use of disinfectants, about 10 percent indicated they had problems with the chemical reaction on the bus vinyl and seat material. “It has not been from improper clean- ing by the drivers,” shared Patty Jackson, transportation director for Unified School District 341 in Oskaloosa, Kansas. “The disinfectant leaves a white film over the seats that then has to be wiped off.” Aspen’s Mahaffey noted a similar residue, which driv-
ers must also remove from windows. Jennifer Haag, director of transportation of Peotone
Community Unit School District 207-U in Peotone, Illinois, echoed that sentiment, adding that she and her staff are finding a film on the seats and other areas that are sprayed. Other directors are finding similar results to the fre-
quent cleaning. Sharron Harwin, transportation director at Lucia Mar Unified School District in Arroyo Grande, California emphasized the importance of wiping down surfaces after spraying them. “Leaving the chemical on seats is breaking down vinyl,” she observed. Meanwhile, Mike McClure, director of transportation services at Fayetteville Public Schools in Arkansas, said he
has seen a “slight discoloration of seats” and has received “complaints from students about discoloration of clothing.” Katie Delano, the director of transportation services
at Coalinga Huron Unified School District in Coalinga, California, said the frequency of cleanings is also posing problems at her district. “It has not been improper, it has been so often,” she explained. “Prior to COVID-19, we cleaned buses daily. Now we do it between each run. We are doing close to 60 runs a day with nine drivers. This means a lot of use and a lot of cleaning.” The result, she added, is that the seat covers are more
brittle. The average age of her fleet is 18 years old, and she said the material used on the older buses may not be as resilient as on a newer bus. “The typical pre-COVID day was 32 routes plus activ-
ities and sports with 15 drivers,” added Delano, “I believe because of the frequency we clean, seat repairs are through the roof due to how often we clean, not im- proper cleaning.” ●
Ryan Gray contributed to this report.
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68 School Transportation News • MARCH 2021 Trans Air_0420_AD_PRINT
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