Month: February 2015

How Important is the School Bus Driver?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Each individual connected with the school contributes something to the organization that keeps it going. When it’s about the safety of children inside schools, school guards protects them and when it’s about their safety outside the school, school bus drivers serves the best.

School bus is indeed a safety measure for students. They are dependable resources for better safety. There are a lot of factors that makes school buses different from any other means of transport. The school bus driver plays a crucial role in the safe management of school buses. Handling children and school bus requires skill and efficiency.

Many school bus drivers often feel that they are not appreciated and sometimes are disrespected too. It is important to respect and value them. Children should be taught to respect the school drivers. They take the responsibility of carrying children safe. Students must be taught about the contributions that school bus drivers hold.

Job description of school bus drivers

School bus drivers manage the task of picking up of students from stops and dropping them off at school. They also transport students and faculty to field trips or sporting events. School bus drivers often work split shifts of mornings and afternoons. They hold a very important responsibility of safe transportation of the students.

Responsibilities of a driver

  • A good driver is a person who carries out his/ her duties without fail and is dependable
  • Emotionally stable, so that they can efficiently carry out the relationship between parents, students, school officials and public
  • Managing unexpected and unusual situation
  • Taking in to consideration the welfare and need of others
  • Patience and understanding
  • Traffic laws must be respected and followed
  • Local rules and regulations must be keenly followed
  • Neat and clean appearance
  • Free from alcohol and drugs
  • Any bus malfunctions or needed repairs must be reported
  • Delays, accidents, or other traffic and transportation situations should be reported to the school authorities using telephones or mobile two-way radios
  • The condition of tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, water, and safety equipment of the vehicle should be evaluated to ensure that everything is in working order.
  • Follow the traffic rules keenly without fail
  • Take care of children while boarding
  • Keep students and school authority informed of possible delays
  • Keep updated about the weather condition
  • Contact police in case of emergency
  • Help disabled children to get in and out of the bus
  • Bus drivers should keep the record of children boarding bus

Responsibility of schools

There are numerous responsibilities to the schools too. They have the power to provide information to school bus drivers and make them aware of their responsibilities. Also, in a similar way, they would be able to make children and parents aware of the importance of school bus drivers.

  1. At the start of the academic year, hold a meeting with the school bus drivers discussing about their guidelines
  2. Provide drivers the list of the students travelling in their bus. The details must include home phone number of the students and address. The driver can contact the parents of the students directly if there is any problem with the students
  3. Students must be well-aware about the rules and regulations regarding the school bus. A signed document agreeing to follow the rules inside school buses must be taken from the students
  4. The outcome of breaking rules must be made clear to the students
  5. Any student breaking rules should be punished
  6. Students wit four or more suspension order received due to misbehaving or breaking ruled in school bus, shall not be eligible for travelling in the school bus
  7. Misbehaviour inside the school bus, including fight should be given appropriate punishments

Do not ignore drivers

Driving is a job that requires lot of professionalism and care. There are myriad of commitments which must be showcased towards the organization and students. Drivers play an important role in shaping up the good-will of the institution. They must be respected and treated with equal rights and concern.

The Amazing Evolutional Story of GPS Tracking

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

To figure out their position on earth and navigate, people once depended on different ways that are quite unimaginable in this digital era. It must be astonishing for today’s generation to imagine that mariners relied on methods ranging from angular measurements to positioning of celestial bodies for calculating their location. Radionavigation was the first ever modern technique used in order to calculate the exact location.

GPS was initially prepared for military purpose, and then its service was extended to various fields. GPS has proved itself to be one among the smartest inventions ever made. Now GPS has found its way to even school buses for better service and safety.

The extent to which it is provides service to customers is indeed appreciable.

Read on through the remarkable evolution of GPS:

1957: SPUTNIK, the first man-made satellite was launched. William Guier and George Waeiffenbach, American Physicist monitored the emission of radio transmissions from Sputnik with the help of which they could locate its orbit and location.

1959: The first satellite navigation system was built by Navy, which was named TRANSIT. It was built in order to obtain the exact location of submarines. The system was introduced with six satellites which eventually grew to ten. The subs had to wait for hours to receive signals from satellites. The model paved way for the true GPS with continuous signalling from satellites in space.

1960: TRANSITwas successfully tested

1963: The Aerospace Corporation completed a study for the military that proposed a system of space satellites which sends signals continuously to receivers on the ground and could locate vehicles moving rapidly across the earth’s surface or in the air. The study laid out the GPS concept for the first time. Receivers in vehicles on the ground would derive a precise set of location coordinates by measuring the transmission times of radio signals from satellites.

1974: After having worked on GPS for past 11 years, the branches of military launched the first satellite called NAVSTAR.

1978-1985: In order to test the NAVSTAR System, military launched 11 more test satellites in to space, which was called “the GPS system”. To measure the transmission time, the satellites carried atomic clocks with them. Sensor design to detect the launch or detonation of nuclear devices was carried by some of the satellites starting from 1850.

1983: Korean Airflight 007 was shot down by Russians after it wandered in the Soviet airspace over the Kamchatka Peninsula. All 269 passengers and crew members were killed. In order to avoid similar situations in future, President Reagan ordered that all civilian commercials aircrafts must be equipped with GPS system. He believed that GPS could help in navigation and improve air safety to a great extent.

1985: Contracts for “airborne, shipboard and man-pack (portable)” GPS receivers were given to private companies by Government.

1989: The fully operational GPS satellite was launched by the Air Force after testing for years. After the Challenger disaster in 1986, the plan to launch the satellite on the Space Shuttle was changed. It was used in a Delta II rocket instead.

1990: Defence Department deliberately decreased the accuracy of the GPS system fearing that military adversaries might use GPS system for their advantage.

1994: With an eye on the future, FAA and Bill Clinton granted the worldwide airline industry to continue using the GPS system for free.

2000: The purposeful degradation of GPS which was implemented before the first Gulf War by the Defence Department was stopped. Overnight, GPS became ten times more accurate and powerful. Industries like fishing to forestry to freight management began to use it.

2001: Private companies began to introduce out personal GPS products as the GPS receiver technology got smaller and cheaper. In-car navigation devices from Tom Tom and Garvin were introduced.

2004: A new technology was introduced known as “assisted GPS”, which has been tested and developed. The new eminent technology allows phones to use cellular signal in combination with GPS signal in order to locate the user to within feet of their actual location.

2005: “Block II”, first new generation of GPS satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral. Signals were transmitted by the new breed on a second, dedicated civilian channel.

2009: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report warning that the $5.8 billion effort to upgrade the GPS satellites was so fraught with technical problems, cost overruns, and delays that some of the satellites could begin to fail in 2010.

2010-2011: Two new GPS satellites was launched by Air Force,  one in 2010 and one in 2011 which are meant to keep the constellation operable, until the next generation “Block III” satellites get launched in 2014. An additional civilian GPS signal as well as enhanced performance compared to the GPS service is expected from new Block III satellites.

2012:Air Force manages a constellation of 31 operational GPS satellites, plus three decommissioned satellites that can be reactivated if needed, at present. The constellation ensures the availability of at least 24 GPS satellites, 95% of the time. The next addition to the constellation, the GPS IIF-3 satellite will be launched on October 4 by the Air Force in to the space.

School Bus – From Simple Wagons to GPS Tracking

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

The use of a vehicle to transport children from their homes to schools dates back to the later part of the 19th century. In those days, there was no Wi-Fi or GPS tracking systems in buses. And these weren’t the buses as we see it now. Rather, they were simple wagons. They were popularly called “kid hacks”; Hacks referring to a kind of horse-drawn carriage.

It was by the early 1900s that motorized school buses came into existence. But these were just trucks with tarpaulin drawn over them.

The concept of “enclosed school buses”

This was introduced during the 1920s. Along with that glass windows replaced tarps, which were common at that time. Slowly, school buses started making an identity for themselves.

Yellow-orange school buses

A century since the first ever school took onto the roads, the technology that a school bus uses now is quite advanced. The school bus looks were standardized so they could be easily recognized in public. For instance, it was decided that the colour of school buses would be yellow-orange, as it was the most visible colour during the school bus working hours (at dawn and dusk). This has been widely accepted in most countries as either a part or whole of the buses is painted yellow.

Modern buses are significantly advanced from the first “enclosed school buses”. It is provided with cameras that can record video as well as audio. This was introduced to monitor activities of students inside the bus. Some countries also use more than one camera with at least one placed outside of the school bus. Some schools around the world have also started using Wi-Fi enabled buses and GPS tracking system.

Important Events Throughout History

  • In 1827, the first school bus drawn by horse was introduced. The first school bus driver was George Schillibeer for Quaker school in London. It was designed to carry not more than 25 students.
  • The company Wayne Works were the first in the United States to make school buses in 1886. These were mostly farm wagons used to transport children from the rural areas to schools. In extreme northern climates, sleds were also used.
  • In 1914, automobile chassis were introduced to replace the “kid hacks” by Wayne Works.
  • 1927 saw the introduction of an all steel body for buses.
  • The closest relatives of the modern buses with glass windows in the passenger area were introduced in 1930. “California top” was the name given to them.
  • The earliest recorded use of traffic warning lights on school buses was around 1946.
  • In 1959 the very first rear-engine diesel-power school buses were built.
  • The 1980s and 1990s were marked by the introduction of reflective stripping, LED and strobe lights.

The Modern School Buses

The 21st century was more focussed on child safety issues and on tracking school buses throughout its journey. This called for new technologies to be used in school buses. The most revolutionary inventions of this era would be Wi-Fi capability and GPS trackers. GPS tracking has helped to avert accidents and allow easy documentation. Its capability of providing real-time data has greatly improved responsiveness to adverse situations.

Now school buses also come with Wi-Fi systems. Students find this useful since they are powered by the Internet. They can do assignments and work on projects en route to school or home. Teachers can also communicate with their students with the advent of Wi-Fi.

What the school buses would be 50 years from now is quite uncertain. With each new decade comes a new revelation in technology. But the use of GPS and Wi-Fi are certainly here to stay for a very long time.

15 Splendid Ways to Reduce Fuel Cost [For School Buses]

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

To run any institution, fuel cost is about 30% of the total cost. So it is high time to think seriously about ways to manage fuel cost. It is a common need for every institution.

If we gave proper attention and took necessary precautions, we will be able to reduce school bus fuel cost to an extent. There are advanced technologies such as GPS School Bus Tracking systems to reduce fuel cost.

Here are some effective methods to reduce fuel cost:

1. Educate the Drivers: Make them realize that they can make a big difference in reducing the cost of fuel consumption. Let them know that reducing the amount of fuel consumption will ensure their job security and provide a better environment.

You must teach them how their driving has a major role in reducing fuel consumption cost.

2. Monitor the Route before Starting the Trip: Having a clear idea of your assigned route will help you to minimize the gear changes which results in reducing fuel consumption cost.

With the help of school bus tracking system, the driver can get a clear picture of the route which makes the driving easy. And also it helps the drivers to take the shortest path by avoiding blocks and all.

3. Speed Limits: Over speeding have several negative impacts on your vehicle’s engine and fuel cost. And moreover, it increases the risk of accidents. With the help of school bus tracking apps, you can get instant notification if the bus is running in over speed.

4. Lessen the Number of Gear Changes: Reduce the number of gear changes by thoroughly studying the routes and traffic with the help of school bus tracking system. Too much gear changes will drastically increase the consumption of fuel.

5. Avoid Overfilling: Don’t overfill the fuel tank as it can create fuel wastage. Filling fuel up to the edge of the fuel tank will easily cause overflow when the fuel gets heated either by sun or fuel return by the engine.

Thus, overfilling is dangerous as well as can cause fuel wastage which results in reducing unwanted fuel consumption cost.

6. Keep the Tires Inflated Properly: School bus tires should be inflated properly. Properly inflated tires can reduce the risk of accidents and extends the life of tire. It also improves fuel economy. So, before you start a trip, ensure that the tires are inflated properly.

7. Avoid Unwanted Idling: Surplus idling can consume a huge amount of fuel within a short span of time. With the help of fleet tracking with GPS, you can monitor and control unnecessary idling. This is also a good way of reducing the amount of fuel consumption and thus cost.

8. Do Proper Maintenance: You should maintain the vehicle properly as avoiding regular maintenance can affect your vehicle’s mileage. Proper and routine maintenance can make your bus the most fuel efficient school bus.

9. Make Use of Telecommunication Technologies: You can stop the use of school bus in any route if the student whose pickup point is on that route is on leave that day.

It can be done by informing the driver with the help of Driver Console App integrated with the school bus tracking system. This can reduce fuel consumption.

10. Reduce Wind Resistance: Don’t keep bags on the top of the bus instead keep all the bags inside the school bus. Keeping on the top can reduce the fuel efficiency by creating resistance to the wind flow. So, avoiding this can save a huge amount of fuel consumption.

11. Be ready in Advance for the Morning Trip: Before stopping the bus after the trip, do the necessary things required for the next trip. So that you don’t have to do a lot of planning before starting the trip with a cold engine as it can have lot of fuel consumption.

12. Lessen the Time Spend on Road: If possible set up a carpool system with co-workers. Limit the amount of unwanted trips as if you want to go nearby place then prefer walking. This can reduce unwanted fuel consumption.

13. No Personal Use: If you are school bus driver, then use the school bus for school purposes only not for your personal use. Avoiding personal use can also reduce fuel consumption and thus your bus can be fuel efficient school bus.

14. Lessen the Number of Bus Used: Operating more number of buses require more fuel and maintenance as compared to other vehicles.

By lessening the number of buses used can reduce a considerable amount of fuel consumption and its cost. This can be done through effective planning.

15. Try Different Fuels: Trying out different fuels is also a way to save money as some fuels are proficient but some are less expensive.

5 Questions Adopters Have About GPS Tracking

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Tracking school buses have never been this easy. What once was a complicated task can now easily be a part of your daily routine. A lot of people concerned about safety, security and real-time information are opting to use GPS trackers. Be it for school bus fleet management or some other tracking purpose for your SME, an efficient and dependable school bus tracking system is the answer to a lot of your problems.

In spite of all the advantages that one gets, questions still arise about the applicability of such technology on a large scale. GPS tracking systems are not 100% fool proof, but it sure can help with some of the problems that currently exist in the transportation industry. From saving fuel and reducing maintenance to from keeping your buses safe and helping in easy documentation, GPS trackers can help you move forward with your business with minimum trouble.

Though there are numerous queries about this technology, the most frequently asked by adopters are the ones mentioned below:

1. Will it cost me a lot?

This is one of the most commonly asked and most easily answerable questions. The cost of GPS tracking systems has been considerably reduced from what it used to be when it first came into the limelight. With the advancement in technologies such as microchips and integrated circuits, the GPS systems, which were once of the military grade has now become available to the public.

Installation of a GPS system is especially useful in the long run. It could be useful, especially when it comes to fuel and maintenance. A vehicle installed with a dependable GPS tracking system can have its routes optimized. Optimization reduces the travelling distance as well as time. This helps in fuel and maintenance reduction. Moreover, drivers can be alerted about potential traffic blocks in an area, hence allowing them to take alternate routes. Thereby the system helps save precious time. So, a GPS system helps save not only money, but also time.

2. How often will I get updates?

                        A GPS tracker works on the principle of global positioning. It has around 27 satellites transmitting data 24/7. Hence the time between an event occurring and knowing about it, is practically zero. This real-time data transmitting system keeps you updated regularly. In some systems, provisions are given to the user to send messages to the device in order to get the latest updates. The asset’s location, speed, height and various other aspects can be known in real-time.

3. Will climatic changes affect GPS tracking?

A GPS tracker is a satellite based system and is capable of working under most weather conditions. The principle behind the working of a GPS tracker satellite is line of sight. For receiving the accurate position of an asset the device must be in line or visible to 3 or more satellites simultaneously. This can be a serious issue when it comes to heavy cloud cover, as this line of sight is broken. This could mount to error in detection and triangulation of the assets location.

Error can also be caused by non-weather conditions such as a vehicle moving in a city with tall buildings or near a forest area with tall trees, which could obstruct the line of site. Despite this there is no alternative method of tracking assets that could equally match the capabilities of a GPS tracker.

4. How will I know if something went wrong?

                        GPS tracking systems are the proposed solution to avoid the involvement of school buses in rising road accidents. When an unchartered event takes place during a bus trip, the GPS device installed in the school bus sends a message to the concerned person. The message could be in the form of an SMS or GPRS. Some GPS companies also have school bus tracking apps, which alerts parents and schools if something out of the ordinary happens. The abnormal events could be the school bus taking a wrong route or unnecessary engine idling or even unscheduled stops.

5. Does this mean I have to sit in front of a computer all day?

This is another question that is frequently asked and the answer to it is, “No”. While in the case of most GPS tracking systems, you have to sit in front of a computer all day, a user friendly GPS system does all your work for you. Detection of abnormal events and notification is done as it occurs. With an efficient school bus tracking app installed in your hand-held portable device, you can keep an eye out for the assets on the go. You don’t have to be in an office room in front of your desktop or laptop. You could be in a bus holding a smart-phone or some other easy to carry device.

As said before, this is not a 100% perfect system. It comes with its shortcomings and glitches. But when it comes to tracking valuable assets, a GPS tracking system is one of the most efficient, dependable and easy to use device till date.

GPS to Be Made Mandatory in Cabs on Indian City Roads

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Another city in India goes the GPS way!

The district police of Sangam City, Allahabad, India has made GPS mandatory for all cabs in the city. This decision was made in the wake of the recent Delhi case, where a woman was raped by a cab driver.

Sangam city is an important tourist spot, where the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet. Therefore, lots of pilgrims and tourists flock to the city every year. There are about 700-800 cabs in the city and the official have asked all cab and taxi owners to get GPS fitted for safety and security reasons.

Haryana is another city that went the GPS way recently, where the Haryana Police has made it mandatory for safe commute of passengers, especially women.

Available at a cost of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 6,000, GPS connects the cab owners to the vehicle via mobile phones and enables them to locate the cabs. This can be of great help at times of emergency or vehicle theft.

It’s just not for cabs that GPS has been made mandatory. Many cities in India have made GPS mandatory in public transport buses and school buses as well. It was months ago that CBSE had made it mandatory that all school buses must be fitted with GPS trackers. There are many software and apps such as the School Bus Tracker App by Edsys available in the market that the schools can use to ensure safety of students.

People seems to be divided about this move. It might be due to misconceptions about GPS technology in general or there might be shortcomings.

So, do you think the move to make GPS mandatory a positive one? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

How to Prevent School Bus Danger Zone Casualties

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Educating children is a tough task, but ensuring their safety is even more so. There had been numerous incidents where students were found locked up in school vans or knocked down by vehicles while waiting for school bus at bus stops. Certain zones are prominent in causing a lot of student fatalities. These has been categorised as danger zones.

In fact, over the past 8 years, there have been 92 school bus danger zone fatalities reported; an average of 12 casualties every year! While analysing the causes of these casualties, many factors were identified.

37 casualties were caused due to accident by passing vehicle. 24 casualties happened while students were in front of the school bus. 12 casualties happened because the students were standing too close to the side of the bus and the rest 10 casualties happened when the students ran after the bus.

The damages that happened due to these causalities may be irreparable but many measures can be taken from such incidents repeating. Some of them are listed below:

Accident by passing vehicle

Students trying to cross roads dangerously are a common sight in bus stops near schools. You can’t say that the student should not cross the read since it may be a necessity but you can train the students to cross the road in a proper manner. Also, the school bus driver can gesture if it is safe to cross. But the students should check for themselves once again to avoid any accidents.

The students should stay by the edge of the pavement and check left and right for vehicles coming and then, cross the road.

But, students crossing roads carelessly is not the only reason. There can be other reasons such as:

  1. Ignorance by drivers, especially the ones who have been driving for years but are not up to date with the law
  2. The driver being distracted
  3. Some drivers do it deliberately. They can see the stopped bus, are aware of the laws and know that kids may be around but don’t bother to slow down but drive past the bus, instead

This can be solved by educating the people occasionally about the laws and ask them to pay attention when they see a school bus

Straying on to school buses’ path or staying too close to the side of the school bus

At times, carelessness can cause casualties within the school vicinity itself. The front end and the sides are in particular termed as danger zones. Schools can help avoid such accidents by employing some simple measures.

  1. Make crossing gates mandatory in schools to prevent students straying on to the path of school buses. In schools around the world, the number of such fatalities has been reduced when crossing gates were introduced.
  2. Ask students not to be near the side of the school bus and that they should be at least 6 steps away from the bus
  3. Make it mandatory for drivers to count the number of students and check the mirrors to ensure the safety of students

Running after the school bus

This is a very dangerous practice and is often seen at most bus stops. Usually it is the teenage students who are bound to do this. It can be prevented in two ways:

  • Asking the students not to run behind the school bus and educating them about the consequences
  • Instructing the drivers to stop the bus in case students run behind and bang on the bus. Drivers should take such students to the school principal as soon as they reach the school

In short,

there are five things that can be done to cut down the number of school bus danger zone casualties:

  1. Train the drivers
  2. Educate the students about the school bus practices and the consequences if they are not followed
  3. Parents and school must communicate with each other about safe school bus practices
  4. Educate the public
  5. Make crossing gates mandatory in schools

Apart from all these, an extra step that can be taken using a school bus monitoring system to track students. The RFID school bus tracking system requires students to swipe their RFID tags in the school bus as soon as they enter. This can help you identify if a child has entered the bus or whether he/she is somewhere near the bus.

Well, who is supposed to teach about the safe school bus practices?

It isn’t the responsibility of a single person, but that of each and every support staff at all schools. And, educating children is not enough. You should also ensure that what has been taught is rightly followed as well.

 

How Does GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems Work?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

GPS were initially used for military purposes by the US Department of Defense. But nowadays its commercialization has opened up a new window of opportunities in the field of safety and security. Everyone with a hand held mobile device can be powered with a GPS tracking app. This has made it possible to track assets on the move. Together with an embedded RFID card (with the asset), ensuring safety and security has become easier and economical. It is this cost effectiveness and the ease of use that has made GPS tracking systems widely accepted.

What is GPS?

Before understanding how a GPS tracking system works, let’s find out what is GPS. GPS or Global positioning systems is a satellite based technology that helps to track precise location of vehicles, person or other assets and also to provide data at regular intervals. A GPS tracking system can collect data in the asset’s environment and relay the same to a remote server, where the data can be further analyzed. GPS coupled with an RFID tag can be very useful. An RFID uses radio frequency of short range to relay data.

Now, let’s see how it works.

            As mentioned before, GPS is a satellite based technology which uses a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network. It uses a microwave signal which is sent to the GPS device. It gives provision for both real-time and historical data recording. This is made possible by the 27 GPS satellites orbiting the earth, in a time span of 12 hours. Of these 27 satellites 24 are currently operational and the rest 3 are reserved for when the others fail.

The device carrying a GPS system comprises of a GPS module which receives the signals and is also responsible for calculating the co-ordinates. Based on function, GPS trackers can be of three types – Data logger, Data pusher or Data puller.

Data logger: It is basically used to log the position of a device at regular intervals. It uses an internal memory to store data.  It also comes with a memory card slot or internal flash memory and USB ports. The data from the device can only be moved to a computer for further analysis once data recording is complete as it can only be used for logging purposes.

Data Pusher:The GPS system which schools and fleet companies use these days belongs to the category of data pushers. Besides this, it can also be used for asset tracking and personal tracking. A data pusher records data like speed, altitude etc. and pushes them to a server where the further analysis of these data can be done.

When used for tracking school buses, text messages are sent to a mobile phone that has a GPS tracking app installed, in the event of school bus arrival or the student boarding the bus, via SMS or GPRS. It can also transmit location and telemetry input data or when an event takes place like a door open/close or geo-fence border crossing or engine ON/OFF.

Data puller: In this a remote system sends an SMS to get information from a GPS device. It is similar to a data pusher but the difference is that the data from the GPS system is sent only when it is requested by the remote server. It requires internet and GPSD only occasionally. These systems are used in situations where a constant source of energy is unavailable.

Why use GPS?

  • Not only does it allow data recording and transmission, but it does this in real-time. It is highly accurate and gives a precise location of your assets.
  • Buses follow pre-defined optimized routes set by school authorities, which reduces fuel consumption and also travel time. Hence, it is becoming more popular with schools and fleet companies.
  • It has helped to reduce pollution since the buses take the shortest routes possible and are well maintained.
  • Helps to monitor the school bus driver’s driving pattern.

RFID is another technology, which along with GPS improves asset or personal tracking. The radio frequency it sends out can be used to transmit information using the GPS system. Student ID cards using RFID’s embedded on them can be used while entering or exiting buses. The information thus generated can be sent to parents via a GPS connection therefore informing the parents whether the student has boarded the bus or not.

7 Reasons School Bus Drivers Play a Vital Role in Student Safety

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

When it comes to school kids, everyone believes parents, teachers or his/her friends to be people who play the prime role in their lives. Seldom are the school bus drivers given credit for the work that they do. Being a guide for students from home to school and back was the duty of a bus driver of the past. His role has changed over the years and he is now one of the most important entities in a student’s life. A GPS tracking system along with a well trained driver has proved to be useful in more than one occasion.

 Just How Important is the Bus Driver?

  1. Drivers act as the link between school authority and the students outside of the school campus via the GPS tracker app. A driver helps to record and inform on students behavior on the bus. This way the school’s reputation is kept intact as the school is able to take disciplinary actions. With the help of a GPS school bus tracking system, he can do this in real-time.
  2. Drivers are the first line of defense against the smuggling of unwanted materials into the campus by the students. Drivers also act as security for students outside of the campus. While using a bus, the student’s life depends on how the driver conducts himself while driving.
  3. Drivers could provide orientation to new students. A driver can explain to students about the procedures and mode of operations of a school, thereby giving them prior idea of how the school functions.
  4. Drivers are the school’s eyes on the road. Hence they can notify the school authority about traffic blocks and other issue with the use of an effective school bus tracking system. This could help the schools to alert other bus accordingly to stay away from the informed routes.
  5. In some cases, drivers may know more about a student than the teachers. Teachers may teach a student for a few classes but a bus driver may have driven the same student for years through the same route.
  6. A driver’s network runs deeply through a society so his conduct is important as it reflects the values and virtues of the school administration in the public.
  7. A student first meets the driver in a day. So the driver is responsible for imparting positive atmosphere to the student so that his day begins on a positive note.

It is clear that a school bus driver has several duties entitled to him/her. Moreover the schools must also provide the driver with adequate training in order to handle different situations that he may have to face when on duty.

What Training Can Schools Give to Improve Driver’s Capabilities?

  • School vehicle drivers must be given training to manage the students on board the bus. Without the supervision of a teacher, or some other school authority, the children may misbehave. Hence such training will help the drivers become self-sufficient.
  • Drivers should be given an annual driving test to know if they are up to the mark. Moreover he must also be given a monthly psychological evaluation to ensure he is of a sound mind and is stress free. Regular health examinations are also a must. A driver of sound mind and body can ensure better student safety.
  • A driver must be trained to handle students of different age groups. Every student belonging to a different age group has different needs. A driver must be capable of realizing this and must act accordingly.
  • He should also be given special training to take care of disabled students, if the situation arises.
  • A driver should also be capable of handling hazardous situations like accidents, fire and so on, as his quick responses could turn out to be a life saver.

In the present scenario, where a lot of questions are frequently posed to student safety, the driver can play a pivotal role in helping the parents and teachers to take care of their wards.