Pittsburgh Public Schools Implementing COVID-19 Transportation Code Of Conduct, Survey Parents For Feedback
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For Pittsburgh Public School students, changes are coming not just to the classroom this fall, but also to the way they get to school.
The coronavirus pandemic is promoting some busing adjustments for safety and health reasons.
Pittsburgh Public Schools has created a new "Transportation Code of Conduct," which includes limited seating and mandatory mask wearing, unless there's a health condition.
The changes include:
- One student per seat
- Students must sit in an assigned seat
- Masks must be worn at all times, unless a student has an underlying medical condition.
- Students may only be dropped off at an assigned stop.
"They'll have to sit one student per seat and an assigned seat the school provides them," Megan Patton, the district's director of Pupil Transportation, said.
The district says all of it is being done for safety reasons and to make sure they're following CDC guidelines.
Patton unveiled the new conduct code Monday night in a Zoom presentation. She says this fall, they expect a decrease of bus ridership by as much as 67%.
"For example, a 72 passenger bus will hold 24 students, a 48 passenger bus will hold 16 students and a nine passenger vehicle will hold three students," said Patton.
Besides the new changes while riding, there are consequences in place if rules are broken. They include a warning, and in some cases, denying the student bus privileges.
"But that will immediately be up to the school," Patton said.
Meanwhile, with a shortage in bus drivers, and the need to keep everything clean and sanitized, they're also asking families to consider alternative transportation options.
"If they are able to provide transportation for their students to and from school, we are encouraging that," said Patton.
They're also encouraging parents to take an online survey to better form a final plan. A link to the survey can be found online here.
The Code of Conduct will not take effect until students head back to in-person classes.
