'Like sardines in there': Halifax school bus driver says more COVID-19 precautions needed

Some school bus drivers in the Halifax region are wondering why there aren't more COVID-19 safety measures in place, such as physical distancing and Plexiglas.

Rhonda Mathieu said there will be anywhere from 44 to over 50 students on her bus routes starting Tuesday.

While students and drivers are required to wear a mask, Mathieu said she's worried that's not enough, especially for younger students, such as those in pre-primary.

"Is little Johnny going to keep his mask on? Or is he going to like Michael's mask more, and they want to switch and trade?" Mathieu said.

"We don't have monitors on the bus to be able to watch and monitor that all the children, especially the young children, are keeping their masks on and being safe on the bus."

She said she knows the region does not have enough buses to put each child in their own seat, but even some spacing or more protection for the drivers would help.

Linda Swansburg, another school bus driver, said she wishes they had Plexiglas installed to separate the driver from the passengers, such as on Halifax Transit buses.

"I feel that they didn't really listen to what we needed for protection and they kind of shrugged us off with, 'The mask is enough, it's low risk and you'll be fine,'" she said.

"Something's got to be done to make us feel more protected."

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education referred CBC News to the province's back-to-school plan for details on public health measures. That plan was approved by the province's chief medical officer of health, with input from officials at the IWK Health Centre.

"HRCE has shared this information with our service providers, along with the expectation that they will be followed. If a driver has concerns, they should bring those to their employer for discussion," said HRCE spokesperson Stephanie MacKinnon.

What the province is mandating on buses

The province's plan says that physical distancing will not always be possible on the buses, but that students from the same household must sit together.

The plan says there should be risk-mitigation strategies, which include minimizing the number of people on the bus, leaving two metres between the driver and students, and opening windows.

MacKinnon said the number of students on each school bus varies by route. She also said students are being asked to board from the back of the bus to the front, but that does not apply to smaller children.

Mathieu said they have heard nothing about distancing measures or minimizing the number of students.

"They're like sardines in there," she said.

The plan also states all children who travel by bus, regardless of age, must keep their mask on at all times. Children with sensory or health issues that prevent them from wearing a mask should consult with their school.

Ventilation concerns

Mathieu said unlike a school classroom, which is much larger and has a ventilation system, the buses don't have that.

"Our windows are very minimal. On a rainy day, we can't even open the windows because the children would be saturated with water," she said.

Mathieu said they will also be exposed to pre-primary parents, who have to come onto the bus and get their child seated. Parents are required to wear a mask when coming on the bus.

More cleaning on buses

She also said drivers have been given masks, gloves and cleaning supplies to wipe down the seats, walls and windows after the morning and afternoon shifts.

Both Mathieu and Swansburg say they want to see children get back to school, but they feel anxious about how the first few weeks will play out.

"Hopefully we'll be safe and the kids will have a good first day," Swansburg said.