Month: May 2015

6 Simple Ways to Reduce Fleet Costs

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

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.

How will Reports Help You in Fleet Management?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus tracking is an important element in school bus fleet management. You can use School Bus Tracker software to do that. But, if you thought school bus tracking is just about tracking the location of a school bus, you are wrong.

By tracking your school bus fleet, you mean to monitor every aspect of a school bus. You look into areas where costs can be cut down, benefitting the school. Also, you can look into the performance of your school bus drivers and do much more. To do that effectively, you need the help of reports that can be generated using the software. The reports give a clear idea of where fuel consumption is high or where the school bus driver has taken a different route.

The reports generated, can be of great benefit to your school bus fleet as well as to you.

Lessen manual efforts

Imagine having to note down each and every aspect of school bus fleet management. Your calculations can go wrong. Also, you will have to maintain lots of records like fuel receipts, service logs, odometer reading etc. Generating reports using School Bus Tracker software can lessen manual efforts. You get all the information from a single source. Also, you don’t have to panic to find information at time of need. You can access the information whenever you want.

Improve productivity

The School Bus Tracker software can be used to continuously monitor the performance of drivers. Reports on over speeding, unscheduled bus stops etc. can be generated using the software. These reports can be used to analyse the performance of school bus drivers. You can look into their low performance areas and take measures to improve the productivity of drivers. Also, when the drivers are aware that they are being watched, they will try to perform better.

Better preventive maintenance

With School Bus Tracker software, you can get reports on fuel consumption, which includes mileage updates. This can give you an idea of the preventive maintenance that has to be done to prevent costly breakdowns later. A vehicle that doesn’t miss preventive maintenance has better fuel efficiency and runs more efficiently.

Reduce fuel theft

You don’t have to put in any manual efforts to track down fuel theft. The reports generated using the software show details of fuel transactions. If a vehicle filled a tank beyond its capacity, it will be notified in the reports. Also, when the employees are aware that the fuel consumption is being tracked, fuel theft can be eliminated.

Cut down costs

Using the reports, you can find out the areas where there you can reduce costs. By effective routing and planning, you can cut down labour costs and fuel consumption. . This is going to benefit the schools budget.

Reports that are generated must be understood by everyone. For that, you must use good software such as the School Bus Tracker. You can get ample and clear information regarding your school bus fleet using the software. This is going to help you in effective fleet management.

 

Ways to Improve Fleet Driver Performance

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

A school bus driver is an important asset for a school. However, some of the practices they follow can cost the school a huge amount. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the performance of school bus drivers. This can help in cutting down costs, in terms of labour, fuel and maintenance. It can also help in ensuring school bus safety.

Initially, they may refuse to change. But, you can try these tips to improve your school bus drivers’ performance:

Motivate

Being appreciated can boost anyone’s confidence. Also, it will encourage them to strive harder. Appreciate the school bus drivers for their good performances, in terms of driving style, safety measures they take etc. Also, criticize in a positive tone whenever required.

Give feedback

It should be mutual. You can provide feedback to the drivers about their performances. You can engage all drivers while providing feedback and compare their performances in a positive manner. This can instil healthy competition among the drivers. Also, lend an ear to what they have to say. Listen and take necessary actions if they complain about student behaviour problems or any other issues.

Track their performance

Use School Bus Tracker software to track the performance of school bus drivers. You will get all information about their performance, good or bad, using the software. When the drivers are aware that they are being watched, they are less likely to be careless.

Reward them

Acknowledge the school bus drivers for their good performance. Provide them occasional incentives for anything good they do. It includes taking safety measures, reducing fuel consumption etc.  You can use School Bus Tracker software to track the performance of the drivers. Reports on fuel consumption, distance travelled, unscheduled stops etc. can be generated using the software. Also, provide them with free lunch on days when they have to stay in schools on days of school trips or the sort.

Seminars

Hold seminars or classes occasionally for the school bus drivers to let them know how a good gesture from their side can be beneficiary.  Talk to them about how that can alter their performance to improve fuel efficiency and lessen maintenance costs. Inform them about the policy changes happening in the school, if any, and how it can positively benefit them. Also, give them the opportunity to clarify their doubts and to clear misunderstandings.

School bus driving is one of those jobs where their efforts are not recognized. Rewarding the school bus drivers occasionally with few bonuses or incentives is going to improve their performance. You will get a safe driver rather than huge bills of damages and fatalities due to careless driving. Also, your school transportation services will be improved in the process.

Enable Tension Free Travel with Smart Luggage

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

The combined effort of Samsung and Samsonite resulted in a new invention, satellite-tracked suitcases known as “smart luggage”.

The travellers will be alerted about the location of the luggage with GPS to the owner’s mobile phone. It’s easy to locate when the luggage is unloaded from an aircraft or about to appear on the carousel, reported Verge.

Capability of smart luggage is more than just giving its location to the traveller, stated Samsonite chief executive Ramesh Tainwala

According to reports smart luggage is believed to have the ability to send out alerts when it is opened or when the owner moves more than a few meters away from it.

The goal is to create smart bags that don’t need to be checked at airports. The chip inside the luggage will automatically communicate with the airlines, informing about its weight as well as destination.

10 Quick Tips to Manage Your Fleet More Efficiently

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Fleet management is not at all an easy task. However, a few right steps by the fleet managers can give big results. While managing a school bus fleet, you have to look into all aspects of it like school bus safety, cost management, driver accountability, etc.

School bus tracking software can help you out in this. It takes just a few smart strategies to manage your school bus fleet efficiently.

Here are certain quick tips for you to manage your fleet efficiently:

1. Technology

You can make use of technology to lessen your efforts. School Bus Tracking software can help in managing fleets efficiently by analysing fuel consumption, reducing costs in terms of fuel and labour, and in ensuring school bus safety.

2. Enhance Productivity

Inefficient planning of school bus routes and poor performance by drivers can increase fuel consumption and can be a threat to school bus safety. If buses do not reach destinations in time, the school’s reputation will suffer. School bus fleet tracking allows fleet managers to track school bus fleet and improve routing and planning.

This can help them to keep track of the school bus drivers’ performance and help improve the drivers’ productivity. It allows drivers to manage their time and reach places without delay.

3. Remind Drivers of their Responsibility

School bus drivers are an important part of a school. However, at times, they can cause problems that can affect the reputation of their school. Therefore, it is necessary to make the drivers aware of their responsibilities.

Using a School Bus Tracking Software can help you track the performance of the school bus drivers. When they know that they are being watched, there are chances that the drivers would be ready to take up responsibilities.

You can thus eliminate problems like unnecessary fuel consumption, inappropriate vehicle use etc. Better driving habits will result in lesser accidents, moving violations and vehicle wear and tear. Also, you can guarantee enhanced school bus safety.

4. Maintain School Bus Fleet on Time

When a school bus breaks down, it takes days to repair it. It can cost the school lots of money and time. Also, you have to substitute another bus on the same route. This can cause delay in the school bus reaching the destined stops in time.

Here, you can use School Bus Tracking Software to monitor the school bus fleet and to schedule the maintenance. Maintenance at the right time can help you avoid unwanted costly breakdowns.

Also, buy and store vehicle parts in advance. It will be helpful during times of unplanned repair.

5. Meet Expectations

It is not easy for a school to maintain its reputation. Every aspect of the school has to be taken care of, to meet people’s expectation. You can integrate technology into school bus fleet management to make things easier and accurate.

For example, you can use a School Bus Tracking Software to track the location of the school bus and performance of the drivers. Thus, you can avoid any kind of anomalies and ensure the safety of students. Also, you can cut-down costs of school in terms of fuel and labour.

6. Fuel Card

You can negotiate in terms of money by directly contacting with a fuel card provider. This will reduce the fuel consumption cost to a larger extent. This also plays a major role in better fleet management.

7. Go Paperless

Reports, permission slips, route maps, student detail were once used to do manually. But luckily, now all these can be stored in the cloud. By doing this, you can easily find the details if needed in the future. This will help you in managing your fleets efficiently as having easy and quick access to details saves time always.

8. Parent’s Satisfaction

Usually parents want the school transport to be safe, comfortable and punctual. But unpredicted traffic in the route can cause delay to reach the assigned bus stops on scheduled time.

This issue can come to an end with school bus tracking system as this system is integrated with parent app with which parents can track real-time location of their kid’s school bus.

9. Lessen Idle Time

Unnecessary idling can waste fuel and increases fleet maintenance costs. There are many things which help to reduce idle time such as turning off the engines when the vehicles are not in motion, obeying anti-idling rules, etc. Reduce the idle time can help you in maintaining the fleet efficiently. 

10. Secure your Fleet Drivers

Positive driving habits can improve safety of the fleet driver. Now you can monitor driver behaviour including issues such as hard braking, over speeding etc with the fleet manager app integrated with school bus tracking system.

With this you can reduce fuel costs and can also reduce the risk of accidents resulting in a better fleet management.

Effective fleet management can help you cut down the extra costs. Lower costs can help in improving the revenue which you can invest in other areas of the school.

The Role of Software in Preventive Maintenance of Your School Bus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Vehicle parts undergo constant stress. The list of problems related to it include over idling, faulty parts, mistreatment, rough braking etc. Therefore, it is important to have the vehicles maintained and inspected on a regular basis. Every organization, be it a school or a company would want to do the maintenance efficiently. However, when you deal with a school bus fleet, managing the maintenance schedule is not going to be easy. If you skip a day’s maintenance, you may be challenging school bus safety.

Fleet managers can manage maintenance schedule with the help of fleet management software. The money you spend on implementing software is very less compared to the cost of a vehicle break down, in terms of benefits.

How fleet management software can make things easy

You can’t always keep track of the routine maintenance schedule manually. Also, you can mess up with the dates especially if it is a busy day. However, a fleet management software can make things lot easier.

With the software, you can set schedules ahead of time when each school bus has to be maintained. Once you set that, your task is done! When it’s time for maintenance, you will be notified in the upcoming schedule list. Also, mails will be sent automatically to the school bus drivers. These e-mails can be easily converted into a work order once the school bus is in the workshop.

You can also manage your school bus fleet maintenance on time by having parts for services and repairs stocked in advance. You will not have to rush and panic at the time of the maintenance if you have all the parts ordered in advance. Also, you will have all the parts handy in case of unexpected repairs. You don’t have to wait for the vehicle parts to come in to start the repairs. This can help save money as well as time. You can monitor the parts and usage with your regular maintenance.

Once the school buses are placed in the workshop, there are lots of things to be checked and tracked. You will have to check the engine, oil, ball joints, tires, lights etc. You will have to keep all the information updated and have them maintained on a regular basis for long life of the vehicle. Also, regular maintenance can help you keep check of problems so that they won’t be a trouble in future.

You can’t afford to delay the maintenance of your school buses. This can affect the reputation of the school and no school would want to ruin their reputation. If you don’t keep your maintenance schedule, it will lead to panic and havoc at the last moment. Preventive maintenance is the best way to deal with last minute chaos. With fleet management software, school bus maintenance can be planned, performed and tracked efficiently within a short period of time.

How to Identify High-Risk Drivers

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

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.

How to Handle Emergencies? Tips for School Bus Drivers

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Emergency Handling especially in case of kids is the top most priority for everyone. In case of school buses, the schools should train the drivers and helpers to act first and thus enhance the safety of kids.

While all the school bus must be equipped with a first aid box, the drivers should also be trained for handling emergencies and enabling school bus safety.

Here are few tips for it-

1. Training in First Aid – The drivers in the school bus are mostly in talks with the passengers. Most of them know the personal history of children. Giving them basic training on how to handle emergency in case of any issue how to provide first aid can really help. This might prove life-saving. This training can help them know when to evacuate the bus or even avoid situation improving school bus safety.

The drivers must also have all the emergency contact numbers with them.

2. Awareness – It is important to know where and when to vacate the school bus. While driving on a busy road, or on a blind curve, it is better to get the bus evacuated. Schools must provide guidelines and procedures on how to do it.

When shall the evacuation happen-?

1. Fire – In case of fire, smoke and poisonous gases will spread very fast.

2. Fuel Leakage – In case there is a leakage in fuel pipe, this may ignite fire and hence very dangerous.

A driver must be aware from where to make the exit. For instance, in case of the above examples the exit must be from the farthest point from the place of occurrence.

Suppose the air pressurized doors and windows get jammed due to a threat, the driver must ensure that there is no panicky and should be able to help the students till the emergency help arrives. The driver should be the best person to take a call in case of situations apart from mentioned above about the safety of the passengers.

3. Student Information – There should be a list of students containing information about the name, address, emergency contact number, a detailed physical description of the student. This may help to identify the students who are unconscious during the state of emergency.the name list should be placed near to the driver's seat so that emergency responders can fast account for the passengers.

4. GPS Tracker – Apart from driver's training it is also important that the bus must contain GPS tracking system which is accessible not only to the school but also to the students' guardians. The school bus tracker app can prove of great help.

Schools are advised to arrange for an interpreter in case there are language difference in students and

What Schools can do to ensure school bus safety-

1. Formulate protocols and guidelines for interviewing the new driver

2. Giving safety awareness, comprehensive training, and emergency handling drills to the drivers

3. Enabling a GPS tracking system in the bus. This can help schools to get the complete information about the position of the school bus.

4. Developing a GPS tracking app for the parents. With this App the parents can track the position of the bus, driver details, vehicle details, time for arrival at destination etc.

5. Conducting assessments for security and safety for the associated transport facilities.

6. Maintaining a database for all the students using school bus and transport with complete details of emergency contact numbers.

7. Having a first aid kit in the bus and giving training to the driver on its use

8. Having Emergency help on a call facility for all the school bus.

9. Arranging for clear communication between parents and the drivers. Also, schools should furnish the driver contact details to the parents.

These and other practices can help school bus drivers and school transportation staff become better prepared for safer travel.