Transportation Transformations

By ETHAN BROWN

The long yellow vehicle, designed to hold up to 66 students, is almost empty during its route. On school bus 35, during the coronavirus pandemic, 11 riders feels like a full bus.

This school year, the number of students who take the bus has fallen dramatically. Jericho’s Director of Transportation Ms. Lori-Ann Savino said, “We still offer a bus ride for all students in the Jericho School District, but the ridership is down. On a 66 passenger bus, we’re averaging anywhere between 5 and 9 children.” 

Freshman Nishant K. notices emptier buses this year. He said, “The whole bus used to be full. A lot of people used to be on the bus, but now it’s almost empty.” 

One reason for this is the fact that a number of students opted to go fully remote. According to Jericho High School’s Curriculum Associate for Guidance Mr. Gregory Sloan, 61% of Jericho High School students do not attend any in-person instruction. Additionally, many in-person students are being driven to school. 

Junior Sydney L. has switched from taking the bus to being driven. She said, “My parents thought that because of coronavirus and how crazy the world is right now, it would be best to limit exposure in any ways possible. And since I still wanted to go to school, they thought that the best option to limit my exposure, if there is any, would be to drive me both ways.” 

Jericho parent Christina Kalamotousakis typically had her children ride the bus to and from school in past years. Amidst the pandemic, however, Kalamotousakis has her children take part in a carpooling system in which one parent drives a group of students one day and another parent drives that group of students another day.

In the future, Kalamotousakis might allow her children to be transported on the school bus. “I think we may slowly go back to the way it was, and go back on the school bus,” said Kalamotousakis.

Numerous measures have been put into place for maintaining the safety of school buses to combat the coronavirus. Ms. Savino said, “We increased the cleaning for our school buses so that they are cleaned and the high-touch wipe downs are done every day between routes.” 

The Jericho Transportation Department has also implemented new procedures for contact tracing if the need arises. Savino said, “We have attendance sheets so we know who rides the bus to and from school.” 

Additionally, drivers also track where students sit on each bus. Ms. Savino said, “We also have the drivers have the students sit in assigned seating so that we know where children are sitting to and from school every day which would also help if we have to do contact tracing.”

The New York Times reported that the school bus industry is doing poorly financially. Bus drivers are being laid off across the country. However, all Jericho bus drivers whether employed by either First Student, a private corporation that employs 48 out of 55 Jericho bus drivers, or the Jericho School District, have received normal pay throughout the pandemic. “Nobody lost their job in transportation due to COVID,” said Ms. Savino.

Jericho bus drivers take their positions seriously knowing the risks involved Bus driver Konstantinos Kynalis is nervous about contracting COVID-19. He said, “I’m 70 years old, so I’m kind of scared, to be honest. But it’s my job, I’ve got to do it, and I make sure everything they ask me to do, I do it right.” 

Bus driver Jeffrey Mogavero feels that the Jericho School District has made safety a top priority. “Safety is a very primary concern. Our first goal is safety, and making sure we get you in the morning and afternoon safely. We try to be as cautious as we possibly can,” said Mogavero. 

Jericho’s bus drivers are committed to keeping students safe. Mogavero said, “I drive you students like you were my own children so it’s very important to me, and I enjoy those kids, they keep me on my toes.”