Category: For Parents

5 Common Questions on School Bus Security Cameras

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

It is common view that modern day technological innovations bring in better control, safety and a number of questions to end-users. So, when implementing something like school bus security cameras, it’s natural for users to have lots of questions.

We have shortlisted the 4 most common and relevant questions and answered them here. If you have more questions, you can let us know in the comment section.  

1. What can school bus cameras see? 

First and foremost, questioning the purpose of a school bus camera helps you spot the many uses of these advanced watchful devices. Cameras fitted inside the school bus help the driver in more ways than one. While concentrating on the road ahead, he can steer clear of accidents. Recordings of the activities inside the moving bus can be helpful in spotting errant students along with attaching documentary evidence to an unforeseen event. Providing the driver an additional “eye-behind-him”, he can be vigilant towards the bad behavior of students.

The ability to freeze images and report the same to the law-making authorities and parents brings in much-needed support to the claims of the school or the driver when an accident occurs. Information is strength. And this comes in the form of cameras keeping track of the time, speed of the vehicle, date and other information that can strengthen a particular case.

Stop arm cameras are high-definition cameras fitted outside the bus to help better control the passing traffic. It is through the stop arm out feature that cameras ensure safety of school children. Focusing on the vehicles which are driving past a stationary school bus, these cameras record whether school students boarded/landed safely or not. Providing students with the best protection while crossing the road to reach their home or the door of the school bus, these cameras support with the “Safety First” ideal. In the event of a rash driver zipping past the school bus, his captured number plate helps law enforcement officials take corrective actions.

2. How do the school bus cameras work? 

The next question is about the manner in which School Bus Security Cameras work. In addition to capturing images inside and outside a school bus, there are certain cameras that come with audio features as well. Audio monitoring comes as an important tool for a peaceful school bus ride.

Helping the school management to spot aggressive students, it is through an audio recording that bad behavior can be identified for remedial measures to be taken. Also audio surveillance when teamed with video monitoring helping to resolve issues concerning disagreements between students, this holistically reforms the unruly behavior of students.

3. How many cameras are on a school bus? 

There are different types of cameras that a school bus can be fitted with. Different video cameras capture the inside activities along with what is happening outside when the bus is in motion.

The different types of cameras that can be fitted to school buses include:

school bus cameras

Image source: http://www.smartwitness.com/vehicle-camera-applications/school-bus.html

1)  A video data recorder which comes with a dash camera
2)  A camera facing the driver or student
3) A rear camera also called as a “school bus backup camera” offers a safe environment to students in addition to safeguarding the lives of people on the road. This camera which monitors the rear activity thus comes as a boon to students and pedestrians as well.
4) A camera that provides the left side view to the driver
5) A camera to the right of the school bus helps the driver to have a clear look at the approaching traffic from his right 

All these cameras do their bit in not only offering security to school students but also by providing support material to resolve conflicts effectively. The well-documented evidence when produced in the form of audio and video feeds of the activities concerning a school bus journey will offer clarity about how an incident actually took place, paving the way for an immediate corrective action. Helping to gauge the speed of the school bus, these cameras present the location and driving routes which can be useful in analyzing the faulty tendencies of drivers.

4. Are school bus cameras always on? 

When life throws at us many surprises and shocks, it always comes as a wise move to be prepared at all times by not losing grip over security issues. Neglect is the reason behind many accidents that can be avoided. It is with this backdrop that it is important to not only keep the school bus cameras in working condition but also to always turn them on. You never know when you will need a video footage of an unforeseen event. It is for this reason that a school operating a fleet of buses plying on different routes day in and day out should turn on the school bus security cameras.

5. Live school bus surveillance systems

Students are always under the observation of teachers and authorities in school premises. But it is not the case when they travel. Normally, one or two teachers are in charge of a bus full of students, but it is quite difficult to manage everything happening in the bus. Bullying or acts related to this can happen in the bus which can harm the child but gets unnoticed. Installing cameras in the school buses can help find these acts.

Live cameras are not only used for these but also to monitor driver’s performance such as rash driving, unwanted activities inside the bus. These cameras ensure student safety while travelling to and from schools. Installing these cameras will help the authorities to receive instant updates regarding school bus resulting in settling issues and disputes. And moreover, parents will get notified via messages about the location of their child’s school bus.

How to Handle Students with Autism in a School Bus?

Posted on by Trackschoolbus SEO

 

While arranging transport services for children with special needs you need to initiate an extra precaution, provide ample care and consideration to  students, especially for those with autism. Parents rely on school bus authorities for providing an emotionally and physically safe environment for their adorable kids.

Even a little support and compassion from your side can create wonders in special need students. When adults understand, the nature of disability and mindset of a kid, it will be easier to teach them about the importance of school bus transportation.

The kids with autism will be easily agitated, and confused during the school bus trip. Due to this fear and confusion, it may result in troublesome and challenging behavior. For this reason, you can execute certain strategies that will be helpful for addressing the issues ofstudents with special needs.

What is the nature of autism?

Children with autism face difficulty in accepting and constituting social relationships. Too much sensory input and communication will be difficult for children suffering from autism. Furthermore, kids with autism act in a socially inappropriate, bizarre, or immature manner. Often, you may have heard people say, “He/she has no social skills”, “He/she is strange and “he/she done it purposely”, etc. Actually, the truth is that the child has autism. 

How to teach them  proper behavior?

Autistic kids may not possess pertinent skills that assist them to be successful in the society. Of course, a school bus and schools are indeed a part of society. Sometimes, your indifferent attitude to them can create uneasiness and depression in them. They may at times have certain perplexing questions in their mind such as “Why should I travel today also?”(as they board the school bus again), “What will happen if the driver lost the way?”, etc.

All you need is a little patience to teach them on a repertory of social skills and behaviors. You can teach them about how to establish a positive relationship with their fellow beings, how to avoid misconduct in a school bus, etc.

The following is a list of tips that can be useful for you in teaching autistic students:

  • Teach the student on observing the peer's or teacher's non-verbal behavior, what it indicates, and respond to it accordingly
  • Autistic students should compulsorily be taught about commencing a conversation with others, effectively develop the conversation (give and take), and how to politely wind up the conversation
  • You can inculcate in them the quality of social cognition, how to accept other's perception and recognise it properly. Tell them it may be challenging for you if you are not attempting to grasp others' perspective, and the world out there
  • Teach them about the “hidden curriculum” such how to handle an unfriendly situation, how to safely exit the bus, how to control their excitement while talking about their favourite subjects, or how to be flexible with the sudden route change or schedule changes
  • You should teach them about the usage of coarse idioms and metaphors. For example, if your colleague says, “See you later punk”, the child should understand that “punk” is an unpleasant word
  • Teach the appropriate bus riding skills: how to patiently wait in the queue, board the school bus, and apply the seat belts. Guide them how to appear an evacuation drill, the relevance of organizing it, wheelchairs on the school bus are acceptable, etc.

Academic and social skills: Know the difference between them

Suppose, a child has brilliant academic records (high scores in exams, competitions, extracurricular activities, etc.) but at the same time, they may lack social skills. This is the scenario of a child suffering from Asperger's syndrome or higher functioning autism. They may not have an awareness on providing privacy to others, bullying attitude of others, the other person dislikes you, etc. Meanwhile, even simple affairs such as building a positive relationship, understanding the complicated situations, etc. may be a difficult   case for them.

Teachings based on the child's social failure

Observe them closely and recognise the social behavior that they are actually lacking from others. Sometimes the child may not have an understanding “my space” and “your space”, you can provide an awareness of it to the kid with sufficient patience, care and consideration. Sure, they will try to understand it.

In addition, teach them the difference between jokes and cruel taunts. Consequently, ask them to report to school authorities whenever they fall victim to any sort of teasing. And, ensure that they have an understanding of the disparity between general school bus safety rules and the rules in times of emergencies.

As a matter of fact, autistic students are never rude or ill-mannered, they are just special. Provide them a little concern and consideration, then surely, they can come out of their shell and become one of you. After all, they too deserve to travel along with you, sit beside you, and worthy of interaction.

10 Things you should Never Say to Your Child’s School Bus Drivers

Posted on by TSB Super Admin


Being a school bus driver is not easy. Not everyone understands and appreciates the massive responsibility of being a school bus driver.  It takes some serious skills for drivers to effectively manage a school bus full of students. At times, it can be an irritating and frustrating task. They are not only responsible for ensuring a safely driving the school bus, but also for maintaining proper school bus discipline.

School bus drivers are often at the receiving end of some harsh statements from parents, commuters, etc. If you are a parent, there are some statements you should probably avoid making to a school bus driver. Remember, they are ensuring the safety of  children on a regular basis. Lets take a look at them. 

1. “No, I'll never allow my child to travel in a school bus as it is too dangerous”

Certainly, this is a wrong thing to say to a school bus driver. School bus safety is given utmost importance by everyone from the school bus manufacturers and school authorities to transport managers, drivers and attendants for ensuring better safety. 

There are perpetual debates such as whether the presence or absence of a seat belt will reduce school bus accidents. While the debate might rage on for a long time, it is a fact that top padded seats protect students from crashes as they are seated high off the ground. And when you compare the number of car collisions with that of school bus collisions, you will find that a school bus is the safest transportation for your child.

2. “Haven't you noticed how my child got bullied on the school bus?”

It is yet another complaint you will say to a school bus driver. To be frank, it is a wrong accusation. You can imagine a large school bus full of students and hence it can be a difficult task for drivers to take care of each child. As a parent, you should tell your child to report about the bullying incident to drivers instantly. Only then, drivers will be able to know about it and take necessary action.

3.  “Are you confident that it was my child behind it?”

Obviously, this accusation can be a great insult for drivers. They are the ones who witness every incident that happens in a school bus. Do you think they are visually impaired? They have a clear idea on the behavior of each student and it can never be a fake one. Hence, it is your duty to advise your child to behave properly inside the school bus. 

4. “Actually, the other kid started the argument first”

Every parent try to protect their child but before protecting them, do ask driver about the incident. Before blaming another kid, ask your child about it. And anyway, if your child abused or attacked someone, it is not a right thing to do even though the other kid started it.

5. “Yeah, I know he/she is a troublemaker”

Literally, this means that, “I know my child is a nuisance but I'm not going to do anything about it”. As a parent, you are responsible for inculcating good behavior in your children. If your child misbehave to someone, do tell them that he or she is doing a wrong thing.

6. “Why can't the school bus come to my house?”

Before complaining something to the school bus driver, try to think about their role and responsibilities. School bus is not owned by a school bus driver, he is merely an employee appointed by school authorities. Like every employee, he is liable to follow the rules made by the school administrators. Hence, it is impossible to pick every child from their house as the authorities decide the most efficient route to reach the school quicker and driver have no permission to violate it.

7.  “Sorry for being late”

Indeed, this is a wrong thing to say to a school bus driver. You should remember the fact that if you are coming late with your kid at the bus stop, you are making other kids late too. Never tell any silly excuses to the school bus driver as they didn't care about it. And, what they care most is to pick and drop every child at the scheduled time. Hence, it will be better not to make their task complicated.

8.  “Sorry, I didn't see the bus”

This is one of the stupidest reasons you present before a school bus driver. Indeed, it is a huge lie as it is impossible for not noticing the big yellow school buses with flashing stop signs. Hence, it is better to be constant vigilant whenever you go near a school bus and above all, keep your big eyes open.

9.  “I haven't passed your bus”

No, you should never say such thing to a school bus drivers. They will notice the number plates of vehicles that pass the school bus and immediately notify it to relevant authorities. Today, even the school bus students are trained to notice the number plates that illegally pass the school bus and hence, you could not escape easily by giving false reasons as there are more witnesses than you ever imagine.

10. “Do you seriously love your job?”

Usually, a school bus driver's job is not a glamorous one at all. But don't try to make them regret the job completely. There are people who do this job with intense interest and hence, it is better to never spoil their fun. It is their job and they know how to do it properly. Leave them alone.

As a parent, you should understand the fact that your child reaches home safely due to the school bus driver. And hence, learn to respect them and avoid unnecessary questioning. 

“Being a school bus driver is not just a job… It's an adventure”

School Bus Seat Belts: Can They Truly Improve Safety?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus seat belt is a much discussed issue for more than a decade. Still, people are not clear about the benefits of seat belts. It is indeed a hot topic for school bus drivers, administrators, and bus manufacturers. Some reputed schools have already installed seat belts, as they think of it as a part of ensuring school bus safety.

Even though there are modern technologies such as school bus GPS to ensure student safety, additional protection in the form of a seat belt might make a lot of difference. Or, do they? Let us first analyse the benefits of using seat belts in school buses.

The following are some benefits associated with seat belt installation:

Attributes Protection in Times of Crash

Usually, school bus manufacturers demonstrate how seat belts become useful in crash situations, especially for the one that cause side impacts and roll over. Wondering how it becomes useful in crash situations? It helps you to reduce the accident injuries by keeping them on the seats itself. Without seat belts, your child will be thrown out during crashes.

Reduces the Driver Distraction

It was noticed that seat belts help to improve the student behavior in school buses. This is because seat belts will reduce the bullying situations as students hold on to their seats with seat belts. And it makes your child safer.

Inculcates a Good Safety Habit

When you install seat belts on the school buses, it becomes a habit. And this can be beneficial as your child puts seat belts automatically whenever they enter into a vehicle for transportation. So, implementation of seat belts helps to build a critical habit in children as it enhances transportation safety.

Is it Really Good for your Child?

Over the years, school bus seat belts are an issue for school authorities as well as parents. And in research and crash tests, it was found that in some cases, seat belts can cause danger to your children. The lap belt can cause injuries to neck as well as face at the crash situations. Sometimes, seat belts cause serious damage to the internal organs of your child. Due to these reasons, authorities still hesitate to take the risk of installing seat belt on school buses. As it involves student road safety, researches and crash tests are still going on about whether seat belts for school buses are good or not.

Here are the reasons why seat belts are not desirable for school buses:

  • When seat belts are not worn properly, it may cause serious back injuries as well as neck injuries
  • As seat belts are worn by children, you can not trust them fully as children are usually naughty
  • School bus seats are designed to be just like eggs in a carton (seats are closely arranged) that makes children safer

Is the Present School Bus Design Safer?

At present, school bus design is based on the compartmentalization concept. That is, seats are arranged higher, closer, and well padded, which indeed reduces the impact caused by accidents. And windows are made small so that your child never gets thrown out of it. Hence, it was proved that this passive crash protection system is safer than any other restraint systems available today.

Installation of seat belt is still a concern. Many argue that seat belt is necessary for school buses. While others think that it causes injuries to back and neck. Also, it may become a hindrance at the time of emergencies. It slows down your child's evacuation process, thereby increasing casualties. A clear answer is elusive. What do you think? Should seat belts be employed in school buses? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section. 

8 Reasons to Choose School Bus Tracking System

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus tracking systems using a GPS device has become one of the most sought after technologies by present day schools. The improvement in safety and security, which has been the highlight of such systems, is what led to its global acceptance.

A school bus tracking system from TrackSchoolBus gives you an upper hand when it comes to keeping your children safe. It even makes the documentation process easy and transparent. But the reasons to choose a GPS school bus tracking system from TrackSchoolBus are far more than simple documentation. Let’s take a look at them.

Must Read:

 What do school Bus Tracking Systems Track?

1. Web Accessible Student Details   

With TrackSchoolBus, you get a web portal were you could access the details of the students, relating to his/her academics and school behaviour. This brings together teachers and parents. Teachers can share various aspects of students’ performance at school. Parents can log into these portals using unique ID and avail information regarding their children, that too in an instant.

Advantages to parents

  • It helps parents to get the travel history of their kids
  • It informs parents if their kids have reached their school
  • Also, it gives parents the capability to monitor speed
  • Parents can monitor the time taken by buses at each stops

Advantages to schools

  • Helps to manage the school bus fleet with better efficiency.
  • Helps to reduce fuel wastage by avoiding excessive idling and inefficient route.
  • Helps to plan routes early. This can be done in real-time which makes management of emergency situations easy.

2. Know About Kids, on the Go

The ParentApp is similar to the parent portal in a lot of respects, but without the need of a desktop or a laptop. It can be used to monitor children from remote locations. Parents can check out the performance of their wards just with the help of a hand held mobile device. Be it on a bus or a train, access student information anywhere anytime with GPS tracking system from TrackSchoolBus. The tracking is done in real-time and hence parents get notifications regularly. It also gives provision to track bus on a map using a hand held device.

3. Real-time Tracking

As said before, GPS tracking systems from TrackSchoolBus employs asset tracking in real-time. It makes use of RFID and GPS for this purpose. Even the otherwise tedious tasks such as re-routing and re-scheduling are made easy, thereby helping to make quick changes in real-time. Some situations may require the use of real-time tracking, especially when it comes to monitoring the speed of the bus.

4. Communication Centre

Teachers and parents play vital roles for the proper growth of a child as a student. Hence it is necessary that a proper mode of communication exists between parents and teachers. Parent-teacher meetings offer an ideal platform for such interactions. But the disadvantage of such meetings is that they are less frequent. The TrackSchoolBus communication centre helps us with this.

Parents can have a regular peek into children’s academics, thereby enhancing their academic performance while also resulting in better classroom behaviour.

Communication centre is available in both mobile phones and web, with easy access to your child’s day to day activities. Teachers can also make suggestions and give feedbacks about the student’s performance. Previous feedbacks are recorded in the communication history and latest updates are shown as notifications in the communication centre. It also gives provision to send mails of communication between teachers and parents. It also has a live chat facility for direct communication between teachers and parents.

5. Notification Centre

One of the best parts of this school bus tracking software is the real-time or active notification facility. It might not be possible for parents to always be with their wards, due to work related or some other emergencies. The active notification facility checks up on the students and reports the events of his/her day to day routine to parents, with minimum delay.

Active notifications are sent on both the mobile application as well as a web interface. If parents lack access to a mobile device, he or she can check for notifications on parent portal.

Parents can get notification

  • 10 minutes before the bus arrives at the predefined stop.
  • Once the student boards the school bus or if the he doesn’t.
  • In case a bus stops for an unusually long time at any point.
  • If the bus stops at a unchartered bus-stop.
  • When the bus crosses a speed limit.

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6. Industry Leading Hardware

Normally a GPS tracking device comprises of two different components. One of them includes the tracking device which sends out the location signals to the satellite and another one for reading RFID tags. Whereas we use a sleeker design which includes both these components together. This makes it a more portable and takes up lesser space. The device is physically strong and durable due because of the use of industry grade materials which is used in the casings, PCB’s and the components. This makes it easy to transport the equipment when compared to the GPS trackers of the past

7. Easy Installation and Maintenance

Our tracking device is unique where both RFID reader and GPS technologies are merged into one device. Being a single piece of hardware, installation and maintenance are relatively easy. A minimum maintenance is ensured because of the high quality of hardware used. Once an issue is reported we will provide quick repairs and you would be able to know the status of repair once you login to the web portal.

8. Environment friendly

The GPS device from track school bus makes your fleet, environment friendly. Through optimization of routes and monitoring hard breaking and acceleration, the menace of pollution can be kept under control.

Is Road Safety Education Necessary for Children

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Are road safety awareness programs only for the age groups above 18? It might seem natural to implement lessons for that age group since it provides assistance to people  behind the wheels. However, such lessons should be given from a much younger age considering the present circumstances. Such lessons are needed because of many reasons.

1.Children being more independent

The need for such road safety awareness for children often stems from the single major fact kid's level of intelligence, coupled with their independence had given them access to motor vehicles at a far younger age than it used to be in the past. This has in turn resulted in a greater need of safety  lessons to be taught from a much earlier age than the prescribed minimal age for driving. Such lessons make children aware of the legal implications for driving without a license as well as the hazards of dangerous driving. These lessons also teach them about road safety measures while being a pedestrian.

Read Also:

5 Simple Ways India Can Improve Road Safety

2. Rise in the number of working parents

It is common for both the parents to be working. ASO, the transport needs of their children are usually met by private or public transport facilities. Older children and teenagers resort to the use of two-wheelers such as bicycles. For them, awareness lessons taught properly can reduce the risk of untoward incidents on the road.

3.Increased number of single parents

As a result of increased number of divorced or single parents, children are often forced to be independent in school transportation. Road safety lessons, taught along with the curriculum can, therefore, help them to be safer and to grow as law abiding citizens in future.

4. Access to vehicles

Easy access to gadgets and technology can also mean easy access to vehicles. Teenagers are often attracted to racing bikes. Passion for such risky sports without a legal permit can, therefore, force them to adhere to illegal racing stunts often without much safety precautions. Road safety awareness programs can be implemented along with the traffic personnel which can curb such illegal practices and emphasizes the need for protective gears and proper precautionary measures.

5. Kids learn fast

Road safety  lessons taught at the proper age and manner can bring drastic changes in their lives. If properly taught from a young age, this can result in a future generation driving sensibly and abiding the laws. These safety lessons can, therefore, be considered as life skills needed for ethical driving for the society as a whole.

6. Children use the roads

Yes, road safety lessons are needed for children just because they also use the roads. It is their right to be aware of the safety measures provided by their parents and school authorities. Such lessons can help them to avoid dangerous situations while on the roads. Last, but not least is the greatest peace and happiness of the parents as they are being proud of their sensible and knowledgeable kids.

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7. Children learn from their parents and elders

With traffic violations being on the rise, children might tend to think that it is normal practice. For example, as more and more young generation avoid wearing helmet while riding two wheelers for convenience or fashion, kids might tend to believe that helmet is not necessary for being safe while riding. Such wrong beliefs can be difficult to change and can invite unwanted risks.

8. Kids lack the ability to accurately judge distance and speed

Children lack the sense to accurately judge distances and speeds like adults. Such miscalculations can often result in rush hour decisions at crucial times; for example, while crossing the road. Such situations can prove fatal if the crossing lacks a traffic signal and in the absence of traffic personnel. Road safety education can help children to be cautious in such situations and help them to make decisions appropriately and safely.

5 Simple Ways India Can Improve Road Safety

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Have you ever wondered why road accidents are more in India? It is a known fact that road accidents are the leading cause of deaths in India. Indian roads are a nightmare for drivers. Majority of Indian roads are in miserable condition and  during rainy season, they are completely catastrophic.

According to the 2014 survey, it was found that most of the road related deaths in India are caused by humps, speed breakers, and potholes. 11, 400 people died due to pathetic road conditions and about 4100 people died as a result of crashes on the roads undergoing repairs or construction works.

Here are the 5 simple ways by which road safety in India can be improved:

Must Read:

 30 Essential Road Safety Rules in India

1. Proper construction of roads

If the roads are constructed with space for pavements, bus bays, and smoother bends, chances for road accidents will be reduced. Ditches are a chronic problem that spoils Indian roads. They should be immediately taken care of.  This will considerably reduce the accident rates and extra expenses on road repairs.

2.   Implementation of the road safety laws

Quite often, road accidents are caused by violation of road safety rules. When rules are strictly implemented, this problem can be solved easily. Placing police officials at various points may not work every time. Instead, you can seek the aid of traffic technologies such as ticket analysers, speed guns, and breath analysers. 

3.  Monitoring of roads

When you start monitoring the roads through CCTV cameras, certain traffic violations such as violating speed limits, motorcyclists without helmets, people not following road safety rules, etc. can be reduced, as they have a feeling that they are being watched. 

Otherwise, you can replace obsolete systems with modern traffic solutions. Some of the benefits of using modern technologies in traffic are as follows:

  • Cost effective
  • Save energy and manual labour
  • Smoother operations
  • Improve road safety

4. Quick response time

Usually when an accident happens, the response time is too long, which eventually leads to the death of the victim. The system being slow and disorganized, there is a chance for more casualties.

If the CCTV cameras are integrated with intelligent solutions, traffic officials will be able to get real-time data and with that information, they can take immediate action at emergency situations. Road safety awareness can also help traffic and transportation departments to smoothly overcome the adverse situations on the road.

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5. Phone booths and health centres

Though people have smart phones in their possession, they often face network issue. Poor network is a common issue found in highways. Hence, phone booths can be of great help to people as they can quickly contact the relevant authorities, especially, in the case of accidents. 

A health centre can be constructed on highways that help you to provide first aid to accident victims before admitting them to the hospital. In addition to this, you can also arrange mobile emergency services for highways in order to reduce the road accident rates and thereby, enhance road safety.

Implementation of technology on Indian roads can help you to have a safe and smoother public transit service. Cities and suburbs are increasing in number, and so is the number of vehicles on the road. Receiving road safety education at the right time will also help to improve road safety. Road safety education must be made a part of school curriculum. Also, conducting awareness programs for people will help you to achieve the road safety goal. 

Trends in School Transportation Management

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

In the past few years, educational field has greatly been influenced by Information technology. School transportation management is an area where a number of IT companies focus on. Most of the entrepreneurs consider this as a good opportunity and thus, make innovative products to solve the school transportation issues.

Some of the key trends in school transportation management that can capture the attention in the coming years are as follows:

Recap: 

9 Qualities of a Great School Bus Transportation System

  • Route Optimization

Now, it is not difficult for us to think about organizing school bus routes, bus stops and then, allocating students to their respective bus stops. One can automatically build optimized routes, resolve the most appropriate bus stops and match students to those stops based on their addresses.

  • School Bus Tracking

Now, people are more interested in keeping track of school buses during their movement. Many schools have started implementing the school bus tracking software for effective school transportation management.

The software helps transport managers to effectively manage fleet of buses, tackle emergency situations properly and create weekly reports regarding school transportation management.

  • School Bus Attendance

Due to working hours and tight schedules, parents will have great concern about their child's safety in transportation. In order to put a stop to this worry, schools have implemented software that provides instant notifications to parents whenever their child gets on or off the school bus.

With apps like driver console drivers are able to know whether any particular child is missing from the bus. The app will have details regarding each student and their assigned stops, which help the drivers to instantly recognize them. School management, thus guarantees a secure and risk-free transportation to students.

  • Tracking App for Parents

From morning to evening, parents will be worried about their child and eagerly wait for the school bus to arrive. When there are unfavourable weather conditions, the situation gets worse. School management can tackle such situations by providing an app that enables the the parents to track their child's school bus in real time and thus, reach the bus stop in time.

Once a child boards the school bus with tracking, parents are able to see the real-time location along with route which helps them to plan accordingly. They are also able to manage more than one child with a single app.

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  • Tracking App for Transport Managers

With the help of the transport manager app, transport managers are able to have exclusive control of the school bus. App avoids even minor possibilities of accidents or mishaps that can happen in the school transportation service.

Transport managers are able to communicate with the driver whenever they feel a need for that. Using the app, they are able to schedule school bus trips easily. New pick up points can be built and assigned. Also, it is possible to update if there are any bus stop relocations.

  • Tracking App for Bus Attendant

This app includes a complete attendance management system which helps to reduce attendance flaws. Manual way of collecting attendance is usually a tedious task and is prone to errors. Each and every minute detail is considered in the attendant app.

Drivers are able to instantly get notification, along with the contact details and a picture of the child. They get exact direction of the trip and the confirmed trip paves way to trip history.

  • Live camera feed

With the help of cameras, drivers obtain live camera feed of students inside the school bus. Drivers can view this feed via their own console. This helps them to save time, thereby adding comfort, convenience and safety.

  • Geofencing

Parents as well as school authorities can restrict the movement of school bus to a particular area. They will get instant notification if at all school bus enter the restricted area. Parents can also set their own boundary by using the geofencing feature of parent app and receive alerts when the school bus approaches near to their child's pick up point.

  • Manifest Feature

Produce routine school bus passenger details like pick up details, route diagram indicating pick up location, list of students present inside the bus etc. If a student applied leave on a particular day, his pick up details will not appear in that day's stop list in the app. This saves valuable time of the driver as well as the students by not having to stop at unnecessary points. It is a useful feature that is going to be a trendsetter in the future.

These are trends that have revolutionized the school transportation management. They not only help the new drivers to have better control of the school bus, but also give parents peace of mind. With the advent of various technologies, costs for fuel can also be significantly reduced with the facility of route optimization.

30 Essential Road Safety Rules in India

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Every now and then, we come across new vehicles on the road. Hence, it is vital to know and to follow the basic road safety rules and to ensure that everyone else follow these rules too.

The road safety rules are designed to suit the best interest of the Indian citizens. In a huge country like India, it may be difficult to execute these safety rules; but, it is not impossible.

Here are 30 essential road safety rules to be followed in India:

Read Also: Driving Rules You Need To Follow In The USA

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Road Safety Rules for Children (7 to 11 Years Old)

1. Keep Left

Drive adjacent to the left side of the road and let other vehicles in the opposite direction to pass on the right hand side. 

2.  Turning Left

If you want to turn left, stay close to the left side and then, turn left. After turning, continue to stay to the left side of the road. 

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3.  Turning Right

When you want to turn right, you should first come to the centre of the road carefully and then, turn right keeping your vehicle close to the left side of the road. 

4.   Passing

Always remember to pass or overtake the vehicle in front of yours from its right side. 

5.  Passing Prohibited

Overtaking or passing a vehicle and progress in the same direction is prohibited in the following cases:

  • If overtaking or passing causes trouble to any other vehicle moving in any direction
  • Overtaking is prohibited in a curve as you may not have a clear view of the road ahead and sometimes, it may lead to serious accidents
  • It is not wise to overtake or pass if you see the other vehicle’s driver already starting to overtake your vehicle
  • If the other driver does not give a signal allowing your vehicle to overtake their vehicle

Read Also: Road Safety Rules In Australia

6.  When another Vehicle Overtakes your Vehicle

You should not try to increase your speed or do anything that prevents the other vehicle from passing or overtaking.

7.  Intersections

You should be extra cautious while approaching a junction, intersections or a crossing. Make sure that your vehicle does not cause any inconvenience to other vehicles or pedestrians.

8.   Right of Way

While approaching an intersection, always give a right of way to vehicles already progressing on that particular road. In other cases, you should proceed only after giving way to vehicles approaching from the right side of the road..

9.  Emergency Vehicles

As a road user, it is your responsibility to give way to fire service vehicles and ambulances.

10.  Pedestrians

Pedestrians have the right of way at pedestrian crossings or zebra crossings.

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11.  “U” Turns

U turns can only be taken when

  • there is no warning sign nearby
  • you give a proper indication to other vehicle drivers that you are going to take a U turn either by hand signals or vehicle indicators
  • you confirm through the mirrors that there is no traffic behind your vehicle 
  • there is no traffic around your vehicle and take U turn only when it is safe

12.  Required Signals

 If your vehicle indicators get damaged without any warning, what will you do? At this juncture, hand signals can be really helpful and hence, it is essential for you to learn them. Here are certain situations where hand signs can be used when your vehicle indicator or brakes are not in proper working condition:

  • When your vehicle is slowing down
  • When your vehicle is preparing to stop
  • When you are planning to turn right or overtake a vehicle from the right side
  • When you plan to turn left
  • When you give permission to the vehicle behind you to overtake your vehicle

13.  Indicators

By using mechanical devices or electronic devices, you can simplify the signals for indication.

14.  Parking

When you park the vehicle, make sure that it does not cause any hurdle or disturbance to any other road users.

15.  Registration

No goods or loads should be kept in a way that hinders the visibility of other vehicles, the headlamps, tail lamps or the vehicle’s registration number. If the vehicle’s registration number is some way tampered, it should be replaced immediately with a duplicate one.

16.  One way Roads

In the case of one way roads, try to drive only in the direction indicated on the road signs. Never park your vehicle in reverse on a one way street.

17.  Stop Lines

When there are stop lines on the road, ensure that you stop the vehicle behind those lines. 

18. Towing

No vehicles should be towed closer to other vehicles on the road. Some of the exceptions are:

  • Vehicles that are mechanically disabled
  • Partially assembled vehicles
  • Registered trailers and sidecars

All these vehicles are allowed to tow for the purpose of delivery, reaching the nearest service station, or garage.

19. Noise

Drivers should not:

  • Use the horn needlessly 
  • Use the horn in prohibited areas like hospital zones, school zones, etc.
  • Use horns that are blaring, irritating, or loud
  • Use vehicles that cause a lot of noise when in motion
  • Drive vehicles without proper silencers

20.  Traffic Lights and Signs

Always obey traffic signs, the instructions given by traffic officials or any other authorized person. 

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21.  Following Distance

It is better to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you since there is a chance for the vehicle to stop suddenly. When you keep sufficient distance, you will be able to avoid unnecessary hazards.

22.  Right of way on Steep Roads

When the width of the road decreases, it will be difficult for each vehicle to pass at the same time. In such cases, it is always better to stop your vehicle aside and let the other vehicle pass.

23.  Obstruction of Control

You should not allow anything that obstructs the view of the road. No one should be permitted to settle, stand, or place anything that hinders his control on the vehicle.

24.  Passing Pedestrians

Do not drive your vehicle at a speed of more than 25 km/hr, especially when you pass a procession, meeting, strike, or a march. 

25. Tractor and Goods Carriages

It is not allowed to carry passengers on a tractor. Also, drivers of good carriages should not allow more passengers than registered.

26. Loading

It is dangerous to overload vehicle with materials. There should not be anything in the loads that extend towards the front, back or rear side of the vehicle that cause inconvenience to other road users. Also, it should follow the height restrictions decided by the authorities.

27. Dangerous Materials

 It is better for a public transport service to not carry explosive, inflammable, or harmful substances as it can be dangerous to them as well as other road users.

28.  Driving in Reverse

When you take reverse, you should ensure that it does not cause annoyance to any other people on the road.

29. Essential Documents

A driver should possess the following documents while driving a vehicle: –

    a.  Driving license

    b.  Registration certificate of the vehicle

    c.  Taxation certificate

    d.  Insurance certificate

    e.  Fitness certificate

    f.  Permit

All the above documents should be produced on the demand of a police officer or any authorized person. If the documents are not with them, either the attested copies should be given to the officer directly or sent by post within 15 days. 

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30.  Additional Regulations

In addition to the rules mentioned above, the drivers should be aware about their duties, speed limits, weight limits, signals, etc. Also, they should have an idea about the consequences of driving vehicles without relevant documents, drunken driving etc.

The above mentioned rules can be very much valuable for people of all ages. These rules can make the people safe and secure on the roads. Every year, the number of vehicles on road goes on increasing; so does the importance of road safety. Hence, knowing essential road safety rules can help you and your friends from road related crisis.

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9 Qualities of a Great School Bus Transportation System

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

School bus transportation still remains the safest means of transportation for school children. It is designed and manufactured to ensure safety and protection of students. At the time of manufacturing a school bus, it should conform to a set of federal and state standards. There are certain characteristics often associated with the school bus.

 Some of the essential qualities of great school bus transportation are as follows:

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Proper Compartmentalization

School buses are constructed on the basis of the compartmentalization concept, which indeed provides a passive restraint system instead of seat belt usage. Seats are arranged higher off the ground so that the average sized opposing vehicles on the road are beneath the feet of students. 

Apart from this, compartmentalization also makes use of seats padded with energy absorbing construction covering all metal parts. Spacing is also closer when we compare it to the passenger vehicles.

Emergency Facility

There are so many escape routes in a school bus like a rear emergency door, side emergency operation windows, front service door and roof hatches designed to offer ventilation or fully open ones. Apart from that, escape should be possible through every side window. Students should be given training to use those evacuation drills in the case of emergency.

Maintenance of Discipline

Discipline is a serious issue with regard to  school transportation. Without proper discipline, drivers will not be able to give proper attention to the roads. There should be a proper set of rules and regulations for the school bus students. Installation of video cameras and regular monitoring of students can reduce issues related to their misbehavior. Drivers have a huge role to play, when it comes to maintaining discipline inside the school bus.

Installing GPS Tracker Software

Integration of GPS school bus tracking system can help the school authorities as well as parents to know the real time location of the school bus. With the help of the GPS software, the parents or school authorities are notified whenever the child boards or gets off the school bus.

Use of stop arms

Adding stop arms to the school bus transportation has always been a great idea for ensuring better safety. Whenever a school bus stops to load or unload children, stop arms will be extended from the side of the bus, giving a proper warning to the other vehicles. Use of stop arms has now become a common safety standard in most of the school transportation vehicles.

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Introducing RFID tags 

RFID tags can be introduced for improving the efficiency and safety of the school bus. The RFID School Bus Tracking System automatically sends an instant notification to parents if their child's school bus is approaching.

Proper Planning of Navigation

Proper navigation or trip planning adds to the efficiency of the school bus transportation. It helps the driver to schedule the trip in advance and thus know the whereabouts of each student at each pick up points. In case of any issues such as traffic jam, unfavorable climatic conditions etc., the drivers should have an idea about alternative routes. This will help to save time as well as to augment school bus safety.

Providing Appropriate Training to Drivers

School bus driving is indeed a risky business to handle. Minimum age for school bus drivers should be above 25 years. Usually, people aged less than 25 years are more prone to rash or careless driving. This becomes a huge threat to the safety of school children. The school bus drivers should be given training regarding rules to be followed on road and efficient management of students in the school bus. Such training should be made mandatory for every school bus driver, which would indeed give them a rough idea regarding school bus driving.

Planning Good Design for School Transportation

Extra care should be taken while designing school buses, especially in the loading and unloading areas which enable the students to safely board and exit the school bus. Non bus riders and other vehicles should not be allowed to trespass in the areas where students board or get off the school bus. The school management should provide appropriate space for drivers to safely enter and exit the school bus.

All the above qualities can make school bus transportation safe and successful. Safety is the prime criteria to be looked upon, while considering school bus transportation. If proper arrangements are made to ensure safety in a school bus, the parents will feel more confident to depend on school transportation.