Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi school bus staff to be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks

Abu Dhabi: School bus drivers and attendants have to be screened for COVID-19 every two weeks, Abu Dhabi’s transport regulator has mandated.

They must also wear masks and gloves at all times, and undergo regular health checks, said the Department of Municipalities and Transport’s Integrated Transport Centre.

The comprehensive safety guidelines were released on Sunday through social media channels.

Certain precautionary measures pertain to bus operators, who must equip vehicles with thermometers and hand sanitisers, as well as protective screens between drivers and students, and awareness signs inside the vehicle.

All bus workers, including drivers and supervisors must undergo training, and they must undergo daily temperature checks. This is in addition to the COVID-19 tests every 14 days.

As announced earlier, all buses will operate only half-full at most, and there will be physical distancing between students. Every other seat should be kept vacant, keeping students two metres apart, and there should be signs on seats that must be kept vacant.

Bus drivers and attendants must inform the manager if they are feeling unwell. They must ensure never to distribute food or water to students, and after each trip, they must open out the windows for ventilation. In addition, they have to regularly sterilise frequently-touched surfaces.

Vehicle doors have to be operated fully automatically, and vehicles have to be sterilised regularly during and after operating hours. Any incidents and cases also have to be notified to educational authorities through a unified reporting process.

For their part, students aged six and older must wear face masks when travelling by bus, and sit only on designated seats.

They must also sterilise their hands before boarding and disembarking from the bus, and avoid shaking hands with others. In addition, they must inform the attendant or driver about any COVID-19 symptoms they experience.

Schools also have a role to play when it comes to ensuring that bus transport is safe. They must make regular COVID-19 testing available for bus drivers, attendants and supervisors, and ensure that all vehicles are equipped with the required safety measures.

Schools must also ensure that sufficient numbers of vehicles are being operated, conduct awareness workshops for student users, and make sure that physical distancing is implemented on vehicles.

Students who display COVID-19 symptoms should be prevented from using the bus, and bus worker temperatures must be checked daily.

In addition, bus workers have to download and install Al Hosn app, while parents must sign a pledge agreeing to educate children about the coronavirus and safety precautions to protect oneself from COVID-19.