Air conditioning means different things to different special-needs students. Some humidity-sensitive students require carefully controlled humidity levels. The heat-sensitive are prone to heat exhaustion or heat prostration during their bus ride. Cold-sensitive students require steady temperature levels high enough for their safety, health and comfort. Meanwhile, some students tend to quickly dehydrate in heated or cooled buses, especially during long rides, and need to be allowed to bring beverages onboard. They require appropriate fluid intake, which needs to be monitored by the driver team. The bus assistant may be authorized by the physician and transportation supervisor to provide this additional service. Without this authorization, a nurse may be required to ride as a personal attendant to the student. One of the byproducts of this situation is that other students or their parents may insist on the same beverage privilege. This is manageable as long as the driver team does not permit ice-chewing (which carries a high risk of choking). Drivers and attendants also need to be aware of their own possible adverse reactions to temperature swings. Any temperature-related illness increases the risk of an accident.
What air conditioners do
Air conditioners really do condition the air. Not only do they cool the air, they also remove dust and dirt and lower humidity levels. That’s why it’s important to choose the right unit. The wrong unit not only wastes energy but also adds to passenger discomfort. Oversized systems cool the air too quickly, causing the unit to frequently switch off and on. This reduces its ability to remove moisture from the air and causes the bus to feel cold and clammy. An A/C unit that’s too small runs constantly without ever cooling the bus to a comfortable temperature. To pick the right cooling unit, follow the original equipment manufacturer recommendations. When an A/C bus is out of service and no similarly equipped spare is available, parents have the right to expect repairs or preventive maintenance to be completed quickly. One alternative is to pay the parents to transport the child. In addition, taxis or paratransit service may temporarily assist medically fragile or technology-dependent students. Ambulance service is a last resort; it is extremely expensive.
