Tag Archives: school bus tracking software

For Schools

Why Being a School Bus Driver Isn’t As Easy As You Think

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In many of the school bus songs and rhymes, you might have heard in your childhood, the job of a school bus driver sounds fun. But, when you read this, you will realize that being a school bus driver isn’t really a job it's an adventure!

Driving a school bus isn’t like driving a car, in terms of the size of the vehicle and the number of passengers. Also, being a school bus driver, there are many things they are responsible for. Their duties do not end with just driving a school bus.

School Transportation

Of course, it is the primary responsibility of any school bus driver to transport the students to school or to home safely and on time. They have to reach the bus stops on time. Driving during extreme weather conditions is always a risky affair. Therefore, they have to take all necessary measures to ensure school bus safety. Also, it is necessary for every school bus driver to have a commercial license to operate full-sized buses.

School Bus Safety

School bus drivers are responsible for ensuring school bus safety. Some school buses may have School Bus Monitoring Systems installed in them. But, that’s not enough to ensure the safety of students. School bus drivers must follow safe driving practices.

Some schools have a checklist that they provide to the school bus drivers. The drivers have to use the list to check the safety of various school bus parts.  This includes regular checks on brakes, tires, turning signals and mechanical equipment. If any issues are detected, the buses will be given for repair while the drivers will be provided with a substitute vehicle.

Bus conduct

Schools are always in search of bus drivers who can multi-task. They have to drive safely, watch the road and also look into the conduct of students in the bus. School bus drivers have the responsibility of monitoring student behaviour. They have to look for harmful behaviour and report it immediately. In some occasions, the drivers have the responsibility of assigning seats to students with behavioural issues.

Keep Records

A School Bus Tracking Software can generate reports on the school bus like the distance travelled, fuel consumed etc. But, there are some reports that are meant particularly for the school bus drivers to maintain. This includes reports on the number of students present in the bus, the number of times fuel has been replenished etc. Sometimes, they even have to keep a school bus maintenance log to look into the maintenance of school buses. These reports are then handed over to the transport manager or administrator on a weekly basis.

Even if school bus drivers comply with all rules and regulations and do their job with perfection, they are never appreciated for what they do. Still, the school bus drivers go on with their duties, facing every obstacle that goes their way to commute the precious little lives to safety, no matter what.

For Schools

Bus Route Optimization Tips for School Bus Safety and Economy

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As a school authority, it is your responsibility to find an alternative to every aspect of education that is cost-effective but does not lack in performance. The same applies to school buses. Optimizing school bus routes is a way by which you can save money and ensure school bus safety.

Here are some tips you can follow to achieve it:

Keep accurate student information

It is important to maintain up-to-date information about students traveling in a particular bus route. This can help in taking quick decisions.

Details like general information, safety information, emergency contacts and special requirements must be stored in one location. It becomes easy to access at times of emergency.

Store driver information centrally

Use School Bus Tracking Software to keep track of the school bus drivers’ performance. You can get information like document scheduling info, attendance, recertification testing and traffic violations using the software. This information comes in handy at times of driver license renewal, payroll calculation etc.

Maintain a fleet record

Keep a fleet record with information such as fleet type, capacity, special equipment and inspection date stored in it. This can help you in maintaining the vehicles on time and saving unwanted repair costs.  Also, understanding the capability of the school bus fleet helps you in effective school bus route optimization.

Encourage groupings of bus stop

The school bus has to stop every two minutes to let students get in. This is the case of most school buses around the world. However, the practice leads to increased fuel consumption, which is a loss for the school.

Instead, you can plan school bus stops to where about 5 to 6 students belonging to the same area can walk to board the bus. This reduces the number of bus stops and helps in saving fuel costs.

Update school bus routes

Bus route optimization is all about following cost-effective options while ensuring school bus safety.  Try bus route variations without affecting the current bus routes to maintain balance and efficiency. Also, this helps you to identify the most effective bus route.

Define school specific rider zones 

When you define school specific rider zones, you only transport riders who are eligible. This also helps in avoiding zones that pose threat to the students and ensure school bus safety.

Rearrange district boundaries

Considering the time a school bus takes to pick the students and return back to school before classes begin, rearrange the district boundaries. You can also try combined routes. This helps in cutting down fuel and fleet maintenance costs.

Use a School Bus Monitoring System

With a School Bus Tracking Software, you can get all information about a school bus like the distance travelled, fuel consumption and so on. This information can then be used to analyze the areas where you can cut down the costs.

The software also keeps track of the performance of school bus drivers. You will get to know details of deviation of school bus route, over speeding etc. This helps you in ensuring school bus safety. Also, you can take measures to improve the drivers’ performance.

Use RFID School Bus Tracking System to track students

This is one way you can ensure the safety of students in the school bus. Students can use the RFID tags attached to their school ID cards to swipe in the card reader installed in the school bus. This marks their attendance and the message will be immediately sent to parents and school authorities. This helps you in noticing whether a bus stop has been missed. Also, you can know from where a student boarded the bus and where they alighted.

Accurate routing and planning

Manual routing and planning may not work every time. Also, it may be prone to errors. You can rely on School Bus Tracking Software for automatic routing and planning. You just have to verify the school bus routes generated by the software and make necessary changes. This helps in the generation of optimized school bus routes within a short span of time. Also, you can save time and costs in terms of fuel and labour.

For Schools

6 Simple Ways to Reduce Fleet Costs

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School bus fleet management isn’t an easy task. To make it fully efficient and less expensive requires tactful strategies. It may be difficult, but it is not impossible. Here are 6 simple ways to a cost-effective and efficient fleet management:

Cut down fleet size

Most schools have more than one school bus riding in the same route unnecessarily. You can cut down the extra school buses and reduce the fleet size. This can save you money in terms of fuel, labour and maintenance.

Cut down distance

Being a fleet manager, your manual efforts can do little about the distance covered by a school bus. Also, improper routing and planning can cause the school buses to travel extra miles. You can take advantage of technology here. Vehicle tracking software such as School Bus Tracker can aid in proper planning of school bus routes. You can also use this software to monitor the use of school buses for unnecessary driving.

Cut down fuel costs

A school spends most of its expenses to buy fuel for its school bus fleet. Sometimes, fuel theft and over fuel consumption can cause the school to spend more than what is required. You can use School Bus Tracker software to find that out. With the help of the software, you can generate reports of fuel consumption.

Using these reports, you can easily figure out if any fuel theft has happened. Also, you can look for areas where fuel costs can be reduced.

Cut down maintenance costs

An unexpected break down can cost large amounts of money. Opt for preventive maintenance to eliminate such circumstances.  A maintenance schedule can remind of the next maintenance date in case you keep forgetting the dates. You can use fleet management software to do that.

 A vehicle that undergoes preventive maintenance will be fuel efficient and has longer life. Have your school bus fleet inspected at regular intervals to detect parts that need repair. Also, buy and store vehicle parts in advance. This may come handy at times of unexpected repair.

Cut down lifecycle costs

Some schools have the habit of replacing their school bus fleet frequently. This is due to the belief that vehicles when used longer, can lead to increased fuel and maintenance costs. Preventive maintenance can add to the life of vehicles. It can also help in maintaining the fuel efficiency.

Sometimes, early replacement of vehicles happens because older vehicles have lesser resale value. To deal with that, you can consider long term replacement plans. In that way, you can sell the vehicles at a better rate. Also, you can cut down unnecessary costs.

Better driving practices

An accident involving a school bus can cost the school a huge amount. The school will have to pay for vehicle damage, fatalities and also for worker’s compensation if the driver is injured.

Most accidents involving school buses happen due to careless driving by school bus drivers. You may not know about it until someone complains or such accidents happen.

Use School Bus Tracker software to track the performance of school bus drivers. You will get details of over speeding, unscheduled bus stops etc. using the software. Proper measures can then be taken to eliminate such situations.

Hold sessions for drivers to make them aware of the benefits of adopting safe driving practices. This can reduce the risk of accidents.

By integrating technology into fleet management, you can save lots of money. This money can be invested in the betterment of other aspects of a school.

For Schools

How to Identify High-Risk Drivers

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Every job has got a fair share of risks. If it is a company, the risk can be in the faulty products or inefficient employees.  In a school, school bus fleet management is the most risky affairs.

Fleet managers of the school are most prone to risks mainly while hiring a new school bus driver. An at-risk driver can cost the school in terms of damage to the school bus fleet or additional fuel costs. As a result, the fleet manager who hired the driver will be in trouble.

Assessing a driver

Before you hire a school bus driver, you must always check their previous driving record. A Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) is the best tool for that. This report will give you an insight of the driver’s previous driving record and ensure that they possess a valid driving license. In an MVR, various types of violations are mentioned in the following ways:

Equipment violations– Broken glass, non-functioning signals etc.

Permit violations-Expired driver’s license, registration etc.

Traffic rule violations-Disobeying traffic rules, illegal lane change etc.

Moving violations– Over speeding, reckless driving, DUI etc.

These violations are then classified into different levels, considering the risks.

Level I- equipment or permit violations

Level II- Traffic rule violations

Level III-Serious moving violations (following too closely, crossing speed limit etc.)

Level IV- Critical moving violations (DUI, over speeding, reckless driving etc.)

Level I violations are not that risky. Level II violations pose a slightly higher risk. However, Levels III and IV violations are at a far greater risk with irreversible consequences.

Now, for assessing an existing school bus driver, relying on an MVR is not enough. That is where a School Bus tracking Software comes to your rescue.

Integrated with GPS technology, the software helps in tracking the location of school buses. You can also track the performance of school bus drivers using the software. The software will keep you notified in case of unscheduled bus stops, over speeding etc.

The school authorities also get notified in case of anomalies. This can help schools to provide assistance in case of emergencies at the earliest.

School Bus tracking Software helps in generating reports on fuel consumption, distance travelled etc.  This can help in cutting down expenses and analysing if a parent’s complaint against a driver is true.

The risk factor

The risks that school bus drivers pose can be classified under three headings:

1. Safety

The school bus drivers may operate the school buses in an unsafe manner, risking their own lives along with that of others. This might be due to personal troubles or even a lack of knowledge about rules and regulations.

2. Security

School buses may be stolen or vandalized due to the careless attitude of school bus drivers. This can lead to huge financial losses for the school.

3. Efficiency

Some drivers use the school buses for unnecessary driving. As a result, the fuel will be misused, adding to expenses.

Fleet managers must be aware of these risks on to ensure school bus safety. Safety risk is what they should be aware of the most.

Analysing safety risk

Operating a school bus is not an easy task. However, many drivers have a casual attitude and they do not think much of the consequences. Due to this unsafe attitude of theirs, school buses are prone to risks that can affect the school, the driver and the public. Some of these risks include:

Physical damages

The most common risk in operating a school bus is obviously physical damage. Schools will have to pay large amount of money for repair, depending upon the intensity of damage caused, apart from the total loss.

Personal injuries

If the driver gets injured, schools will have to pay worker’s compensation. Also, depending on the injuries they might have, the driver won’t be able to work for days, weeks or even months. If the injury is serious, the school will have to pay the drivers in terms of insurance.

Liabilities

If there are other vehicles involved in the accident, schools will have to pay for both property damage as well as personal injuries.  If the injuries are too serious or if the accident is fatal, the school will have to pay a huge sum.

Reputation

If a school bus is involved in an accident and the school bus driver is accused of careless driving, the reputation of the school is going to stoop low.

Handling at-risk drivers

After giving the school bus drivers a background check, you must inform them about what the school expects from them. You must let them know about how their performance will be analysed and the consequences they have to face in case of violations.

Before the drivers are put to duty, provide them the MVR review so that they can read it and sign off. School policy related to school buses that contains any disciplinary actions for violation of rules must be reviewed by legal and HR department. It should be approved finally by the school management.

For Parents, For Schools, For Teachers

School Bus Tracking : An Effective Way To Tackle Safety Concerns

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Anything is possible with advancing technology in this era, that too within a short period of time itself. Geo Positioning System or GPS, is one such technology, which is very effective, in case you want to track locations. The school bus tracking software was born out of the very same idea, with the motive of tracking school buses and to put an end to worries regarding the students' safety during their journey to school and the ride back home.

 

Also Read:

 How School Bus Tracking Apps Can Help Parents

With this state-of-the-art technology, it is possible to track students using the school bus service from their boarding points to drop-off points. Each student will be provided a unique RFID tag which needs to be swiped when entering and leaving the bus. Once the tag is read, parents or school authorities will be notified via SMS or Android/iOS push notification and then, the students can be easily tracked in real-time from the mobile device of the parents or school authorities using the Parent App application or the web based application.

 

 Features

 

Real-time Tracking –Keeps parents and school authorities updated real-time about the location of the bus with the help of GPS satellites. It helps them know in case of any issues or the reason, in case of any delay. Parents also get to know pickup and drop information real-time.

Notifications –Parents and school authorities can get notified by SMS, Android push notification or iOS push notifications. It helps them to stay aware of the whereabouts of the students.

  • When there are bus delays
  • If their child boards the wrong bus
  • In case of emergencies
  • Unscheduled stops

Generation of Reports –The software generates accurate and effective reports on the information such as travel distance, travel history, travel speed, stops, etc.

 

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Why School Bus Tracking Software is Not a Villain like Parents Think?

Simple, Clutter-free Interface –A software is effective only if the interface is easy to understand and use. The School Bus Tracker has a simple interface with six menu options. These options show running vehicles, available vehicles, pickups assigned, pickups unassigned, off duty drivers and an option for other vehicles, making it easier for the users to access all the information from one common point.

 

Benefits

 

  • School bus routes can be scheduled automatically and accurately, thus saving time and energy.
  • Parents and school authorities no longer have to worry about the child's safety as they get real-time updates about the child's whereabouts.
  • Have a clear picture of worker hours and performance of the drivers.
  • Cost savings by optimizing. Reducing the need for even one bus can save you a lot.

The easy-to-use features of the School Bus Tracking software are sure to benefit the effective management of school buses. Enhance the reputation of your school by adapting this efficient and feature-rich software.

 

For Parents

Your Child’s Accurate Location, From Your Smart Device!

 

What if you come home one day late from a busy day at work and discover that your child has not come back from school? You will probably call the school first to enquire whether he/she has left school or not. If you find out that the kid has left school, you try to remember the names and numbers of his/her closest friends. You would be in panic mode by now. After a mad scramble, hopefully your child might be found somewhere safely.

But you shouldn't be going through such hugely stressful moments. You and every parent deserve better than that. At a time when technology seemingly does the impossible on a daily basis, you expect a solution or a preventive method for such incidents.

We identified that the best way to ensure your child's safety is to employ school bus tracking. This way, the children doesn't lose their privacy unlike 24 hour tracking facilities. At the same time, parents stay aware of their children's accurate location when it matters.

How

Does It Work?

The working is quite simple. Your child will have an RFID tag attached with his school identity card. When he enters the school bus, the RFID reader in the bus reads the tag. If he doesn't get in, parents, the bus driver and school authorities are notified. Once he gets in, there is a GPS tracker that is set in the school bus. It sends signals to the satellite. From the satellite, real time location and other information such as bus speed, traffic, etc are fed to the school bus tracker mobile and web applications.

If there is an unscheduled stop or if the bus stops at a stop for more than the usual time, parents get notified. Once the child reaches his school, the RFID tag will be read and you will be able to know your child has reached school safely. The same process is repeated in the evening too, when your child leaves from school and travels by the school bus to home.

Notifications

Undoubtedly, notifications play a vital role for this process to work smoothly. The notifications are sent to your mobile device. If it is an Android or iOS device, you just need to have our ParentApp in order to get the push notifications. Also, you can open the app and see your child's real time location with stunning accuracy anytime you want to. If yours is a basic phone, you get notified through sms.

Conclusion

The school bus tracker is a software-hardware combo that your child's school should have. It is beneficial to the school authorities for driver management, routing and planning as well. Our children's safety is what matters the most to us. The school bus tracker is a convenient system to do so. So why not try it out.