Georgia District Installs Disinfection Devices on Buses

The Meriwether County School District in Greenville, Ga., announced this week that its school board has voted to install disinfection devices on buses. The devices are capable of reducing up to 99.96% of harmful viruses that travel via air and by surface transmission, including SARS-CoV-2.

“We were at risk of losing bus drivers due to fear of COVID,” said Dr. Robert Griffin, Meriwether Superintendent. “Now we can load, travel and unload our buses knowing the air and surfaces are disinfected.”

The school board has purchased 113 CASPR (Continuous Air and Surface Pathogen Reduction) transit units from the Atlanta-based BioShark. According to a press release, the CASPR units convert natural airflow into low levels of gaseous hydrogen peroxide. The device runs continuously while the vehicle is in operation and will replace the current methods of chemical spraying and cleaning the fleet of buses.

“Our goal is to provide peace of mind for students, parents, staff and bus drivers to breathe the air and touch the surfaces without fear,” said BioShark’s Shannon Grube. “This will result in savings by reducing substitute bus drivers and teachers.”

According to the news release, the device does not leave a residue or have a corrosive effect on bus metals or seats. Officials anticipate that this will also help reduce bus maintenance expenses.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Purdue Fort Wayne Opens New Student Housing Complex

    Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) in Fort Wayne, Ind., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, 600-bed student housing complex on campus, according to a news release.