SCARBOROUGH — Sarah Redmond, transportation supervisor for Scarborough Public Schools, said that bus drivers have “stepped up” to provide transportation for students this school year.

Scarborough Schools is currently transporting about 30 percent of the district’s student population, Redmond said at a Nov. 5 School Board meeting. Students are spread apart in assigned seats on every bus.

Every bus is equipped with hand sanitizer, she said. As students enter the bus, they sanitize and drivers make sure everyone is wearing a mask. When students exit the bus, they re-sanitize their hands.

Drivers carry extra boxes of masks and gloves, Redmond said.

“There’s been a couple occasions where kids just forgot their masks,” she said. “They’re running late — and instead of saying, ‘Sorry we’re not able to transport you,’ we hand them a mask and can bring them to school.”

At the end of the day, buses are vacuumed and sanitized, Redmond said.

“It’s probably over the top, but I’d rather be safe than sorry,” she said.

Some buses have reached capacity as the district has added new students throughout the year, Redmond said. Parents call to have their child put on a waiting list as the department finds a route and seat for the child, which takes about a week.

She said that parents have also been compliant in helping the transportation side of the school day run smoothly.

“Parents have been amazing with taking their kids, amazing when we call them and say, ‘Hey sorry we have to change your child’s bus route. Here’s the new time,'” Redmond said.

Drivers have done a great job of making sure everyone’s needs are met, Redmond said.

“We’ve done the impossible, which we thought was going to be impossible until school started,” she said.

Board member Alicia Giftos thanked Redmond and said that the work the Transportation Department has done has been “remarkable.”

“I haven’t heard any negative feedback in the community, and people have really stepped up and people seem happy,” she said.

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