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How Texas tube rental companies are handling safety as they open

Tube rental companies told KVUE they're following a list of safety guidelines as they open up to the public.

AUSTIN, Texas — With Memorial Day weekend upon us, and the weather becoming even more unbearable as temperatures continue to rise, it's safe to say that people are tempted to get in a tube and float down a hot spot like San Marcos River. 

But COVID-19 has prompted companies to put safety measures in place as they reopen, to make sure anyone that wants to tube does so safely. 

"I'm used to having thousands of people here and just trying to make sure that they’re all safe,” said Erica Simmons, the general manager at Texas State Tubes near San Marcos.

They opened up on May 15.  

For Simmons, the safety measures start with employees, who are required to wear masks when they can't social distance. 

Also, you can't just show up to their location, you have to make a reservation. 

Credit: Luis de Leon

"... so that we can space out how many people are getting on the river," Simmons said.  

Simmons added that the tubes are constantly cleaned after each use and when people need to hop on a bus to get back to their car, there are bus liaisons who are specifically there to clean up the bus after people get off each trip.

When it comes to actually launching down the river, social distancing is enforced. 

"We have a cooler checker that checks your cooler for glass and styrofoam and reminds everybody to stand six feet apart in the line ... then once you progress to the river, you have somebody at the mouth of the river saying, 'OK, you can step in,'" Simmons said. 

There's an attendant who only allows a group to start floating every few minutes in order to build up space between groups downstream. 

RELATED: 

Looking to go to a park this Memorial Day weekend? Here's what's open in the Austin area

City of San Marcos to reopen river parks Friday, May 22

New Braunfels to reopen river parks with some restrictions

But not everyone is opening up just yet, like the Lion's Club Tube Rental in San Marcos. 

Lion's Club plans to reopen on June 1 as they continue to collect their cleaning supplies, but they already have a long list of safety measures they say they'll follow, which are very similar to Texas State Tubes. 

"All of it is designed to keep people away from one another, " said General Manager Mark Jalufka. "If you want to social distance, you will be able to stay away from people and we're gonna make sure that's part of the process."

Once Lion's Club does reopen, only one person is allowed per group to walk up and sign up the group for tubing. The line will have social distancing enforced, and there will be employees designated for cleaning up the buses and other materials, as well as making sure the rules are followed.

“After one trip is made, they will be shut down for a few minutes and they’ll completely sanitize every surface in there,” Jalufka said.  

Employees are not required to wear masks (still are recommended to by Jalufka, as they have masks to provide), but they still have to wear gloves. 

In addition to tubing, many of San Marcos' riverfront parks will be able to reopen on Friday, May 22.

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