Bus students update

By Belinda Hirst | Posted: Thursday August 27, 2020

This week the Government announced the following requirements for all school transport services across New Zealand from Monday 31 August.

1. All students using school transport services are exempt from wearing face masks/coverings. This includes buses or vans chartered or used by schools to carry children, students and staff. It includes Ministry contracted (Daily, Technology and SESTA services) and Ministry funded (Direct Resourced and Māori Medium schools), and council operated school transport services.

Any children, young people or teachers who wish to wear face coverings wrapped around the nose and mouth (including masks) on school transport may do so if they want to. They are entitled to make this decision and should not be criticised for doing so.

2. School transport providers are not required to display the QR code posters on their vehicles.

School transport services are exempt because school transport services are considered controlled environments where contact tracing is readily available through school bus lists if required. Good hygiene measures, contact tracing and staying away of sick should remain in place.

From Ritchies: For our part, we are instructed to keep up with having hand sanitizer available for students as they board the school buses and maintain our current cleaning regime after every run.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me further.

Regards, Cathy Molloy

Branch Manager, Ritchies Oamaru

Ph (03) 434 7964