never stopped can be quickly verified by the district using GPS data. It may be that the bus passed the stop, perhaps because
70
Fall/Winter 2019
there was a substitute driver. Or it may be that the bus actually stopped, waited for two minutes, and the student never arrived at the stop. GPS documents all of that. School districts can make GPS location data available to parents. Parents want — arguably, NEED — to know when the bus is coming, whether it is on time or maybe that it is running late. It helps them to gauge the appropriate time to leave the house to walk to the bus stop. The same holds true in the afternoon. In addition to added convenience before going to the bus stop in the morning, parents get peace of mind knowing that the bus arrived at school or made it to their bus stop in the afternoon.
SouthEast Education Network
Added Security As parent bus tracking apps are becoming more mainstream each year, school districts are considering what’s next. Yes, it is helpful for the parent to know that the bus made it to their stop in the afternoon but did their child actually get off the bus? School districts are now enhancing their school transportation security by using student ridership programs. Essentially, a student is issued a card and will “swipe on” and “swipe off” the bus. Parent notification apps can be enhanced such that the parent not only receives a notification when the bus arrives at the stop, but also receives a notification that their specific child has swiped on or swiped off the bus. This enhances security when the bus is being driven by a substitute driver. At each bus stop, the “sub driver” can be notified on a mobile data terminal (MDT) that the student is (or is not) authorized to board or exit at the designated stop. A student swipes on and a verification takes place to the driver, acknowledging that the student is, in fact, assigned to board or disembark at that bus stop. Additional Benefits of the On-board MDT The MDT can provide even more information to the bus driver. It can display a list of bus stops and even turnby-turn directions to assist the driver in following the correct route. It also serves as a mobile time clock. After all, the school bus is the driver’s “office.” Information about maintenance issues, inspections, etc. can all be entered by the driver before departing on his or her route. New Technology on the Bus Most innovations for today’s school bus focus on the overall goal of providing safe transportation for students but not all are geared toward parents. School bus manufacturers recently began providing Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on large school buses to assist the bus driver in maneuvering through challenging road conditions. Electronics are being used to detect students or other pedestrians in the loading/unloading area immediately