihood and I'm not looking for an argument. It's a simple thing you're worried about your job get on the phone don't wait to the mayor or the union tells you you no longer have one.

[Buzz]

Buzz just pick the phone up

You didn't call me.

[PROUD MEMBER]

I didn't mean call me I meant call a politician or two. If you're not into talking I know you're good on the Internet. Just make a standard statement or statements regarding general Ed school busing nothing about protocols for NOW and send it out to all 50 something council members. And assembly members and Representatives and the mayors office. I'd assume once you draw something up it's just one click of a button and you could send it to 100 people in one shot.