Month: September 2018

​School Bus Software: Buyer’s Guide

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Tight schedules and busy work hours force most parents to depend on school buses for the transportation of their kids to and from schools. Unfortunately, safety concerns arise due to various reasons, including difficulties involved in managing a large fleet of school buses.

Schools that make use of well-designed school bus management software, integrating technologies such as RFID and GPS, can provide a great deal of relief to parents. The aim of this post is to develop a buyer's guide so that it becomes easy for school authorities to choose the right school bus software.

The school bus software helps school authorities to monitor as well as manage students, vehicles, and drivers to ensure on-time arrivals by travelling through the most efficient and safest routes to the school.

The software suite will also provide the school with all the tools required to manage the operation of the school bus fleet in the best possible manner. The software helps to:

  • Minimize/Eliminate Route Hazards
  • Guarantee On-time Student Arrivals
  • Simplify Scheduling of Drivers
  • Provide Information about School Buses in Real-time
  • Ensure On-time Fleet Maintenance

Components of School Bus Software

The school bus software programme that you are planning to buy must have at least the following key modules:

1. Field Trip Planner

This module should be an end-to-end system for managing field trips. It should be capable of handling all aspects right from approvals to raising bills and invoices.

The right software would reduce the amount of paperwork required for conducting field trips, speed up the field trip approval and payment processes, and eliminate booking conflicts.

Key features to look for include the following:

Automation of Field Trip Approval – This involves automation of both field trip requests and approvals through email alerts.

Centralized Control of Field Trip Data – The software should be capable of estimating trip costs, verifying the availability of vehicle and driver, allocating buses, and recording trip mileage and driver hours from a central location.

Generation of Invoices and Payroll – It enables you to quickly and easily generate school invoices and payroll statements of drivers.

Tracking and Reporting Trip Details – The software should have the ability to keep track of hours logged by drivers, driver schedules, trip mileage, and expenses.

2: Driver Deployment

The aim of this module is to manage driver deployment by effectively communicating with driver regarding their assignments and schedules.

The staff in charge of transportation management should be able to enter the time off periods for drivers, track absenteeism due to sickness, and view work assignments online from anywhere. In addition, this software module should enable a calendar-based view with respect to driver availability.

This module must have these features:

Web-based Management of Deployment – Web-based monitoring and scheduling systems help you to manage driver deployment with ease anytime and anywhere.

Efficient and Effective Driver Scheduling – Driver deployment becomes more effective and efficient as you will be able to view the routes, driver status, field trips, and availability of buses on a daily basis so that it becomes easy to do driver scheduling and communicate to the entire team about the changes made in real-time.

Calendar-based View – The school bus software that you are planning to buy must offer a calendar-based view to provide you with the complete picture of the scheduled activities. It is better if it also offers filtration of data on driver, activity, and day, individually and in any combination.

3. Routing and Scheduling

The routing and scheduling module of the school bus software makes fleet management easy and less time-consuming.

It also serves to optimize routes and track students and buses. If it is a web-based solution, it enables a real-time map view without the need to install any software on the computer.

When dealing with many vendors, integration can be challenging. However, the best software will ensure student safety as it integrates routing, vehicle and student tracking, and video surveillance on one system. In addition, it should carry out route comparison to identify the best and safe route.

4. Fleet Maintenance

The school bus fleet maintenance module has a key role to play in terms of ensuring serviceability of the vehicles and cost reduction. Its inventory management system should be capable of helping you in identifying opportunities for parts and labour savings and improving the efficiency of operation and vehicle maintenance.

The benefits offered by the fleet maintenance module include a reduction in vehicle downtime, simplifying job assignments, and lowering fleet maintenance costs.

This module must include the following features:

  • Automation of vehicle maintenance scheduling including the creation of work orders, scheduling technician’s time, generation of preventative maintenance schedules, and receiving automated notifications on completion of work.
  • Must enable you to view maintenance history of each vehicle so that you can track increases in expenses due to negligence and analyse labour cost, and plan parts purchases and future maintenance schedules.
  • Whether it reflects parts inventory accurately so that maintenance cost can be worked out correctly and stocks replenished on time.
  • Whether it contributes to improving the maintenance efficiency by generating reports on work orders, technician’s time, usage of parts, and provide invoice summary to identify labour savings.

5. School Bus Portal

It is a good idea if a School Bus Portal is included as part of the software so that parents can sign up and get bus arrival notifications in real time.

The application must be fully integrated with the routing module to deliver information about the arrival of the school bus to parents via push SMS or notification. The portal provides plenty of benefits to both school administrators and parents.

Seven Factors to Be Considered While Planning to Buy School Bus Software

Selecting school bus software is a challenging task especially because many options are available in the market. It is, therefore, important to develop a comprehensive strategy for selecting the right software and provider. School administrators can consider the following factors when assessing various software and providers:

Why software is needed

The school bus software helps to overcome what is lacking in the current system in terms of efficiency and operational convenience. It improves communication, response time, and route scheduling efficiency.

Trustworthiness of the vendor

It is important to ensure that the vendor you want to work with is reliable, credible, and respected for their integrity. It is not worth getting stuck with a vendor that doesn’t serve your best interest.

You must do some background checks to have a clear understanding as to how long the vendor has been in business and how many customers does the vendor have.

Reliability

Apart from trustworthiness, the reliability of the vendor’s product should also be ascertained. Reading through testimonials and reviews will be helpful in this regard.

Implementation

The key aspect to be considered in this respect is whether the vendor offers a comprehensive implementation process that eliminates unnecessary points. Typically, the implementation process is offered for an additional payment. However, it might be worth  to ensure a smooth transition to the new software.

Support

Make sure that the vendor provides support and service after sale if required, even if an additional payment is required for the purpose.

Pricing

It is important to consider the pricing, but the price is not everything. You should look at the value addition it can provide.

Return on investment

Once the offerings of each vendor and price are clearly worked out, the next step is to determine as to which vendor will be able to provide the most cost-effective solution that will effectively improve the school bus fleet operational efficiency the most. Prior to making the final decision, it is important to consider the return on investment.

School bus software is designed in such a way that it helps to ensure the safety of the children and can also helpful in providing cost benefits in the long run.

 

Roles and Responsibilities of School Bus Inspectors and Technicians

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School bus is the safest mode of transportation for students to and from schools. As a result of this, for many years, most of the parents are opting school bus for the transportation of their children.

But there are certain key people those who made it the safest means of transportation for students. Two key people among them are school bus technicians and inspectors as their roles and responsibilities play a major role in student safety in the school bus.

Considering this, we are describing below the roles and responsibilities of school bus technicians and inspectors which can help you know about them in deep.
 

School Bus Inspector
 

The school bus inspector ensures that the bus conforms to all the safety rules of the government of the region. The inspector conducts both schedules as well as unscheduled inspections in order that the bus stops, school children and the buses are all operating within the stipulated rules and regulations that are laid down for the purpose.

The Inspector serves as the liaising point among the drivers of the school bus, the teachers and other personnel, technicians and the public. The inspector is allowed a reasonable amount of independent judgment under the guidelines laid down by the Superintendent of Education.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Conduct visits to the different bus stops to monitor the loading and unloading of the schoolchildren into the bus.
  • Conduct visits to the drop off points and bus stops to ensure that premises, personnel and children follow all the laid down guidelines and rules.
  • Conduct inspections of the motor vehicles and school buses as required according to schedules.
  • Document the deficiencies and non-compliance so as to inform the relevant department personnel for appropriate enquiry/investigation/action.
  • Receive complaints related to the buses or the bus stops, conduct relevant investigations and prepare relevant reports for the same; take corrective action within the scope of responsibilities that are assigned.
  • Coordinate and train all children on bus safety procedures.
  • Conduct safety check on the bus stop to ensure that distances from curbs and intersections are maintained and report findings to appropriate authorities.
  • Check files and records for maintenance according to rules.
  • Review and analyse the competency of bus drivers and other supervisory personnel.
  • Gather, organize, collate data and prepare relevant reports.
  • Compile and maintain records and statistics pertaining to school bus inspections.
  • Develop, coordinate, schedule and conduct on-the-job training for different personnel such as drivers, supervisory staff and technicians.
  • Serve as an expert and provide guidance to all other personnel related to school buses and their safety.

Knowledge and Skills Required

  • Departmental statutory procedures, rules, regulations pertaining to school bus inspections.
  • Federal and local school bus traffic safety codes.
  • Safety precautions and occupational hazards related to school buses and other vehicles
  • Methods and practices of sourcing material and equipment required for the inspection of school buses.
  • Know the principles of supervision.
  • Communicate in English as well as in the local language with clarity.
  • Handle restricted information and maintain secrecy as required.
  • Interact with students, school bus staff, employees, parents, and public as and when required
  • Maintain effective working relationships with associates and the public.
  • Respond to relevant information.

Physical Demands of the Job

The school bus inspector has lot of works to perform during work times. So, he/she may be required to reach out with hands and arms. As far as vision capabilities are concerned, they should be able to read the fine print, read out from a PC monitor or a hard copy printout.

Finger dexterity is required to manipulate objects. Ability to drive is also necessary. Communication skills are also demanded.

This list is not exhaustive and may include other duties and responsibilities as per the directives of the Superintendent of the Department of Education
 

School Bus Technicians
 

School bus technicians’ work under and report to the school bus inspector, the transportation manager, the lead mechanic and the Executive Director of the school. They help to plan, schedule and conduct the repair of the school bus fleet.

They also help in the  maintenance and repair of cars, trucks and other motorized equipment within the school premises. In addition to ensuring the availability of vehicles in safe operating conditions, they also maintain written documentation to comply with governmental regulations.

Basic Qualifications Required

They should have at least 3 years of experience in repairing and servicing school buses/medium-sized trucks. They should have a good understanding of school bus repair.

They should have the ability to overhaul both diesel and petrol engines. They are also expected to have a basic knowledge of safety inspection procedures of a school bus according to the Registry of Motor Vehicles guidelines.

Roles and Responsibilities

•    Remove and reassemble different body parts and chassis components of the school bus; diagnose problems if any, clean and rebuild, inspect and reassemble the new/original parts and make necessary adjustments.

•    Diagnose potential malfunctions using computerized detection equipment for repairs and replacements.

•    Inspect, adjust, clean, repair, tighten, minor items such as reflectors, lights, bulbs and lenses.

•    Perform engine tune-ups.

•    Repair spring pins, leaf springs, shocks and kingpins.

•    Do regular maintenance of school bus.

•    Perform tire repairs; change lube oils and filters; replace broken mirrors.

•    Perform minor road service.

•    Perform changing and balancing of tires. They should ensure that the school bus operates on safe tires.

•    Respond to emergency situations that may arise during or after work hours.

•    Resolve immediate safety concerns.

•    Resolve emergency breakdowns.

•    Train mechanic helpers to learn correct and safe methods of repair and maintenance of school buses.

•    Perform snow removal during winter months.

•    Inspect vehicles and conduct necessary repairs prior to inspection by Registry of Motor Vehicle.

•    Maintain inventory of all parts and supplies related to the school buses.

The school bus technician may have to interact with the teachers at school and the parents of the children. They may also have to interact with the public from time to time. The technician is responsible for the utmost safety and well-being of the school students.

The school bus technician is expected to perform each of the roles in a responsible fashion.

Skills Required

The technician is expected to perform all technical tasks and also upgrade his/her skills with a change in technology and job conditions. Specific skills related to operating the machinery to maintain the school bus, planning and managing repair projects, and maintaining accurate records have to be in place.

Knowledge Required

The school bus technician is expected to have a basic knowledge of mathematics that will enable him /her to perform simple calculations.

They should be in a position to read and understand technical information related to the school bus and its repair/replacement. The technician should know the safety procedures and provisions of the statutory codes related to school buses and other vehicles.

Expected Abilities

Ability to gather, collate and classify relevant information related to equipment is an ability that is required for a school bus technician.  They should be able to work along with a diverse batch of individuals and also with groups.

Problem-solving skills will help the technician to select the best action plans. Mechanical aptitude, communication skills, working to meet deadlines and attention to detail are abilities that will help.

The school bus technician should be capable to work within a specified budget and utilize resources as per the requirement.

Physical Abilities

 During work hours, the school bus technician should be in a position to stand walk and talk as the situation demands him/her to do. He/ She should be able to crawl, crouch, kneel, or stoop. He/ She must be able to use their hands with dexterity to do the jobs. 

The school bus technician is expected to work in a reasonably noisy environment and as far as vision standards are concerned, possess clear peripheral vision as well as the close vision to be able to read the typewritten material.

This list is not exhaustive and may include other duties and responsibilities as per the directives of the Executive Director of the school.

 

How Electric School Buses Can Save Millions for School Districts

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Thanks to modern technology fueled by advancements in batteries, electric school buses have transformed into new-age school transportation options.

Poised to offer a plethora of advantages to all the school districts patronizing electric school buses, this blog sheds light on the monetary benefits by comparing the costs with their benefits.

Enlisting all the ways in which electric school buses can pave the way for long-term cost savings amounting to millions of dollars, here is a detailed cost-benefit analysis concerning these modernized means of school transportation.

  1. It Is All About The Charging Advantage

An electric school bus demands an initial investment of about $225,000. Notwithstanding the fact that this is indeed a huge amount that school districts have to make room for, they can, at the same time avail the advantage of charging these buses during nights.

Since the demand for electricity is low during nighttimes, school districts can potentially save a lot of money under the heads of maintenance and operational costs amounting to $12,000 for every electric school bus. Consider this saving for an entire fleet and the amount will reach millions of dollars.

  1. Software Solutions Can Come As Money-Saving Options

As most of the school districts normally battle with tight budgets, they were on the lookout for alternative means to save monies. This led to the use of state-of-the-art software solutions that could suggest the best possible school bus routes.

While helping school districts to come up with optimized school trips, electric school buses also prompted certain schools to tread the 4-day week instead of a 5-day week to bring down both utility and transportation costs.

The previous versions of electric school buses are also delivering cost-effectiveness coming from the implementation of traditional technologies. It is through this feature that local governments which are facing a tight cash crunch can register potential savings running into huge sums.

  1. Unleash the Power of Alternative Sources of Energy To Fund Other Requirements

School districts which are currently patronizing electric school buses are poised to employ alternative sources of energy that comes in the form of solar panels.

Through these cost-effective and environmental-friendly options, school districts can register some additional savings. These savings can thus be rerouted as investments into school repair funds, paying the salaries of teachers or even to upgrade schooling technologies.

  1. Vehicle-To-Grid Can Earn You Monetary Incentives

The cost-effectiveness of electric school buses comes to the fore when they are allowed to discharge their unused battery power into the electrical grid.

Tagged as the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, this is a novel option that can be availed by school districts. When electric school buses of school districts are permitted to empty their unused battery power into the electricity grid, they will get paid for such a service which run into millions of dollars.

  1. The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Electric and Diesel-Powered School Buses

You need to invest $110,000 in a diesel school bus while an electric school bus supporting the V2G technology comes with a $260,000 price tag. This price is inclusive of the 70 kW on-board charger that the electric school bus is meant to use.

When you add up all the costs that you need to incur to manage a fleet of diesel buses including the cost of diesel, you will notice that diesel buses are far more expensive when compared to electric buses.

School districts while battling the poisonous emissions of diesel buses are also expected to spend on medical facilities for the society.

On the flipside, all those electric buses supporting the V2G technology will have to meet the battery charging expenditure along with the initial investment.

And this one-time investment will eventually pave the way for profits coming from non-emission means of school transportation.

A report suggests that Chicago, one of the largest cities of US is tapping the low fuel and operational costs of electric school buses  to save a whopping $25,000 as annual fuel costs per bus.

Supporting the fact that electric school buses will start adding savings faster, a declaration coming from The American School Bus Council cites that a whopping $3.2 billion per annum is spent on diesel.

And with the replacement of diesel school buses with 1,000 electric buses, the US will register profits by not paying for 500 barrels of diesel every single day.

  1. The Metrics of Per-Seat Savings of Electric School Buses

Numbers suggests that an electric bus through its V2G technology will be able to save $6,070 per bus seat. Multiply these savings with the 14-year lifespan of an electric bus and you will arrive at a colossal amount of $230,000.

This is for one single electric bus and the number will exponentially increase once you consider a fleet of electric school buses. If you are speaking about the dollars that need to be spent on climatic changes and medical expenses, every electric school bus seat could lead to a savings of $5,700.

  1. The Future Is Bright for The Patronage of Electric School Buses

It is an important pointer to note that the total cost of maintaining a fleet of electric school buses for their entire lifespan is very less when compared to the diesel-powered school buses.

This positive, when teamed with the fall in battery costs, is all set to promote the sale of electric buses without any subsidy. This will lead to the scenario when an electric bus will become an economical means of school transportation when compared to diesel school buses by the mid-2020.

Research indicates that by 2030, batteries will account for a meager 8% of the total cost of an electric school bus which can be easily bought at an unsubsidized price.

And if battery costs fall further, the cost of acquiring an electric school bus will be on par with that of a diesel-powered school bus, by 2025. That means you can now have the cake and eat it too. An electric school bus which is environment-friendly is also made affordable to school districts.

  1. The Basic Engineering of an Electric School Bus Can Also Lead to Savings

Electric school bus parts are limited in number when compared to the numerous components that are fitted to a diesel-powered school bus. That means, for an electric bus to be set into motion, there will be fewer moving parts which need to be maintained and overhauled.

This limited number of parts which make up an electric school bus can become another strong reason for cost savings to school districts if you consider their maintenance costs with every passing academic year.

  1. Schools Can Capitalize on Federal Funding Schemes

You also need to keep in mind that most of the local transit authorities in the US are funded by schemes run by the federal government. In this situation, most of the school bus purchasers began scouting for external funds that could support their transportation costs.

That was when electric school buses came in as the low-cost alternatives for schools to benefit from federal funding. In the event that federal funding is stalled, school districts patronizing electric school buses stand to gain with the quick and steep drop in battery prices.

Conclusion

With so much being spoken about the advantages of electric school buses as an environment-friendly and cost-effective option, the above pointers bring about the affordability of these non-emission school buses.

School districts who operate with a sense of farsightedness can be at the receiving end of a number of monetary benefits that these electric school buses offer.

So it is time for schools in different parts of the globe to tread the path of cost-effectiveness and health-consciousness. And once these two objectives are met, you will be in a position to promote the growth of a healthy and tech-savvy society.

Guidelines for Transportation of Students with Special Needs

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

The school administration systems have to ensure that children with special needs are transported in a safe manner in the approved transportation of the school, which, in many cases, is the school bus.

The school transportation should be planned and organized in such a manner that it provides proper and adequate support to children with special needs.

This article puts down some guidelines that need to be followed for students with special needs.

It is to be noted that the staff has to be trained appropriately, aides and nurses have to be provided as per the requirement, there has to be a written emergency evacuation plan, and there should exist a detailed infection control package.

Students with Special Needs and Their Transportation

A student’s individual needs form the main consideration in deciding whether the student can use the same transportation provided to those students without disabilities. 

For children to receive special education services, it is important to have a transportation representative who would provide the following recommendations as regards the bus transportation facilities of the school:

  • The type of the vehicle that the student can ride
  • The length of the ride, pick-up and drop-off times
  • Temperature conditions during cold weather
  • An emergency communication system to be present in the bus if required
  • Training and skills to be provided to the driver and bus attendant

Wheelchairs for Children with Special Needs

Wheelchairs are frequently used as the mode of transport on the school bus for children with different special needs. However, it is important that certified transit wheelchair has to be used for the purpose.

This is the type of wheelchair that meets the design and performance requirements. Such wheelchairs can also be used by the occupants while travelling in a motor vehicle. The school administration can seek help from rehabilitation therapists to identify certified transit wheelchairs.

Recommendations for occupant securement on a school bus:

  1. Any child with a special need that can be moved from a special seating device should be transferred to a child restraint system (compliant with standards) for transportation.

     

     

    The seat should be facing forward and occupant restraints should be dynamically tested for such a seat at the manufacturer’s end.

    In case the seat is unoccupied, it should be carefully fastened so that it does not become a projectile in the wake of a sudden stop or crash and cause danger to the occupants.
     

  2. Passenger seats with a restraint system should be fitted with a frame that conforms to laid-out standards. The school administration should consult these points with the bus manufacturer when the order is placed for the school bus or when it is retrofitted at a later point in time.
     
  3. Children weighing less than 50 pounds should be secured in an appropriate safety vest or child restraint system that conforms to the laid-out standards.
     
  4. A safety vest or a child restraint system should be installed only according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Such a system should not be placed on a seat next to the emergency exit on a school bus.
     
  5. Seats that are used to transport children that are less than one year old or weighing less than 20 pounds should be attached to the seat only in a rear-facing manner.

     

     

    If a child weighs 20 pounds before 1 year of age, rear-facing restraints meant for greater weights should be considered.
     

  6. Cart-type units, stroller devices, three-wheeled devices, etc., cannot be used as occupied transport in a school bus. In case such a device is approved by a manufacturer after specific impact tests, they have to be installed only according to the specifications laid out by the manufacturer. 
     
  7. Wheelchairs should be secured to the floor of the bus with specific fastening devices.  The fasteners are approved only after dynamic testing is done on them with the help of dummies and must have the capability of restraining the wheelchair. The occupant is restrained to the wheelchair using another separate device.
     
  8. Any plastic or metal trays that are attached to the wheelchair should be unfastened before loading the wheelchair and should be separately secured during the transport.
     
  9. For every wheelchair-borne passenger, the occupant restraint system used should be tested for specified force conditions separately for upper and lower torsos.
     
  10. If liquid oxygen is to be transported on the school bus, care should be taken to mount the cylinder securely and fastened in a manner such that it prevents damage and exposure to high heat. An appropriate sign should also be placed on the bus.

Additional Recommendations

#1: When children with tracheotomies travel on the bus, a nurse or aide with sufficient medical training should be on board the bus to provide medical assistance in case of emergencies.

#2: The school transport representative should also take part in the medical procedures training required for students with special needs. They should be adequately trained with the latest programs which will ensure that they provide the latest as far as the care is concerned.

#3: The guardian of the ward with special needs should be kept informed of all the transportation needs and specifications.

#4: Both the guardian of the child with special needs and the bus driver should be kept informed of all the specific needs during the transportation of the child.

#5: For every student with special needs, a copy of the emergency medical card should be present on the bus.

#6: There should be enough stocks of supplies that ensure precaution and spread of infections in the bus.

#7: There should be a written plan for emergency evacuation plans and the staff should be adequately trained for the same through dummy evacuation drills.

To conclude, it is the responsibility of the school administration system to obtain periodically updated information on restraint systems for children with special needs from the relevant authorities and implement the same.

 

8 Road Safety Tips for Motorists – [Infographics]

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Road safety tips for motorists are crucial for all of us when we hit the road with our wheels. As we can’t predict what is going to happen, hence it is wise to take precautions all the time. Accidents are the topmost things which await daily riders.

Each of us is responsible for road safety as well as our own safety. Whether a car driver, truck or lorry driver, a motorist, a cyclist or a pedestrian, he/she must follow the rules and regulations that are necessary. Road users must have patience and should be always alert and careful on the road and ought to be kind to other road users.

Unfortunately, bike accidents can and do happens. Dangerous roads, faulty gear, negligent driving, etc can lead to unsafe situations. But there are several ways which can help them to keep themselves safe and secure on road. The main or the key thing that every motorist must take care of is they must follow all the rules and regulations and safety tips that are essential for them.

Here we are showcasing certain safety tips for motorists in the form of an infographic.

Road Safety Tips for Motorists_info

 

12 Common Questions on Electric School Buses

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

All set to promote a healthier student fraternity, ‘all-electric’ school buses promise cleaner air to inhale when compared totheir diesel counterparts which release harmful exhausts into the atmosphere.

Additionally, electric school buses are affordable options too when school districts can offset the initial investment with their long-term operational benefits.

In an attempt to highlight the advantages of signing up for a fleet of electric school buses to school districts and to the environment at large, here are certain questions accompanied with their answers.

1. What is the range of distance that can be covered by an electric school bus?

A:The efficiency of electric school buses can be measured in terms of the distance they can cover until they reach a zero-charge state. Normally, an electric bus comes with a range of 96 miles per day.

A prominent automobile company Daimler introduced a high-tech electric school bus that can cover a distance of 100 miles while transporting a maximum of 81 kids.

In the event school districts are looking to add more range, there is a provision to add another pack of batteries so that an extended range along with a safe, emission-free and quiet ride can be promised to students.

Blue Bird electric school buses promise a range of 120 miles after a single and full battery charge.

2. What are the types of batteries that can promise 3,000 completely recharged cycles?

A: Xalt Energy batteries are certified to hold up to 3,000 complete recharge cycles. A full cycle is the one that is initiated from a completely drained-out battery until it registers a fully-charged state.

3. What are the technical specifications with regard to wattage and the charging of batteries?

A: Electric-powered school buses market is equipped with a 160 kWh battery which requires up to 8 hours of charging time. It should be noted that this battery gets back 19.2 kW of charge with every hour of running time. 

4. What is the durability of electric school bus batteries?

A: Given that the school calendar adds up to 190 working days, electric school bus batteries take about 10 years for them to completely depreciate.

The good news here is that even after the battery degradation process starts, school districts can still expect them to run with a 70%-80% on-road efficiency.

5. Are there any training facilities that are offered by electric school bus manufacturers so that school bus drivers can extract the maximum benefit of batteries?

A: Since electric school buses employ novel technologies, getting to know about training opportunities is a matter of concern for school districts.

In line with this common need, electric school bus manufacturer that offers video assistance  comes in the form of training modules.

While one video series imparts training, there is another video series that teaches bus drivers the best practices that will guarantee the maximum efficiency of batteries and a good driving range.

6. What about the warranties that are in favor of electric school buses so that they run smoothly on roads at all times?

A: In an attempt to lend a helping hand to all the school districts which have signed up for electric school buses, there are many dealers that offer after-sales support. They also offer warranties so that these modern school buses run efficiently and smoothly on city roads.

7. What is the initial cost of installing a charging station along with the necessary equipment?

A: Speaking of the budgetary requirements that should be met by school transporters in erecting a charging station, school districts are expected to set aside funds between $600 and $3,000.

This fund can serve the installation of a charging point along with peripherals. It is also recommended that schools follow the ‘one-vehicle, one-charger’ ratio so as to not only keep the operational costs low but also to ensure the efficiency of the charging stations. This is the infrastructure cost that should be incurred, keeping in mind the electric fleet.

8. What are the statistics that vouch for the prominence of electric buses?

A: The following statisticsvouch for the substantial reduction in the operatingcosts concerninga fleet of electric school buses. Electric buses register a whopping 82% drop in fuel costs alongside promising a massive 75% decline in the annual cost of maintaining a fleet.

Notwithstanding the fact that all-electric school buses come with double the price tags as diesel-run buses, you can save close to $2,000 on fuel costs and $4,400 on maintenance costs, every year.

9. In what way do electric school buses promise a healthier society?

A: Another common question revolves around is the health of students plying in electric school buses. It is a well-known fact that electric school buses do not emit any poisonous gases that impair the respiratory health of students.

Alongside preventing the onset of breathing issues, electric school buses nip off the instances of lung cancer which is caused by the constant ingestion of exhaust fumes.

A report which was published in June 2018 states that electric buses curbed close to 5.3 million tons of polluted emissions into the atmosphere alongside decongesting the city traffic by removing 1 million cars from the roads. 

10. In what other creative ways can school districts make the most of these electric school buses during summer breaks?

A: School districts which are operating a fleet of electric school buses can bring in some creativity during the lean periods of summer breaks.

When these batteries are not in use during vacation, they can be used as backup power sources for the electric grid. In this way, school districts can earn some money from the state electric utilities when school bus batteries take on the title of mobile energy storing equipment.

11. What are the striking advantages of operating a fleet of electric school buses?

A: With a number of advancements taking place in the sphere of battery technology, electric school buses are poised to avail many advantages.

Since these buses do not come with an engine that needs to be maintained or instances demanding the change of engine oil, you can enjoy reduced maintenance costs.

These buses promise excellent temperature control by performing to their optimum level, irrespective of the weather conditions. They also ease the traffic congestion on roads.

12. What are the other proponents in favor of electric school buses?

A: School districts can make the most of the steep decline in the battery costs along with constant improvements in their performance.

With these positives in place, a number of states across the US are going in for plug-in buses so as to encourage these zero-emission school buses. An additional advantage also comes in the form of an expanded driving range that these all-electric school buses promise.

Closing Thoughts

If you are able to get appropriate and data-specific answers to the above 25 questions about electric school buses, you are good to go. As a decision maker of a school district contemplating to operate a fleet of electric school buses, you will be proud of your move to support the environment-friendly objectives of your state.

While you can make the most of grant incentives, you will also incur fewer maintenance costs. Additionally, you will be in a strong position to exercise a better temperature control on your electric school bus which lives by the promise of ‘cleaner air for healthier generations’.

 

 

 

 

 

13 Features of a School Bus With State-Of-The-Art Safety System

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

All those parents who sign up for school bus transportation will agree with the fact that school buses come in as the safest means of commute for their kids. If you compare it with either riding your private vehicle or going by walk to school, the former alternatives pose threats to student safety.

It is for a simple reason that school buses come equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems. Hence, you as parents will be buying peace of mind with every school bus ride.

For all those people who are extremely concerned about the safety of children, below is the rundown of all the features of a school bus which is secured with the benefits of a modern safety system.

A closer look at all these features will reinforce the common belief that it is always better to be safe than to be sorry and school buses are the best alternatives.

The following are the striking features of a school bus fitted with state-of-the-art safety mechanisms.

 

 

1. GPS Systems

Parents and school administrators can now operate with the numerous advantages offered by a high-definition GPS system. With this system in place, you will be in a position to pinpoint the exact location of a school bus.

With a simple tap on your mobile app, you will also get to know the running speed of your school bus.

Offering the dual benefits of convenience and security, the GPS location is a vital information for both parents and school administrators.

2. RFID Tags

A major safety drawback is when students are left alone to wait for the school bus at their designated pickup point. This situation can be avoided through the RFID tags.

These tags enable parents to know the exact location of their kid and once the kid boards the bus, parents receive a notification on their smartphones. That is when parents can have a sigh of relief that their kid is now in the safe hands.

3. Indicators

School buses come fitted with extended stop arms and flashing lights. These are safety systems that help motorists to maneuver their vehicles while the children are boarding or alighting a school bus.

4. Emergency Exits

Life is uncertain and you never know when an unforeseen eventuality can throw your peace out of gear. It is for this reason that school buses should clearly mention emergency exits.

5. A Child Check Alarm

Many a time, school bus drivers forget to drop off sleeping children. To ward off such  instances, school buses can rely on an electronic alarm. This alarm prompts the driver to walk up to the rear of the bus to check for any kids who missed their drop points as they fell asleep.

6. A Bus-Empty Sign

Similar to the child check alarm, a bus empty sign is another noteworthy safety mechanism that is designed to prevent leaving an unattended kid on the bus.

This display sign hangs from the rear window after the driver walks through the bus to identify any unattended student and finds none.

7. Safety Seating

Modern school buses which go by the rule that the safety of their students is paramount will invest in comfortable and safe seats. Along with raised backrests, these sturdy school bus seats offer strong padding. Through these measures, you can ensure that your kids travel seated in well-anchored and protective seats.

8. Seat Belts

When every seat comes attached with a seat belt, you are securing the safety of your kids. It is hence a wise move to make the installation and use of seat belts mandatory for school buses so that kids are secured in their seats while travelling or at the time of a collision.

9. Specialized Systems for Preschoolers

When it comes to ensuring the safety of preschoolers and students with special abilities, it is the need of the hour to offer specialized restraint systems.

Along with equipping school buses with wheelchair locks and car seats, you can also hire an assistant onboard who will keep a watchful eye on the needs of such kids. Additionally, it is good for preschoolers and differently-abled kids to be transported via smaller school buses.

10. Regular Maintenance to Fleet

It is always better to be safe than to be sorry, especially with kids who are commuting via school buses. It is for this reason, the school bus-in-charge should conduct periodic preventive maintenance inspections.

When school buses are thoroughly inspected by certified mechanics, you will be adhering to stringent safety protocols meant for the overall safety of your students.

11. Concept of Compartmentalization

A noted measure to protect school buses against crashes comes in the form of compartmentalization. For the simple fact that school buses are heavier and larger when compared to private vehicles, compartmentalization steps in as a noteworthy feature. Through this safety concept, school buses experience a different treatment being given to collision forces when compared to how a strong impact damages passenger cars or other private vehicles.

12. School Bus Safety Consumables 

School buses should always be prepared for any sort of eventuality. It is for this reason that every school bus comes with a first-aid box. It is also very important for buses to have fire extinguishers.

13. The Yellow Color Says It All

All in an attempt to attract the attention of pedestrians and bikers on roads, the bright yellow color of school buses does the trick.

Increasing the visibility of people on the road, this yellow color helps motorists take notice of a school bus. This bright color is easily noticeable paving the way for the safety of school students plying via school buses.

Closing Thoughts

School bus fleets which are equipped with the above-mentioned modern safety mechanisms stand to gain when they guarantee the security of school students. While some assist the drivers to keep track of unattended children, others are meant to bestow peace of mind to parents and caretakers.

All these state-of-the-art safety systems together make school buses the safest means of transportation. It is hence the need of the hour for school districts to look into these safety measures and implement them on their fleets so as to completely avoid the instances of students getting hurt, unattended or stranded on the road.

 

15 FAQs about School Bus Automation

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School bus tracking takes pride in implementing the state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence powered school bus automation features to all the school districts. If you are looking to avail these technological innovations in the sphere of school bus transportation, here are 16 questions and its answers that will crop up in your mind.

Here we are showcasing AI features in school bus tracking system such as Auto Optimization, Auto Routing, and Auto Allocation.

Questions and Answers Concerning the Auto Optimization Feature

  1. In what way does auto optimization improve the durability of your school bus fleet?

A: Auto Optimization helps you come up with optimized start points and the end points (terminus) of every school bus trip. When the school bus manager is aware of these, he/she can cut down the running time of the fleet. This will bring down the unnecessary wear and tear of vehicles, in turn improving their durability. 

  1. What are the two sub-modules that are facilitated by this feature? What are their individual characteristics? 

A: Route Optimization and Pick-Up Optimization are the two sub-modules that come under the umbrella of Auto Optimization. Route Optimization, true to its name helps transport managers to come up with the shortest bus route. It also helps them optimize various pickup points that should be covered in a single route, alongside adding a pick-up point according to a changed situation.

Speaking of the Pick-up Optimization feature of TrackSchoolBus, this feature helps school bus managers to recommend an exact pick-up point for every student by referencing it with the historical data points.

  1. How does auto optimization present the exact metrics concerning the optimum distance for a single school bus trip?

A: Given the fact that transport managers can lay hands on the exact start and drop points of students through the Auto Optimization feature. Through this feature, school bus routes and pick up points are optimized automatically and can update the pickup point in case of any relocation.

  1. How can you adjust the route and school bus seating capacity through the auto optimization feature?

A: Every school bus has a certain capacity and certain buses ply in certain pre-allocated routes. Through the auto optimization feature, school bus managers can assign a particular bus to a route in keeping with the seating capacity of students who should be either picked up or dropped off at the end of the day. They can base their judgment purely on the data provided by this intelligent feature called Auto Optimization.

  1. In what ways does auto optimization help you to alter the school bus route caused by a change in pickup points?

A: A sudden change in pickup point need not disrupt the earlier school bus route. Transport managers can rely on the auto optimization feature which makes use of historical data and suggest an exact pickup point for every student. This way, a changed pickup point will help managers assign students to a bus that will cater to the new requirement.

  1. What are all the ways in which auto optimization can help schools save time and money?

A: This feature is one system intelligent feature that automatically reduces the running time of school buses. This will lead to a cutting down of fuel costs alongside improving the durability of the fleet by keeping a watchful eye on the exact distance that should be covered to complete a trip. Undoubtedly, these not only save money but also help school districts deal with happy transport managers and drivers as this feature reduces their efforts to manage a changed situation in the most efficient manner.

FAQs about Auto Allocation Software and Their Answers

  1. What is the primary objective behind the implementation of this feature?

A: As the name suggests, this feature is concerned about optimizing the fleet to match the requirements of every school trip. It is all about running a school bus with full capacity so that every route is given its due importance.

  1. In what ways does the ‘Smart Allocation’ algorithm address the common concerns of routing faced by school districts?

A: It is indeed a challenge for school bus transport managers to chalk out the best route for every school trip that matches the seating needs of students.  This intelligent algorithm helps the school bus-in-charge to suggest the best route for every bus depending upon its seating capacity.

  1. How is a pickup location assigned and optimized?

A: The Auto Allocation feature collates the residential addresses of students. It is through this repository of historical data that school bus transport managers can step in assign pickup points for students. Optimizing of pickup points is another positive characteristic of the auto allocation feature that deserves a special mention.

  1. What are the automated data points that you can lay your hands on through the auto allocation feature?

A: This feature automatically suggests optimized school bus routes and pickup points. Based on historical data (the stored residential addresses of students), this feature also helps to create optimized vehicle assignments (which school bus should ply on which route).

  1. How is the auto allocation feature a boon to transport managers?

A: The auto allocation feature can indeed be called the best friend of transport managers since it helps them come up with a perfectly optimized school bus route, in a jiffy. They need not get bogged down by the number of pickup points or the student density that should be facilitated. The auto allocation reduces their strain and efforts by  suggesting and planning the best route in minutes.

FAQs about Auto Routing Feature with Answers

  1. How does auto routing address the common issues of school bus managers concerned about route optimization?

A: It is indeed a tight-rope walk for school bus transport managers to periodically look out for ways and means to bring down the operational costs of the entire fleet. They are ordained to constantly keep a watchful eye on the bus routes, the seating capacity and the running time of school buses. These will be herculean tasks if they are performed manually. This is where the Smart Routing algorithm comes into play, providing automatic solutions to all the above concerns.

  1. What are the reference points that are required to implement the auto routing feature?

A: This  feature  relies on data points like school bus seating capacity, the route, the number of students that are waiting to be picked-up at their designated points (the student data), the school bus details and the shift of the school bus drivers. All this information can be extracted from the current transportation repository and the registration information that is filled by the parents of all the students who have signed up for school bus travel.

  1. How does the auto allocation feature ensure that your fleet is running efficiently at all times?

A: For a fleet to be efficient,  transport managers should come up with suggestions concerning vehicle assignments which should be in line with the demands of every route and trip. The seating capacity of school buses is another significant pointer that should always be considered while planning a trip. All these reference points become valid data for transport managers to not only verify but also to approve a school bus route.

4: How does the auto routing feature enable schools to control their vehicle running costs?

A: It is only when school buses are put to their optimum use that school districts will be able to cut down the operational costs of the fleet. It is with this endeavor that the auto allocation feature helps school districts to optimize the usage of their school buses, keeping a close watch on the data points like distance of every school trip and the running time of every school bus. With the help of all these data points, transport managers will be in a strong position to improve the durability of the fleet.

Closing Thoughts

The above question bank of 15 FAQs concerning the AI features sheds light on all the numerous ways in which schools will benefit from automating school bus transportation systems.

Answers to these frequently asked questions are essentially the benefits of the auto allocation, auto optimization and auto routing applications that can save a great deal of time, effort and monies of school districts.

Additionally, these features indirectly ensure the convenience of school students through optimized school bus routes.

11 Things about School Bus Transportation Software You Have To Experience It Yourself

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School bus transportation software are gaining wide acceptance than ever before owing to the role it plays in improving the overall efficiency and convenience.

The school management, the students as well as their parents are getting benefited in one way or the other with its amazing features and options. When students can have a smooth bus journey to and from the school, parents can be assured about the safety and engage in their daily schedules with peace of mind.

School management can make the transportation services better with improved driver accountability, easy record management, and efficient risk management.

The real time bus monitoring features with GPS tracking facility is the key highlight of  school bus transportation software as the accurate GPS data analysis optimizes the safety factor of the journey. It also helps with efficient fuel usage and easily handles field trips.

Here let us have a look at the key elements and benefits of school bus transportation software you have to experience it yourself.

1. Convenient Calendar Based Scheduling: With scheduling based on calendar, a lot of data can be managed effortlessly. The trips can be created, edited, planned and rescheduled in relatively quicker period. A number of preset scenarios can be set in advance such as a half day, unexpected holiday, emergency journey and more.

The plan can be made in advance for a semester altogether or for an academic year. Also the automatic bus routing saves a lot of time which is otherwise wasted with the manual option.

2. User Friendly GPS Tracking: The entire journey of the bus can be tracked efficiently with GPS tracking facility. The RFID student tracking cards assures comprehensive insight into their routes without any hassle.

This facility is equally beneficial for school authorities, support staff and parents to keep track of their child’s location  whenever they needed by just logging in. Everyone can make sure if the bus is running on time and through the right route or not.This also reduces the waiting time for the bus and avoids the scenarios of missed buses.

3. Adapt to Schedule Changes: The changes in the schedule for a particular student can be made easily with the automatic software. If it is a one time change or a permanent change, it can be made without any trouble.

The software allows a change in the route if the student’s destination is temporarily changed, or the specific route would be suspended for a particular time if he goes for a vacation. This eliminates the need for creating an entirely new schedule. Moreover, the optimal use of resources adds a lot of value to the efficient school transport management. 

4. Efficient Driver Management: The comprehensive data base helps to keep track of the driver information such as payroll information & hire and termination dates. You can also easily check if there are any pending certifications on First Aid, TSA Clearance, CPR and validate details on annual training and license expiration regularly.

The reminder options on due dates makes the management over drivers and  other staff easy. Also the software will have a clear overview of the statistics based on driver availability, driver absenteeism, as well as allocation of driver assistants.

5. Manage Fuel Usage: The school authority can make sure that the drivers are utilizing the fuels efficiently by checking if they are following the assigned routes. They will get alerts in case the drivers deviates the bus from the scheduled routes for any other purposes.

As maps are updated frequently, driver can consider any new routes that can save fuel and avoid traffic jammed routes. Routes can be decided efficiently as time needed to cover specific routes can be calculated at ease.

6. Accurate GPS Data Analysis: A team can be assigned to have a look at the analysis of GPS data of the vehicle. The data can be used effectively for the overall improvement of the bus journey which in one way or the other helps with enhanced productivity of school transports.

Talking about the safety, this also helps to find out the nearest buses running in the route of other bus that needs an emergency assistance. 

7. Handle Field Trips: When a group of students go for field trips, the efficient software can make sure that the journey is safe. The right use of routes and the option to plan the trip quickly saves a lot of time.

The comprehensive digital records make it easy for handling the details such as the places to be covered, trip tickets, duration of each trip, number of trips covered in an annual year by batches and more. The additional costs during the trips can be added to separate tabs on the software which makes the financial settlement more accurate.

8. Easy Record Management: As every records based on transportation are stored and accessed from one place, the management is made really easy. This avoids the manual records on details such as driver information, vehicles details, expenditure, student list, fuel costs and more.

The lists of drivers are updated on a regular basis to avoid any clash in the schedules. The emergency contact numbers of all the students travelling in bus are maintained in the database and drivers and bus staff can access it easily at needy times.

The advanced software will also have options to take care of students with special needs by assuring optimized school bus routes, reduced on-board times, and proper management of medical reimbursements.

9. Real Time Bus Monitoring: As the advanced technology allows real time monitoring of bus, the concerned people can get the live location of the students at their comfort. This also includes the stoppage reports of the bus which helps to improve the punctuality of the bus and save potential time of  students.

As if the driver know that everybody is observing him/her, then the drivers would  be more cautious about their driving and punctuality. In advanced software, parents can have a look at the online portal at school bus hubs to get info on real time bus arrival notifications.

10. Better School Bus Maintenance: Every detail regarding the bus is available on the data base such as equipment specifications, vehicle depreciation, scheduled services due dates and inspection reports.

This makes it easy for the authority to keep track of the timely maintenance of the bus which can reduce the emergencies and downtime caused due to bus functionality.  With lowered emergency rates and penalties, school authorities can keep the budget under control.

11. Efficient Risk Management: In case, the bus went through an unfortunate breakdown, they can pass the message to  authorities within minimal time. This helps them to arrange an alternate transport  quickly, thus minimizing the waiting time of students in busy roads.

The map routes available in the data base will have details regarding the emergency centres available in the routes. Moreover, the optimized routes and engine idling gives you the exclusive benefit of contributing to improved carbon footprint.

Choose the right school bus transportation software with advanced features for your institution after taking into account your exact purpose with the software. With the right option, you can experience smarter routes, safe buses and smooth operations with your finger tips.

Msking use of this software can bring a notable improvement within a short period of time. With optimal use of buses, one can make a huge reduction in staffing and maintenance costs.

The advance software even comes with options such as live video of the bus journey so that officials can foresee the behaviour of drivers and make sure that they are driving safe.

15 School Bus Safety Ideas You Can Share With Everyone

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Safety begins at home. All in an attempt for everyone concerned to ensure that students reach their destination safe and sound, parents should play a major role.

They should do their bit in educating kids about safety rules that need to be followed by their wards. Additionally, life with its uncertainties in the form of an unforeseen eventuality caused by an errant motorist may cause a road accident involving a school bus.

For the sake of informing everyone about the safety parameters concerning school buses plying on roads, here are 15 safety tips that are categorized under the heads of those meant for parents and those that are given out to motorists on the road.

Firstly, let us look at the 8-fold safety tips that parents should teach their school-going kids so as to ensure that every school trip is safe. These pointers should then be made public for everyone to pay heed and implement.

Tip 1 : A Yellow Signal Indicates That the Bus is About to Halt: It is the prime responsibility of the parents to educate their wards about the safety signals of school buses. One such explanation concerns the flashing of yellow lights on a school bus. Parents should teach their kids that blinking yellow lights indicate that the bus is preparing to halt.

Tip 2 : Escort Young Kids to Their School Bus Stops: Parents of young kids should always escort them to the pickup points and wait for their return at their designated drop points.

Tip3 : Give Clear Drop Point Instructions to Kids: Elder kids who need not always be accompanied to bus stops should be informed about the safest route to reach home. Parents should insist that their kids who get dropped at their bus stop should either head straight to their doorstep or to the normal after-school destination they are ordained to reach.

Tip 4 : Caregivers to Step In, Filling In for Parents: In the event parents have a change of plan with regard to picking up their kids from the school bus stop, they should keep the caregiver informed about the new plan. Caregivers should then ensure that these kids are not left stranded on the road after getting dropped from their school bus. 

Tip 5 : Educate Kids about School Bus Safety Rules: Information is strength. In line with this adage, it is the duty of parents to educate their wards about the school bus safety rules. One important pointer that should be brought to the notice of kids is to avoid picking anything that has fallen down when they are boarding the bus. They should let their kids know that informing the bus driver about the fallen object can avoid accidents.

Tip 6 : Patience – A Virtue That Should Be Inculcated in Kids: Kids should be taught to patiently wait for the driver’s instruction to board the bus. Kids should wait for the driver’s instruction to cross the street and should avoid hurrying away from the bus after the bus comes to a halt at a drop point. Additionally, they should also be instructed to move away from the danger zone and to wait for the bus in a safe corner, away from the street.

Tip 7 : Better to Be Safe Than to Be Sorry: Parents should keep a watchful eye on what their kids wear and carry to school. In addition to avoide loosely hanging straps that can get caught to the doors, seats or handrails, school bags with strings not tied up should be avoided at all times.

Tip 8 : Good Conduct While Travelling in a School Bus: Parents should teach their kids that they should demonstrate a disciplined conduct while on board. In addition, they should din it in the minds of kids that misbehaving while travelling can lead to accidents. Distracting the attention of school bus drivers can lead to an unsafe environment, causing harm to all the students on board. Kids should also be taught to respect the instructions given out by the school bus driver with a belief that rules are meant for the safety of every student travelling.

Tip 9: Heeding to the Instructions of the School Bus Driver: Obedience is another trait that should be inculcated in kids, early on. While parents teach kids to obey their teachers  in class, they should also teach them to be obedient towards the school bus driver.  Secondly, Let us now move to the 6 safety tips that should be followed by motorists and proclaimed to everyone.

Tip 10: Rules are meant to be Followed: Motorists should always follow the rules specified by the government. The law  states that motorists should be watchful about school buses and should stop when they see a school bus either picking or dropping kids at their respective locations.

Tip 11: Keep An Eye on the School Bus Signals: Motorists should always look for the stop arm and red lights that flash when the school bus halts. These two signals suggest that they should completely halt their vehicles without seeing them as “proceed with caution” indicators.

Tip 12 : Safety Instructions to Vehicles Plying alongside School Buses: These safety tips are meant for vehicles which are plying on a divided roadway sharing the road with a school bus.

Tip 13 : Shed Light on the Consequences of Errant Drivers: People residing in rural areas should be educated about the seriousness of impatient or preoccupied drivers. Such drivers who do not spare a thought about school buses can injure the kids who are either boarding or alighting the school bus.

Tip 14 : The Significance of a Stop Signal: Motorists should bear in mind that a school bus stop signal is non-negotiable. Going against such a signal attracts a traffic ticket which can be avoided if they keep their eyes open to school bus signals.

Tip 15: Safety Instructions for Drivers and Pedestrians: It is not only for pedestrians to follow traffic rules. Drivers should also take care of  pedestrian traffic rules. All those riders who are in close range of the school bus stops and the school premises should be very vigilent at all times. They should completely halt their vehicles when they see a school bus either picking up or dropping students.

Closing Thoughts:

All the above-mentioned school bus safety tips should periodically be reviewed thoroughly. Once these tips are made public to everyone concerned about the security of school students, safety will be ensured.

In this way, every school bus trip will become a safe ride for kids to enjoy and for parents to be rest-assured. In addition to stay safe while boarding the bus, kids should be taught to maintain seating discipline and follow instructions of how to get down the bus.

Motorists who make their presence felt on roads are also expected to be watchful about school buses plying with many students.