In response to CDC and NJDOH guidance and recommendations on addressing COVID-19, Kearny Health Department has implemented the following rules and regulations when riding Kearny Senior buses. 

• Passengers MUST wear a facial covering (masks, bandanas, etc.) when riding.
• Passengers MUST adhere to social distancing when boarding and riding.
• Only one passenger at a time is allowed to board the bus.
• NO eating or drinking while riding the bus.
• Passengers cannot exhibit any visible signs or symptoms of the Coronavirus in order to ride the bus. Passengers exhibiting symptoms will be asked to exit the bus.
• Passengers are subject to temperature checks. The CDC considers a person to have a fever when he or she has a measured temperature of at least 100.4 degrees. Any rider that has a measured temperature of at least 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to enter the bus.

As we’ve done since day one of the pandemic, we will continue to provide the healthiest, most comfortable environment for our riders. But we will also look to you, our residents, to be partners in this effort. We ask everyone to continue the practices you’ve been following: social distancing, wearing masks, washing/sanitizing hands, not boarding crowded buses, and being mindful and respectful of fellow riders.

We ask that passengers use the senior bus for ESSENTIAL TRIPS only.

It’s important to be thoughtful about travel choices. We are all in this together, and our bus services need to remain a safe and reliable option for those with essential needs and riders with limited travel options.

We have established a passenger capacity limit on buses that will allow social distancing to continue in a reasonable manner across our routes.  After reviewing vehicle layouts and factoring in other variables –such as, all passengers wearing masks, doors continuously opening and closing, the limited amount of time passengers spend on vehicles, and encouragement of staggered seating throughout the vehicle –Senior buses are now allowing approximately 4 riders per bus.  Riders are encouraged to follow the capacity limits when traveling and make smart choices about how and when to travel.

While we will continue to promote and encourage prudent behaviors, there is a level of personal accountability and common-sense behavior that will be required on the part of the resident.

We are asking and encouraging our customers to follow the common-sense practices we’ve all learned. The same rules that people have exercised at grocery stores, food pickup, retail stores and other public spaces also apply to our buses.

Bus Cleaning and Disinfecting

Every bus is cleaned before it leaves for daily service—this includes wiping down seats, stanchions, grab handles and surfaces with disinfectant, as well as sweeping and trash removal.

Drivers will disinfect the high-touch surfaces of the buses after they finish a run and before they turn around for another run.  In addition to the daily cleanings, all vehicles undergo a routine disinfection, which entails intensive disinfecting of the interior surfaces from the top of windows to the floor.

As a reminder:

• Wear a face mask or covering when you ride
• Wash your hands before/after traveling
• Limit touching surfaces (i.e. seat backs or handles)
• Keep your distance: CDC recommends a minimum of 6 feet
  • Avoid sitting in a vacant seat directly next to another rider
  • Keep at least one row of seats between you and other riders
• Avoid crowded vehicles
  • Wait for the next bus.

We recommend the following at all times:

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Stay home when you are sick