FAIRMONT — With area schools looking to return to in-person learning this year, the question arises as to how coronavirus safety measures will be implemented in small enclosed spaces such as school buses.

While parents likely will be asked to drive their students whenever possible, there will remain some students who only have the busing option.

Ron Lenz, owner of Truman Bus Service, Inc., has purchased foggers for all his buses and discussed how these and other safety measures will help keep kids in a safe environment.

“We’re going to fog the buses inside after every route,” he said. “It uses a disinfectant that’s on the CDC list and it’s supposed to kill [viruses] on contact. We’ve invested that in all our companies, for St. James, Madelia, Truman and Granada.

“It’s becoming a popular thing, and it’s easy for us because we can fog a bus in under a minute. It covers seats and everything; it dries on contact; and the people working for me said it works fantastic. That’s besides all the cleaning that we’re doing anyway.”

Curt Luetgers, manager of Minnesota Motor Bus Inc. in Fairmont, said he also will be utilize foggers.

“We’ll also be disinfecting after every route, and all drivers and students will be asked to wear a mask the whole time they’re on the bus,” he said. “If they are not going to be able to wear masks, they may be asked to do distance learning.

“We’ll try to accommodate everybody as much as possible, and then if we have to go to the hybrid model for going to school we’ll have to go to 50 percent capacity, which is a huge concern. It’s definitely a change and a challenge, everybody’s got to be patient, and it should be just fine, we hope.”

Lenz and Luetgers noted that schools will provide masks for students who may forget or lose theirs along the way.

A recent work session of the Granada-Huntley-East Chain School Board outlined some other transportation safety measures being adopted.

“We are going to stress to our parents the safest and most effective way to get students here in a safe manner is to drop students off,” said Assistant Principal Taylor Topinka. “That way, when they do choose to ride the bus, we’ll hopefully have a few less riders. Face coverings will also be required for riders and drivers, and we are going to have assigned seats.

“The buses will be loaded from the back to the front, so the first people to get on will be in the back, and the first people to get off will basically start the process in reverse so you’re not walking by people on the bus to minimize social contact.”

Topinka noted that the usual early drop-off time will be reinforced, while board member Jessica Salic pointed out that some parents need to be to work at 8 a.m. and will want to drop their kids off at 7:30 so they can get to work on time.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a balancing act because we’re going to want them to spend as little time here as possible in the morning. But at the same time we’ll have to work around parents’ schedules and balance that out as best we can,” Topinka said.

Board member Brad Mattson said it might be better to have kids at the school a half hour earlier rather than being crammed on the bus.

Topinka also said family members will be asked to sit together on the bus.