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A Simple Guide to Auto Route Optimization in School Buses

Posted on January 11, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

The world we live in is no longer as safe as it used to be. Crimes, especially against young children, are on the rise. Hardly a day or two passes without any crime against children being reported.

In addition, mishaps and accidents are a threat to the lives of students. As a result, parents are worried more than ever about the well being of their school going children.

Due to this reason schools have sought the help of technology to ensure the safety of the students who use their school bus to commute to and from school.

While cameras help school authorities to keep an eye on children when they are within the campus, the tracking software enables them to ensure their safety during their trip to and back from the school. The software also enables parents to keep track of their children through their mobile devices.

As such, the aim of this post is to provide some information on school bus auto route optimization. So, let us start by understanding as to what auto route optimization actually means.

Auto Route Optimization – What Is It

Optimization of the school bus route is a process wherein the school transportation administrator generates one set of routes to ensure that all children are transported to and from school safely and on time.

Bus route optimization enables schools to reduce the number of buses and the distance to be travelled, thus contributing in saving fuel and other costs. It may not be possible to achieve this always, but it is certainly one of the important goals.

School bus routes can be optimized in many ways. A simple stop optimization could result in savings in running miles. It involves keeping the same stops on the routes and changing the order in which each stop is visited.

Another option is to observe stops on several routes and determine whether grouping them differently could result in a reduction in the distance travelled.

However, care should be taken not to overload the bus by assigning too many students in each route. Further, enough time should be allocated to buses to complete a trip.

As such, a number of components have to be considered while optimizing school bus routes. It is not an easy task to keep track of every variable in mind and manually optimize the school bus routes.

It is, therefore, best done with the help of software with built-in artificial intelligence capability. This software makes use of an algorithm to optimize the routes.

How Does School Bus Auto Route Optimization Work?

The route optimization software automatically creates routes on the basis of the specifications that the users provide. The parameters that the users may incorporate into the algorithm may include the following:

The maximum time a student should spend on the bus.
The maximum time allowed for the entire route. The starting point and destination is also taken into account in this case. The preferred pickup point in each school bus route may also be included as a parameter.
Specify the capacity.
Group the students either by school or route
Consider whether the bus should stop at each of the school in the route or at transfer points.
Choose buses to be used from the fleet.
Specify the size of the bus to be used on a specific route.

Routes are often created on the basis of the students to be included. Students may be added based on the school in which they are studying and the boundary or zone they are being transported to.

Once a route is finalized, it can be viewed on a map with each and every stop clearly marked. Reports can also be printed and reviewed. The software allows this process to run until the optimum route is determined.

The important aspect to be kept in mind is that this is just the starting point. Even after activating a route, it can be manipulated to suit the needs of the school.

What Are The Benefits Of Auto Route Optimization?

School bus operators often find it challenging to optimize the operational costs. They can reduce their costs only by optimizing their routes. The auto-routing ability of the software helps to do exactly that and derive a number of benefits. They include the following:

The built-in AI capability of the software provides auto suggestions on the most fuel-efficient routes. In addition, it carries out efficiency checks to make sure that all the current school bus routes are operating at their optimum capacity.

A lot of recorded data related to routes, pick up points, school buses and their seating capacity are made use of for the purpose. Vehicle assignments are often initiated by considering the current data collated in the registration forms.

This feature is very helpful in efficiently managing multiple pick-up points in one route. If a kid that is being picked up in a route changes location, the system comes up with a contingency plan and suggests the pickup and drop points.

The route optimization feature of the software also helps to identify the shortest route. Pick up and drop points are suggested based on the earlier points assigned. It is carried out after thorough analysis and suggests the best pick-up point for each every student in the shortest route.

The software provides school bus operators not only with feedback but also suggestions for achieving time and fuel efficiency.

The school bus auto route optimization software spares the in-charge of the efforts involved in manually allocating the routes.

It also allows the school bus drivers to drive peacefully as they are always provided with an updated route map that clearly indicates the pickup as well as drop points.

When a school wants to redistrict and implement optimize routes the software enables them to tweak the routes. Through optimization, it is possible to eliminate few trips and this allows the school to save substantial amount of money.

It is the key features of the auto route optimization that make it extremely useful: They include the following:

1. Pick up and drop points are taken into account when suggesting a route.

2. Optimizes the pickup points and improves efficiency.

3. Automatically updates the best pick-up order, hence saving time and fuel consumption.

4. Auto optimization aligns multiple pick-up points in one route to create the shortest route.

5. Centralization of data enables the determination of the shortest route to reduce the distance travelled.

6. The route optimization application automatically modifies the current seating capacity based on the number of students in a route.

7. The beauty of the system is that it automatically collects the data whenever the pickup or drop off point is modified.

9. It is also capable of suggesting alternate best routes to avoid traffic.

Finally, the software may also be employed for the purpose of generating new ideas with respect to route optimization. Using the school bus auto route optimization software it is also possible to identify new ways to cut routes and save money.

7 Tips To Improve Fuel Efficiency In School Buses

Posted on January 9, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

School fleets in the United States consume millions of gallons of fuel annually. Transportation costs make up for a large part of the expenditure and affect school budgets.

Fuel efficiency and fuel economy are, therefore, very important factors in the operation of school bus fleets. The testing of fuel economy is a complicated procedure and only effective testing methods can render accurate results.

However, fuel-efficient school buses share some important common features (in the body of the bus as well as external to it) and some of them are listed below.

1: Driver’s Behaviour

How a school bus driver steers the vehicle is the foremost factor to be considered when discussing fuel efficiency. The driving behaviour has an impact of almost 30 percent on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

Drivers who avoid sudden acceleration and excess idling have vehicles exhibiting higher fuel efficiency.

For every hour of idling of the engine, the fuel economy is known to reduce by almost 1 percent. Idling can be controlled with the help of technology.

Installing a vehicle idle shutdown timer on the bus will be helpful. This helps to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency by limiting the time that the engine remains in the idling mode.

Smooth acceleration by the drivers after ignition ensures that engine runs in the peak efficiency zone. If they operate the engine below optimum range levels, carbon build-up occurs and over time the fuel efficiency decreases.

Fuel efficiency is higher when the drivers do not hit the brakes regularly. It is important to coast whenever possible.

2: Condition of the tires

It’s a good idea to choose tires that are designed to have a longer life. This is because the normal buses are subjected to harsher bus-duty cycles.

The scrub loads of school buses tend to be higher on account of frequent starting and stopping of the bus. School buses should have tires designed to have a longer life, they should have a deeper tread.

Tires should have proper inflation. Under-inflated and over inflated tires can reduce fuel economy and lessen the lifespan of the tires

3: Synthetic Lubricants

Synthetic lubricants when used on the axle and transmission help to improve fuel economy by 1 percent. The axle lubricant when used extends drain interval.

Synthetic lubricants have a better flow at lower ambient temperatures than mineral oils and tend to be more efficient at these temperatures. However, care has to be taken not to exceed fill levels as this works to decrease fuel efficiency.

Read Also : 7 Advantages of Having a School Bus Routing Software

4: Axle Alignment

Improper alignment of the axle contributes to reduction of the fuel economy. Misalignment increases drag and tires get worn out faster. It also reduces fuel economy by 0.6 percent.

5: Proper Specifications

Fuel efficiency is heavily dependent on proper component specifications that have to be stated during the purchase of the buses. The school authorities seek the help of technical experts to specify and install the right components that would help to improve fuel efficiency.

• Selection of a fuel-efficient engine is the first step. Latest models are more fuel efficient than their pre-2007 counterparts.

• Use of the fuel economy mode in auto-transmission vehicles serves to improve fuel efficiency by up to 5 percent. Other features of auto transmission that can be used to improve fuel efficiency include the use of shift energy management/transmission retarders.

• The shift energy management systems combined with improved torque delivery in modern school fleets improve fuel efficiency. The rear axle ratio of such buses is lower and this maintains vehicle response.

6: Utilize Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)

Use of HEVs is a great way to improve fuel efficiency. These fleets provide substantial savings in fuel when compared to their non-electrical counterparts.

The fuel efficiency of HEVs is high and is improved by as much as 50 to 60 percent. The selected technology (plug-in and non-plug-in) also contributes to a small extent.

7: Convert to modern Diesel Engines

Diesel engines built in these times are cleaner than the engines built in the 1980s. Diesel is undoubtedly the most cost-effective fuel that can be used by the bus engines.

It provides better economy than other natural gas alternatives. Many of the older buses are retrofitted with the newer engines as retrofitting techniques have also improved over the years.

The modern yellow fuel efficient diesel-powered school fleets are more reliable, safe and durable; the diesel fuel provides 25 to 30 percent additional mileage which increases their fuel efficiency.

7 Common Misconceptions About Electric School Buses

Posted on January 7, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Electric school buses are very helpful in promoting a student fraternity that is much healthier. Unlike the diesel counterparts, they do not pollute the air.

Diesel school buses release extremely harmful gases into the atmosphere through the exhaust. Additionally, electric school buses present an affordable option and school districts may be able to offset their initial investment because of the operational benefits provided by them over the longer term.

The revolution is definitely underway, but it is slower in becoming popular because of the myths associated with electric school buses. Here are the 7 common misconceptions about electric school buses.

1. Electric Buses Are Expensive

Electric buses cost more than vehicles that run on conventional fuels. However, if you consider the total cost of owning an electric vehicle, they will be cheaper in the long run.

The main reason for higher costs is the batteries. The battery costs are plummeting and sooner than expected they will be cheaper than conventional fuel vehicles.

Further, the affordability of the electric bus improves as production increases due to demand. The economy of scale is what will bring down costs.

In the UK, a one-time premium is provided for buyers of electric vehicles. In the US, tax credits are extended to electric vehicle owners. Many states also offer additional subsidies. All these contribute to making electric vehicles more affordable.

2. Takes Long to Charge the Battery

The electric vehicle technology is improving continuously. The time required to charge is continuing to fall rapidly. Now, it has come down to a range of 6 to 10 hours. Ideally, batteries can be charged overnight. Batteries that are not fully depleted get charged much faster.

DC fast charging stations will be of great help for electric vehicles that need to be topped up on the go. They can be charged to their 80 percent capacity level in just about 20 minutes.

The number of fast charging public stations is on the rise. Tesla has also come out with superchargers which have the ability to increase the range between charges.

3. Power and Efficiency of Electric Vehicles Are Less

This is one of the most common misconceptions about electric vehicles. It is commonly believed that they are less efficient compared to internal combustion engines.

According to experts, electric vehicles convert nearly 59 to 62 percent of the electrical energy drawn from the grid into power at the vehicle’s wheels.

This is because the efficiency of an electric motor which ranges between 85 and 90 percent and 80 percent when the energy required recharging is taken into account. On the other hand, conventional fuel vehicles convert just about 17 to 21 percent of the energy that is stored in the fuel.

The efficiency of internal combustion engines is limited by the thermodynamic effect.

Moreover, electric motors make use of fixed-ratio gearboxes and do not have a clutch. Many electric vehicles come with motors that offer high acceleration compared to those that use fossil fuels.

It is also possible to use a “direct motor-to-wheel configuration” for electric vehicles and this helps to increase the available power. As electric vehicles are not fitted with a differential, an axle, or a transmission, their drive-train inertia is lower.

4. Driving Range of Electric Buses Is Less

The driving range of electric school buses is measured on the basis of the distance covered by them until their battery reaches the zero-charge state.

Typically, an electric bus covers 96 miles per day. If school districts want to increase the range, it can be achieved by adding another battery pack. This enables the driving range to be increased and ensure a safe, quiet, and emission-free ride to and from school for students.

According to the American School Bus Council, a conventional fuel school bus travels a distance of 12,000 miles, on average, in a year.

Assuming 190 school working days in a year, a school bus has to cover a distance of 63 miles in a day. This means that the driving range of an electric school bus is more than sufficient to fulfill the daily driving needs.

5. Operating Costs of Electric School Buses Are High

The best aspect about an electric bus is that it enables the users to save some money. One of the key benefits is the need to use fossil fuel is eliminated.

Further, electric vehicles do not require oil changes. Other maintenance costs associated with fossil fuel-powered school buses are also eliminated.

The maintenance costs of electric vehicles are expected to fall further over the next few years because of technological improvements.

Studies show that substantial savings in operating costs can be achieved by changing over to an electric school bus fleet.

Electric buses provide a whopping 82 percent reduction in fuel costs and a massive 75 percent decrease in maintenance costs per year.

In spite of the fact that the electric school buses cost at least double that of diesel-run buses, school districts can hope to save as much as $2,000 and $4,400 on fuel and maintenance costs, respectively, in a year.

6. The Batteries of Electric Vehicles Are Not Good

The evolution of the batteries is taking place at a very fast pace. It is generally believed that the batteries of electric vehicles have the same lifespan as car batteries.

However, new research shows that the lifespan of the batteries of electric vehicles is significantly longer. It is because of this reason that many manufacturers are offering up to 10 years warranty for electric vehicle batteries.

According to modest estimates, the effectiveness of the electric vehicle battery reduces only by about 15 to 25 percent. Electric-powered school buses are provided with a battery of 160 kWh rating.

It takes a charging time of eight hours. However, the fact that the battery receives 19.2 kW of charge when it runs for an hour has to be taken into account.

7. Electric Vehicles Are Not More Beneficial To the Environment

One of the biggest contributors to environmental pollution is the transportation sector. Replacing vehicles that use fossil fuel with electric vehicles can significantly reduce the greenhouse effect.

On the basis of source of electricity, the plans of the state or community to shift to renewable sources of energy, and the type of vehicle, the production of carbon dioxide from powering an electric vehicle from the grid is less than that produced when using conventional fuels to power vehicles. Charging of an electric vehicle from a renewable energy source produces nearly zero emissions.

In addition to the environmental benefits, a reduction in the use of conventional vehicles helps to improve the quality of air in urban areas and reduces traffic noise.

Final Thoughts

We hope that most of the misconceptions about electric vehicles have been clarified through this post. As can be seen from the above, changing over to operating an electric school bus fleet provides a lot of benefits to all concerned.

Challenges in School Bus Fee Collection and Remedial Options

Posted on January 4, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

The distinct yellow school buses are a very well-known and unmistakable part of school life across the globe. School buses are considered to be the safest and easiest way of transportation for students to get to and from school.

To ensure seamless functioning of this transport system, schools have to meet certain stipulations. The expense for keeping them in operation is considerable and the maintenance of the fleet is continuous. The transport fee paid by the students is the main contributor to keeping this system functional.

Pay Your School Bus Fee in a Single Touch Click Here To Learn More

Collection of this fee from each student is not a simple task, though it seems easy enough at first glance. Challenges faced by the school in the collection of bus or transport fees are varied.

Providing easy and convenient methods of payment to parents helps the school authorities in the regular collection of fees. Schools have traditional accounting systems with personnel appointed in-house to collect fees from parents of bus users.

In addition to this, modern age tools like online payments, bank transfers, credit and debit cards, preloaded swipe cards and the like also facilitate payment with ease.

Non-payment of School Bus Fees – Common Causes

Fee Defaults occur due to various reasons – loss of employment of the parent, a sluggish economy, seasonal trade, bad planning, or plain old forgetfulness.

All of the above can be remedied by timely reminders and follow-up by the school administration staff in charge of fee collections, with a few extreme cases where the higher school faculty will need to be enlisted for assistance.
Loss of employment of the parent is one of the major reasons for defaulting on fees payment. A re-prioritization of their budget very often puts the school bus fees on the lowest rung.

Long drawn out litigations involving considerable amounts in legal fees and unexpected medical expenses incurred are other factors that topple an otherwise normal budget at students’ homes.
Deterioration in family relationships like parents’ divorce is another factor. They blame each other and are undecided on the responsibility of their wards expenses. This ends up in not making the payment.

These and many other reasons can be attributed to non-payment of the fee by the parents. This being a very sensitive matter, the school authorities need to approach this problem with caution, patience and understanding. This can be tackled in different ways.

Communicate with Guardians

Communication with the parents is of utmost importance. It would be wise to send them a reminder a little before the fee due date. Sometimes the parent forgets to make the payment due to daily workplace pressures.

So a reminder would be of real help. Reminders could be sent through e-mails, text messaging, SMS alerts, letters and personal phone calls over and above the age-old use of the ‘student diary’.

In addition to this, the school authorities can ask parent to come to the school for a one-on-one explanation. This is seen to be very effective as the school can actually assess the parents’ distress and offer help as the situation may warrant.

Offer Tailor-made Solutions

Financial difficulties faced can be temporary in nature. An assessment of the parent’s status in case of fee payment would be appropriate before the school decides to offer payment plans. Some of the other factors that may be considered before offering any tailor-made payment options are:

•    Number of evasion
•    Possibility of the parents recovering from their current financial predicament
•    Recovery of the fees in an amicable manner

In case of first-time defaulters, the school can chalk out a plan wherein the due amount can be paid in a single installment.

This may entail giving a discount on the total amount owed if they agree to pay, but will ensure receipt of a major portion rather than receiving nothing at all.

If this doesn’t seem favorable, a suggestion to clear the entire dues in installments over a fixed period of time can be offered.

A regular evasion may have to be dealt with in a more stringent manner. Students may be restricted from entering buses after all the due notices are given to parents.

Some schools prevent students from participating in sports, athletics, games and other extra-curricular activities. It is a ‘no pay, no play’ policy.

Schools withhold reports and results till all the dues are cleared. Students, thus penalized, consequently put pressure on their parents to make payments.

These actions, since being done in front of peers, may affect students psychologically and should be weighed seriously before enforcement.

Co-ordination and cohesion are required between the transport department and the school authorities if these measures are to be adopted. Such decisions are usually taken by more senior members of the school faculty or administration.

Read Also : Should Parents Pay for School Buses?

Other Methods

In countries and states where a transfer certificate is not insisted, parents tend to shift their wards to other schools to evade paying any and all pending dues. Making these documents mandatory will force them to clear their outstanding dues.

If these methods do not work, then the school can seek legal assistance. It may be a long drawn process, but recovery of amount is beneficial to the school bus operations.

A sure way to ensure zero outstanding on fees is to link them to the parent/guardian’s credit card with automatic payment transfers on each due dates. In this manner when an invoice is raised by the school’s accounting system, it will be paid immediately by a transfer from the pre-assigned credit card.

It would be prudent to obtain a bus enrolment contract signed by each parent. The contract with legally enforceable terms and conditions should be in place at the start of the academic year.

Conclusion

There is no strategy that works perfectly. Parents and school authorities have to work out a compassionate system wherein bad debts can be reduced, and losses minimized so that a viable school transport system is still available to the majority of the school bus users.

School Bus Routing Problems – How To Tackle Them

Posted on December 31, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The school transportation system caters to the safe transportation of students in buses to and back from school.

Though the operation of the vehicle fleet seems simple, it is complicated and requires immense efforts of the school authorities to run it smoothly. Routing of the school bus is a major factor in maintaining operational efficiency.

School buses have to be routed in an effective manner so that the students are picked up and dropped off on their respective stops.

Challenges

School bus routing is a challenge which is faced by the school administration. On one hand, the students have to be transported in minimal travel time; on the other hand, school authorities have to ensure maximum utilization of the bus, keeping the expenses to a minimum.

Schools schedule bus routes taking into consideration the number of students at different bus stops, the number of buses available, and the total travel time required to reach students to and from school.

Safe transportation of pupils is a crucial factor. The parents expect high service levels which often require more buses for smaller groups of pupils.

Simultaneously, the school has to ensure safe and short walking distances to the bus-stops and timely pickup and short travel times for students. Buses have to be routed so as to avoid circuitous routes and dangerous areas.

They have to avoid over-crowding of buses and extensive use of the fleet. The objective is to minimize total transportation costs. Providing high levels of service often end in higher expenses thus defeating the objective.

Success lies in gathering the right and accurate data and using the same to enhance the efficiency of the transportation system. Route packaging, time and capacity utilization are fundamental for arriving at an optimal solution.

Tackling Challenges: The Options Available

The increase in demand for school buses and the associated issues in routing and scheduling have led to a number of studies on school bus routing problems.

Routing is done manually by the transport staff at schools and also done using mathematical models and algorithmic derivations. Though these models have helped in reducing time and expenses, there is no single model that gives a clear-cut solution to this problem.

It is a combination of facts, assumptions and constraints of school resources that can be used to achieve the best results.

In all models, manual or otherwise, the objective of the school bus routing problem is to minimize the total travel distance or travel time, the total number of trips, total cost including purchase and operation costs. Most of the models are based on the following criteria:

Bus Stop Selection

The school decides the jurisdiction within which the school buses need to ply. Districts are divided into zones for the ease of routing. Bus stops are located considering minimal walking distance from their homes.

Students from a cluster of near-by bus stops are allocated a specific bus. Some of the stops have more students, requiring more than one bus to be assigned to the same bus-stops. Assignment of students to buses depends solely on the capacity of the buses.

Bus Routing

Identification of the best bus routes is the next step. Efficient routes for the fleet of school buses are charted out to pick up and drop students from each assigned bus stop.

This is based on the capacity of each bus and also the minimal travel time between the bus stops. The generated routes consider the start and destination points as the school and vice versa after school.

At times a single route is created through all stops. This route is then divided into feasible shorter routes, taking into consideration the bus capacity and travel time constraints.

Urban areas, where there are more pupils, will require more buses. Small buses can be routed to rural areas where the number of pupils is less but the distances are more. This will keep the operational costs low.

Bus Scheduling

Feasible bus schedules are worked out once student assignment and routing of buses are done. During scheduling, buses are assigned specific routes.

While scheduling, minimizing the travel time is of prime consideration. The drivers are given the expected travel time, i.e., time of arrival and departure from school as well as the time at each bus stop.

The main concern of school bus providers is during the ride time for students. Drivers have to be given ample training and should be familiarized with the route before they begin service. They have to be apprised of alternate routes in the event of road accidents and traffic snarls.

We thus find that school bus planning is mainly divided into routing and scheduling. These two steps are interconnected. In routing, we find the minimal number of trips often neglecting trip travel times.

When travel times are kept to a minimum in scheduling it often leads to an increase in the number of buses. A good solution would be one which minimizes total travel time and maximizes trip compatibility.

Conclusion

Assigning, routing and scheduling are interconnected and hence should be solved in an integrated manner.

Traffic congestions, accidents and bad weather cause unpredicted delays. Travel time in real-life conditions becomes uncertain.

Cost-effective solutions can be implemented in real time situations when breakdowns occur or when students shift residences or leave the school.

Why School Bus is the Safest Mode of Transportation

Posted on December 28, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School buses are the safest means of transportation for students to get to school and back. Millions of children all around the world start and end their day with a trip on a school bus. Safety of the children on these trips is of utmost concern to both the school authorities as well as parents.

Children get to school by walking, bicycling or parents drop them or by school bus.

Comparison studies with other modes of transport conclude that school buses are seven times safer than average family cars. Studies have calculated student injury and death rates per mile and per trip. Risks of each mode of transportation have been analyzed.

The highest number of accidents and deaths were recorded where teen drivers were involved.Studies showed that the fatality rate of travelling in a vehicle driven by a teenager was 44 times more than riding on a school bus.

The second most dangerous form of transport was bicycling where serious head injuries were caused mainly because of not wearing helmets. School buses accounted for minimal accidents and student death rates.

The sheer size of the bus, its vibrant yellow color, and additional safety features like seat-belts, stop signs, big mirrors and flashing lights ensure that students are in safe hands while travelling by the school bus.

School Bus – Safety Features

The special safety features of a school bus as compared to normal passenger buses include both physical and technological changes. Some of them are listed below.

School buses worldwide are painted a bright yellow color for better visibility. The yellow color is visible even in bad weather conditions. It helps the other drivers and pedestrians to recognize the school bus and take extra caution when near them.
School buses are larger and heavier than normal passenger buses. The buses have a height which is above the top of any car. This reduces the effect of any impact on passengers due to accidents.
The first step into the bus is designed to be low and retractable. This helps the students to alight the bus with ease and reduces accidental falls.
Anti-skid flooring is provided in the buses to avoid slipping during wet weather conditions.
Strap handles are provided along the rail overhead for extra grip while moving inside the bus.
The buses are provided with stop arms that signal the traffic to come to a halt. This is an indication that students are either getting on or off the bus. Flashlights too are provided to alert the traffic at the stop.
Individual seat belts are provided on all school buses to keep children safe. In large buses these days the seats are constructed in a way that seat belts are not required.
This is called compartmentalization. Seats are structured like compartments which bend forward on impact. The bus seats are higher, thicker and wider. Metal surfaces are covered with padding. They are designed to absorb force in the event of a crash, thereby protecting the children.
First-aid kits are provided in the buses to take care of emergencies.
Speed governors are installed in school buses to limit the speed within a prescribed range. Theyact as a check on the driver, preventing him from over-speeding. Low speeds further reduce the likelihood of casualties in the event of a crash.
The GPS (Global Positioning System) in the school buses enables the driver to stay on the safest route. This is of immense help to the parents in knowing where and when the bus has reached. The school too is updated on the progress of the school bus on the designated route.
The RFID system installed on the school bus records the entry and exit of the students on the bus. The parents and school get a real-time update of where their wards are, whether they have boarded or departed from the bus. The school authorities can keep track of any missing student.
Video cameras are installed in the bus to monitor the behavior of students while riding. Speaker systems in the buses are used by the driver or school authorities to inform the students of any impending danger or traffic anomalies.
School bus drivers are hired meticulously to meet higher standards of consistency and safety as compared to other passenger vehicle drivers.
They are well experienced and mature personnel. They attend safety and first aid training workshops. Periodic medical check-ups are mandatory for drivers.
Schools conduct evacuation drills for students who use the school buses at least twice a year. Students are taught to identify emergency exits and how to open them.

Advantages:

A big school bus normally accommodates 45-50 students. This ensures a large number of cars off the road which in turn reduces pollution and traffic congestion. The new buses are fitted with the latest emission control engines which adhere to the concept of a green environment.

Breakdown of the school bus will be the responsibility of the school. They will arrange for repairs or a replacement bus so that the students can arrive in school on time.

The GPS and RFID systems help in alleviating parental stress to a large extent.

Limitations:

Like in any form of transportation, accidents are inevitable on school buses too. Children can be injured when riding the bus, getting on or off the bus, or even when standing near the bus.

Accidents while on the bus are caused due to crashes with other vehicles. These types of accidents are minimal. Considering the size of the bus, the injuries caused to students in the buses are normally confined to minor sprains, bruises, scratches, etc.

Reports and studies have shown that most accidents occur while getting off the buses. This happens when the students do not follow the rules while alighting, when they are hit by the school bus itself, or when other motorists fail to observe traffic rules.

Though compartmentalized seats provide protection in the eventof a collision, children can still be tossed around during an accident, causing injuries. Commonly, injuries are caused to the head, neck and shoulders when an accident occurs.

Seat belts do not guarantee total protection. Enforcing the use of seat belts is difficult. They require high maintenance in order to keep them clean and in good working condition. They need to be adjusted for each child. Smaller children may also require chest or lap harnesses.

Conclusion

School buses are the perfect fit for students to enjoy a safe and comfortable journey from and to the school. Statistics show that a child is 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking the school bus rather than when travelling in a car.

The student death rate is less than 1% of the total traffic fatalities. This is because the school buses are designed to be safer than other vehicles.

Children also need to be responsible enough to stay alert and aware of their surroundings to prevent accidents and injuries.Schools urge parents to teach their children to follow the safety rules and to maintain discipline while riding a bus.

School Students Using Public Transportation – Pros and Cons

Posted on December 24, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The decision to send our kids through public transportation (buses/trains) is, at the outset, a simple one. Most parents would, if they had infinite time and money, choose to drop them off themselves.

Sadly though, this is not the case for a large majority. With limited time and money, juggling responsibilities, they do a cost-benefit analysis. Interestingly enough, these are not the only reasons why the decision is taken.

While the alternatives to public transportation include the children cycling or walking to schools themselves, we will be primarily concerned with private cars (including carpooling) as the choice of public transportation, by default, assuming that there is some distance to be covered to reach the school.

Pros of Using Public Transportation

Minimum ambiguity, Maximum discipline

There won’t be any last minute dashes due to a parent’s hectic schedule. There is a scheduled stop at a scheduled time and the child needs to be there.

If the child doesn’t reach the stop on time, he/she will have to wait for the next bus. Through trial and error, the child knows for certain which bus she needs to catch.

A Multitude of Choices

The child has several choices for spending his/her time. From enjoying the solitude to making friends and spending time with them, to spending time reading or studying, the child makes the time of his/her own.

A Question of Friendship

Studies have shown that the adults who have close long-term friendships do better than their less social counterparts. This is especially important as the age when the child is attending middle school and/or high school is when intimate friendships are most often born.

Public transportation provides space for socialization and making friends with other children through frequent and regular interactions.

A Dollar Saved is a Dollar Earned

Several families have significant financial constraints. Public transportation is a (relatively) safe option for them to send their kids to school. This becomes even more important if their neighbours are sending their kids to the same school through the same means.

Stronger, Faster, Fitter

While this can’t be compared to children walking or cycling to school, children who travel to school via some mode of public transportation are fitter. This is shown through studies which reveal that public transit users, on average, take 30% more steps per day.

A Question of Responsibility

Children who use public transport to go to school tend to become more independent and responsible at an earlier age than their peers. While public transportation may lead to nervousness among the parents, this quickly disappears as the child learns and demonstrates responsibility.

A Benefit to Society

Apart from the increased car traffic and pollution and all the negatives that go with it, it has been seen that children who use public transit systems to get to school develop a healthy appreciation for public transport facilities.

And they have a greater tendency to use as well as support its use through adulthood. This is especially important to those areas where the public transport system is weak and needs to be strengthened.

Cons of Using Public Transportation

Safety – The Primary Concern

While there are several benefits to public transportation, it cannot be denied that there is one area where private transport trumps it; by a fair way.

And this, in the opinion of many parents, is their single most important concern. This is especially true in difficult neighbourhoods. And while using public transit is certainly safer than walking to school, it doesn’t beat the family car in this respect.

Harassment and Negative Experiences

Closely related to the above mentioned one, avoiding being bullied or harassed – and not having a proper channel to address it is an important factor for parents in choosing not to send their child through public transportation.

Children may also get traumatised by events they are not part of, but simply witness. Given these circumstances, in areas where public transportation is the only option, parents may choose to send their children to a suboptimal school as a result.

Sharing is Caring

The primary reason for preferring private transportation to public transportation is that of safety. Parents often compromise due to the difficulty in taking children to their school amidst their own hectic schedules.

This is true especially when both parents are working. This can be mitigated by carpools, where parents of different children alternate the responsibility of taking them to school.

The Hour Expands

Taking public transportation inevitably means that the child needs to spend more time in transit. From walking to their stop to wait for the bus to the longer routes (that have to be) taken by the bus; and back again while returning home.

This is more prominently seen for high schools, which are generally further away. This is a concern both with respect to time as well as safety.

Discomfort and Overcrowding

Most schools start and end around the same time. So, when a bus comes along, it is possible that it may be overcrowded. And this makes for a negative experience for the child, which they may not be able to handle. This effect is even more prominent while returning home.

Differing Standards

A study indicated that among children between the ages of 9 and 13, only 6% play outside a given week. At a time when parents are overprotective about their children, can we reasonably expect the children to be able to handle themselves in public settings?

With unfamiliar people? In a crowd? And then there’s the question of personality. Do they get anxious? Under difficult circumstances, will they be able to call the parent and communicate with them?

So there you have it. Why you should rely on public transportation for your children’s school travel. And why you shouldn’t. Priorities and personal preferences play a big role. But we hope this will help you make a more considered decision.

Futuristic School Bus Transportation

Posted on December 17, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Future school buses are the one that combines technological features such as onboard Wi-Fi, telematics, camera, Global Positioning System, driver support tools, etc.

This is a versatile transport solution, which is a typical example of the Internet of Things (IoT) of today, combines security, safety, and network access while on the road.

These facilities accrue as benefits to students, fleet staff, school staff and the parents. Let us see what the benefits of future school bus are and how they are different from normal buses.

1. Bridge the digital gap of the underprivileged

Many American homes which have low income still do not the means to access a hi-speed broadband Internet connection. Many children from low-income households are thus unable to complete their daily homework assignments.

When school buses are equipped with Wi-Fi, it helps these and other students complete their homework while on a long ride back home.

In addition to helping students, parked connected school buses can double up as Wi-Fi hotspots offers internet access to the underprivileged when they are not carrying students. These buses can also find places in the case when schools sponsor programs or organize fundraisers.

The same wireless access as is on the campus is made available in the bus. Therefore the same web filtering rules are on and no dangerous content can be streamed.

A normal bus, on the other hand, does not offer this advantage. Though the fare may be less, other expenses such as Internet access costs through other means and associated costs may compensate for the savings made.

Moreover, the student travelling by a normal bus is denied access to information as compared to other students that travel in next generation school buses and therefore loses out on many related counts.

2. Anywhere learning is possible

A student travelling in the next generation bus is able to access learning management systems while on the road. They are able to chat with their teachers and mentors, check their grades, view their assignments, Moreover, the student can reach out and access Google Classroom to view and download or upload their homework.

This learning for students is not limited to those who attend classes and do the homework. Connected school buses help sports students to catch up with their missed lessons.

The greatest advantage here is that when such students travel on the normal bus they stand a great chance of losing their sleep hours.

A connected bus helps the students to get home and catch up with their sleep or attend to their part-time jobs or pursue other extracurricular activities with ease.

Another interesting example is the instance of Lockheed Martin creating the first ever immersive virtual reality vehicle, meaning it provides the students with a virtual reality experience on the way back home. The Mars Experience Bus was their one such creation.

For bus commutes that last for more than 45 minutes, instructors can present class lessons to the students in a remote fashion instead of extending the school timings. Travel in normal buses would deprive children and the tutors of this facility.

3. Smart video surveillance enhances safety

Untoward incidents that threaten the safety of children travelling to school in normal buses many a time go unnoticed. However, connected buses with smart video surveillance can be used to improve passenger safety and also aids in monitoring the student and driver behavior in real time.

Authorities can watch a live and real-time video that is being recorded in the bus. The surveillance system would monitor both the exterior and interior of the bus. Two-way audio facilities allow the authorities to act fast in case of unexpected emergencies.

A reckless driver can be tamed, both the bus driver and other civilian drivers that drive past the flashing lights of the school bus.

Normal buses’ drivers can travel at the speed they want and there can be no control whatsoever on the unruly behavior of the drivers. The passengers usually bear the brunt of such behavior.

4. Provide timely information to parents

The parents are allowed to have more visibility when their children travel on these school buses. They get information in real time telling them if the bus will be on time or delayed to reach a specified bus stop.

This is a big plus during winter days when the driver has to deal with ice and snow on the roads and suffers freezing temperatures.

GPS helps the system track the buses in real time and alerts authorities if the bus strays from the normally prescribed route or if the bus faces a breakdown.

The exact spot is notified via alerts through integration to social media. The authorities can enable geo-fencing, and even proactively monitor the maintenance of the school bus.

When children travel in normal buses, parents sometimes wait for hours on end at the bus stop and what it means is a colossal waste of resources. Sometimes children wait outside in the cold for hours if the bus is delayed.

5. Relay back maintenance issues in a timely manner

Futuristic school buses have the technology to relay back relevant information about the bus status to the concerned authorities.

Examples of variables that can be conveyed back are fuel economy, tire pressure, and engine fault codes. The authorities can then decide if the engine of the bus is running at its peak performance values.

Preventive maintenance action is made possible with these actions. The ultimate results are that costs are lowered and expulsions of gases that affect the environment negatively are reduced.

A normal bus would just end up breaking down suddenly in a majority of cases. This would mean upset of normal routines and eventually end up in unplanned extra costs.

6. Help to make up the academic shortfall of the country

According to statistics, students in the United States are academically behind students of many other nations. Therefore, it is a good idea to increase students’ access to resources via these buses. This would only serve to increase their intellectual awareness.

7. Improve the behavior of the students

Some students with behavioral issues many a time require a distraction that would keep them calm.

Wi-Fi in a connected bus is an educational distraction that would hold their attention. They would keep away from distraction the other children or even the bus driver.

Those children travelling on a normal bus can give vent to their feelings in any manner that they want to and there is no tether for this.

Conclusion

The true value of this kind of transport solution is the integration of the wireless, telematics, security, camera and other components which turn this into one single powerful platform. The uses are nearly unlimited.

Benefits of Using School Bus Contractor (Reasons Included)

Posted on December 14, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

In many school districts, outsourcing of school transportation to private contractors has been found to be working very well. Control over school bus contractors is maintained by clearly specifying the terms in the agreement.

School administrations that have contracted school transportation to private parties have been able to focus more on their core function which is education.

Read Also : How to Manage School Transport Effectively

There are many reasons as to why school administrations consider arranging contracted transportation for students. They include:

Aging of the fleet being operated by schools and non-availability of funds to upgrade the fleet.
Regulations related to new equipment, safety, and environmental innovations make it necessary to acquire new buses, but it may not be possible for the district to keep changing the fleet rapidly.
Over time, the increase in transportation costs has outpaced funding.
Economies of scale may not be available always and costs may be out of line even for similar districts.
System inefficiencies have often contributed to stretching of resources and difficulties in scheduling.
State, federal, or administrative changes and unexpected extra responsibilities such as redistricting, parental choice rights, and interdistrict magnet school additions, among others, pose challenges to the system.
Administrative headaches such as dealing with parents, drug/alcohol testing, employee absenteeism, and mandated paperwork call for the investment of a great deal of time and attention.

Benefits of Using a School Bus Contractor

Outsourcing of school bus transportation work to private contractors helps to all of the problems listed. Therefore, outsourcing offers several benefits:
The primary focus of private contractors is pupil transportation. It is their main business. They will ensure that the school bus service they provide is efficient and cost-effective.

This is the only way they can benefit from their business. Of course, they have to ensure the highest levels of reliability and safety as they are transporting students to and from school. The expertise of schools is in imparting education, while that of private school bus operators is providing transportation.
Contracting enables schools to avoid issues associated with finding funds for making capital investments.

This is because the contractors are responsible for upgrading or replacing the aging buses with new ones. Further, the contract bus operators are responsible for maintaining the fleet in top operating condition.
Schools can exercise better control over transportation costs and predict the expenses accurately throughout the terms of the contract. This, in turn, protects the wages and benefits of current employees.
Contractors have proven expertise and experience in planning, scheduling, and routing and this helps them to provide efficient service at lower costs. Moreover, they are better equipped to benefit from economies of scale, shared facilities, coordinated services, and dedicated personnel.
Schools can free themselves from management headaches such as driver absenteeism, discipline, drug testing, and statutory compliance, among many others.
Private school bus operators are expected to maintain the safety standards of their fleet and satisfy training requirements of their drivers as stipulated by law. Many schools are able to provide only a minimum amount of training often because of resource constraints.
Schools are under a lot of pressure to ensure competitiveness and achieve economic benefits for their survival. Statistics reveal that contracting the student transportation responsibility to private contractors helps schools save, on average, anywhere from 10 to 30 percent on their expenditure.
Parents are often busy, especially if both of them are employed. They will be very happy if the school bus service being used by their children is reliable, efficient and safe.

It helps them to keep the worry of their children going to and coming back from school on a daily basis. A reliable school bus contractor can be a great help for parents. If the parents are happy and healthy, the students will also be happy and healthy.
Schools that engage experienced, trusted and market-leading private contractors for providing school bus service are actually making it clear to existing and prospective parents that they are committed to delivering first-class and safe student services.
Schools that choose to provide school transport services through contractors are actually contributing to the community's wellbeing by reducing congestion and emissions, improving road safety around schools at the pick-up and drop-off times, and lowering fuel consumption and valuable natural resources.

Final Thoughts

Schools that have engaged private transportation operations have been able to save a lot of money every year. They have utilized the money saved in enhancing their educational programs and prevent teacher layoffs.

7 Advantages of Having a School Bus Routing Software

Posted on December 12, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

The ultimate aim of a school transportation system is to ensure that the students come to school and get back to home in a safe manner. Technology has always helped human beings solve many of their problems since the personal computer revolution in the 1980s.

Advances in the field of wireless communication have also contributed a great deal towards developing solutions to vexing problems. Now, the software may not be able to solve all the problems, but it can definitely help schools in alleviating school bus routing challenges.

Schools can add school bus routing software module to reap a lot of benefits. Here are some of them:

Also Read : How School Bus Routing Software Enhance School Transportation

1. Cost Savings

Modern school bus routing software allows schools to save a significant amount of money across various aspects related to their bus operations. They include the following:

A substantial reduction in route sizes, theoretically to the extent of being in a position to cut an entire vehicle depending on the situation.
A great deal of savings in fuel costs across all of the school’s vehicles.
A shorter route contributes to reducing the wear and tear of the vehicles and extends their lifespan.
The collection and analysis of data at a central point enable school authorities to track and spot trends easily. This, in turn, allows them to sort out small issues such as reduced fuel efficiency. The warning signals help them to tackle the problems and devise solutions before they turn into difficult-to-handle headaches.
The driver tracking capability of the software allows schools authorities to easily identify the best and most cost-conscious drivers.

2. Planning

Another area in which the school bus routing software could make significant contributions is future planning. The integration of school bus routes into the redistricting process was generally being done as an afterthought because of the difficulty in quickly implementing large-scale changes.

Now, the availability of the school bus routing software makes it easier for the schools to manage their transportation changes up front along with the redistricting plan.

Schools can generate number of hypothetical route maps with the help of the software and identify the best routes, in line with redistricting plans, and make optimum routing recommendations in a timely manner to achieve great cost benefits.

The software helps to map the impact of changes in routes and clearly work out the costs involved. This helps the schools to choose the best routes that provide the desired cost benefits.

Similarly, the bus routing software also helps to ease the process of school closings. It has the potential to quickly redistribute the load across the remaining schools and thereby keep the costs incurred at the lowest possible levels.

3. Map Generation

It is not an easy task to draw a school bus route map by hand. Schools and districts that are not moving in tandem with technological change would have to make the concerned staff members to spend a great deal of time during their summer holidays moving strings and pushpins across maps in order to decide the best routes for the upcoming school year.

Moreover, the routes have to be changed during the midst of a semester due to the student movement.

The school bus routing software provides solutions in a matter of minutes, saving authorities months of manual work. All that the authorities have to do is feed database with the addresses of students and their needs and other required information.

The bus routing software will analyze several millions of possible routes within minutes and plot out the most optimum routes. The software can perform this analysis number of times and create hypothetical maps or optimize routes based on the school’s requirements or priorities.

4. Substitute Drivers

The requirement of substitute driver is dependent on the availability of the number of regular drivers. This is because drivers fall sick, go on a vacation, and have to deal with personal issues.

The school bus software’s optimization feature enables authorities to quickly find a substitute driver when one of the regular drivers is absent due to any of the reasons mentioned above. In this situation, the aspects to be considered are whether the driver has a license, knowledge of the routes, and experience in driving in those routes.

5. School Calendars

Timings, sessions, and holidays vary from one school to another. For example, the timings of public and private schools are not the same.

School bus routing software integrated with school calendars will be of great help in determining the best routes for specific days when only the public or schools is closed or working.

Some advantages of using the routing software in this respect would be as follows:

Identifies alternative routes depending on whether the private or public schools are working or closed.
Drivers will be informed of the routes well in advance.
Alerts can be sent to students and their parents to notify the changes instantaneously.

6. Real-time Weather Alerts

When changes in weather conditions causes damages to roads and make travelling on those roads risky, the software determines alternate routes so that students can be transported safely to and from the school.

The best part is that the software allows alerts regarding a change in route to be sent in real time, making things easy for students and their parents.

7. Driver License

School bus drivers are expected to keep their licenses valid all the time. The school bus routing software provides alerts when renewal is due for each driver as applicable. This enables authorities to avoid issues related to non-availability of drivers because of the expiry of their license validity.

Further, the software also enables driver background checks including criminal activities and child abuse, among others. Finally, the software can also be employed for implementing preventive and scheduled bus maintenance procedures so that it is possible to ensure that the buses are in good running condition.

Conclusion

This is not an exhaustive list of advantages that school bus routing software can provide. There are many other indirect benefits as well.

All said and done, the routing software is an invaluable tool for district and school administration authorities as it enables to improve operational efficiency and send customized alerts to students, and more importantly to parents so that they can safely and confidently go to and come back from their schools.