Category: General

Top 15 School Bus Tracking Apps in 2022

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School bus tracking systems make use of GPS, RFID, mobile apps, and Internet technologies. In fact, tracker apps are also very helpful in reducing not only the anxiety of parents but also that of the school authorities.

As such, it is important that concerned authorities install a school bus app to primarily ensure the safety of children and peace of mind for parents. Of course, the security and privacy norms have to be strictly adhered to prevent misuse or breach of data.

There are a number of school bus tracking apps that enable school administrators and parents to be continuously updated on the whereabouts of the children. In this post we have listed the top 15 School bus tracking apps of 2019, they are

1. Track School Bus

An excellent app which enables communication between parents, administrators, and drivers, it has interesting features such as video surveillance and a fleet manager module. 

This app stands out because it offers a lot of functions. It is priced much lower than that of competitor programs. The app offers access to the administrators, parents, fleet managers, drivers, and school administrators.

The track school bus app provides parents with more control as they can contact school authorities or the bus drivers to inform about the absence of their child.

They can also change the pick-up and drop off points at any time. Further, they can track attendance, timings, bus-stops, and speed of the bus.

The administrators can also communicate with drivers and parents as frequently as they want. They have access to the database that contains information such as students in each bus, route map with all stops, etc.

On the other hand, the school bus drivers have access to the modules that provide information such as students in each bus, bus stops in each route, the speed of the bus, and those that enable them to send/receive communications to and from parents.

The audio system installed in the bus can be linked to the app to make announcements. Moreover, video surveillance enables the driver to check student behavior in the bus.

Transport managers are also benefitted because of this app. It allows them to monitor all the buses in the fleet, re-organize routes, and be able to communicate with the drivers. In addition, they receive notifications regarding traffic congestions and accidents.

School-Transport-Software--Ensure-enhanced-student-safety

2. Buswhere

This school bus app is not only easy to set up but also to use. It automatically tracks the school buses when the routes are changed. The app provides parents with detailed information as regards the school bus and routes, all with the help of an interactive map.

Further, parents are alerted as the bus nears the stop. They are notified if there is a change in route or the time of arrival at the stop. This reliable app helps a great deal in reducing the workload of the school staff.

School and vehicle administrators are given access to the Fleet Map. This map gives the administrators detailed information about factors such as fuel levels, current speed and location, and the current route of the bus.

3. Treker

This app is designed to function like a communication tool that can be used by the driver of the bus, the parents and the school administrators.  The parents get to know the time when the child is boarded or alighted from the bus, the time of departure of the bus and its arrival times.

The portal for school administrators helps them to track the bus location and view every bus stop on a map. They can send alerts to parents in case of emergencies. Drivers’ portal which contains student lists with all details.

The app provides a beacon for students using Bluetooth (BLE). This is useful in letting administrators, parents, and drivers know as to when a student enters or exits the bus.

The information transmitted to and from the beacon is secure and encrypted to prevent unauthorized persons from boarding the bus, ensuring high levels of security.

4. Here Comes The Bus

This is a very popular app when it comes to school bus location sharing. This platform has two main sections. The basic section gives information to parents about the bus location and actual time of its arrival or departure.

 The second is the Student Ridership section which tracks whether the student is present inside the bus and the stop at which they entered/exited the bus. This is accomplished through RFID or barcode readers.

Students’ ID cards are scanned during boarding and descending. The GPS device pinpoints the exact location and notifies the school and parents in case of an anomaly.

5. Tripspark Education

This School Bus Transport Software package (K-12) is a school bus location sharing program. This software platform provides scheduling and routing solutions with the help of a calendar for better efficiency.

Another feature of this software is that it records student absence and accordingly suspends transportation for the period of absence. K-12 is programmed to treat students with special needs in a safe and careful manner and routes them so that they are required to spend only less time on the bus.

6. Ubica Bus

This application comes with an array of features that help parents track the school bus. They will be alerted at the time of pick-ups and drop-offs. School announcements are sent directly to parents.

GPS tracking, route optimization, distance, and time are some of the aspects that help school administrators to manage the fleet of buses they operate. Tracking of student attendance, driver timesheets, and video surveillance greatly help to reduce the man-hours required for school bus fleet management.

Another interesting feature offered by this app is that it allows a Wi-Fi router to be fitted to each school bus. The availability of the Internet while commuting in the school bus can be very exciting to the students and this can lead to more children opting to use the school buses.

7. School Bus Tracker

In addition to the main feature of providing real-time GPS location of buses, the app also serves as a tool to send children’s school reports to parents.

In addition, it allows parents to request last minute changes to the time of pick up and drop off. Drivers receive notification if the child is sick and can re-route the school along the way if required.

8. Trace School Bus

Trace School Bus has many different portals that can be used by the school, parents, and drivers. The platform for schools allows for comprehensive monitoring of the entire system and communication with the guardians.

Parents get real-time updates on bus locations and can know when a bus will arrive at the specified stop. The driver app helps to communicate with administrators and also gives them information about the routes

9. Bus Tracking System from Applane

This software package comes with a number of features. A powerful parent app provides the location of the bus, displays pick up and drop timings, and enables communication with the drivers.

This allows for picking up or dropping off a child at the next closest stop if required. Integration using RFID enables parents to track their wards’ attendance.

The CCTV integrated into the system helps to keep a check on student discipline and on driver behavior. Administrators receive notifications in emergency situations

10. Smart-School-Bus-Tracking from ADCC

This app offers real-time bus location features that help parents and forms a powerful communication platform for bus drivers.

Parents get to view the route being followed by the bus, driver details, starting time and ending time of trips, and vehicle speed, among other things.

The module meant for administrators can send automated alerts if the bus driver violates traffic rules.

The app enables all the buses of the fleet to be surveyed at all times and routes followed can be viewed using an interactive diagram.

Drivers receive detailed instructions for each and every route. Further, they can report student misbehavior by capturing live photographs and sending them directly to administrators

11. MyBusVue

The MyBusVue school bus tracking software offers features such as the real-time location of the bus just like other programs. However, it is a secure app wherein the parents have to register and create an account before logging in.

The Z-Pass rider scans and records as when a child gets on board and off the bus. In addition, the platform comes in web and mobile versions. For the school administrators, they have access to a broad variety of tools which helps them to monitor the buses and the students.

12. Transfinder

Transfinder comes with advanced tools and a wide range of features for tracking the school buses. The Routefinder Pro is a bus routing module that can be used by fleet managers and Infofinder empowers bus administrators to increase the operational efficiency.

They can manage the entire fleet, optimize routes, and perform the required analyses. This app focuses more on catering to the needs of both the transportation department and the school.

13. Seon

Seon is a web-based school bus routing application. School administrators can track buses and maintain existing routes efficiently. They can inform parents in the event of an emergency through push notifications. Parents can view the bus routes and timings.

The drivers receive instructions as regards directions and can communicate with school authorities at all times. As this app comes with Bus Camera systems capability, it helps drivers to identify misbehavior among students

14. Verstrans My Stop

The app Verstrans My Stop provides parents with features similar to other apps. It provides a clear idea about the current location of the school bus and the time of arrival at the stop. 

The program functions to update bus locations once every five seconds. Parents also can use the web version of the app on their computers. School authorities can plan bus routes, optimize existing ones, and monitor routes and drivers.

15. SafeStop

The app SafeStop provides a set of common features that allow tracking of buses. The key function offered by the app is the real-time notifications to parents and schools. The app also comes with advanced analytics to optimize bus routes and create an efficient system.

Secured School Bus Seating – Future of School Bus Safety

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

If you have wondered about your child’s safety when travelling on the school bus, it is true that school buses are designed to be the safest vehicles to ply on the roads. They are designed with a view to provide secure seating for the children that they are supposed to carry. This article discusses the safety aspects of school bus seats and improved design considerations for the future.

Bus Seats – Compartmentalization Design

School buses are designed in accordance with a unique design aspect called ‘compartmentalization’. It is intended to protect the passive occupants of the bus. The seats of the bus are constructed with impact-absorbing steel and have high and padded seats (on the front and back). These are firmly secured to the floor of the bus.

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In case a collision does occur, this compartmental design absorbs the impact and disperses throughout the occupant’s body instead of head and neck alone.  You would have seen eggs placed in a carton and this is much like it.

Use of CSRS (Child Safety Restraint Systems)

The safety restraint is brought into effect with the use of lap belts, harness straps and chest clips. Whereas lap belts are more suited for older children that do not fit into the CSRS category, it is important for you to remember the fact that these belts do not provide any protection to the upper body parts such as the head, neck and spine.

For CSRS to be properly used on school bus seats, the size and spacing of  seats  are important considerations. Commonly, a seat with a width of 39 inches or greater can accommodate either two CSRSs or one CSRS together with an older child that does not need CSRS. Any seat with a less width can safely accommodate  a single CSRS.

Another point in consideration is the seat spacing. The potential for injury on collision is reduced when the seat spacing is a maximum. When seats are narrowly spaced, you may not be able to secure the CSRSs appropriately. This factor, however, affects the seating capacity of the vehicle.

CSRSs are compulsory under the following conditions:

•    Students younger than five years old (Rear-facing CSRS for children less than 2 years old)

•    Students weighing less than 50 pounds

•    Students that have special needs

General Considerations

Every aspect of the school bus design is towards protecting the passengers on board from the impact of a collision. Some seat design considerations that support this requirement are as follows:

•    Bus seats are placed on the floor at a level above the impact zone where any automobile would hit the school bus.

•    There are no sharp edges in the bus interiors close to the seats; they are all rounded and smooth

Future of Secured School Bus Seating

With increased traffic and incidences of bus crashes, you may often wonder if school bus seating can get any safer. A lot of research is taking place in this area and it is believed that the new technologies can actually alleviate this worry.

Airbags: Placing airbags both in the front and on the sides of seats so that the interior can inflate itself is a good idea. This will prevent the occupants from slamming into the sides or front seats of the bus in case of a collision. Researchers are finding out ways to make them more affordable for school buses.

Smart Seats: These seats, in addition to reducing head and neck trauma, will have built-in indicators that tell the observer that they are too old to be reliable in a collision. Only such seats need to be replaced from time to time.

Wider Aisles: For the future, schools may consider seats with two different widths: one side can be sized big enough to accommodate 2 child-safe seats, and the other side with 30-inch wide seats to accommodate 1 child-safe seat. This also will make way for a wider aisle.

Conclusion

With school bus owners of today striving to make seating in school buses more secure, there always seems to be a trade-off when the costs loom large. Newer technologies in the form of airbags and smart seats seem to tilt the debate in favour of safety with every attempt being made to manufacture them with less cost.

Increase Security and Efficiency of Your School Transportation Department with TrackSchoolBus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Handling school bus fleet and making sure the safety of students is really a challenging job for schools, irrespective of their size and reputation. A school bus tracking solution providers such as TrackSchoolBus will offer the necessary support in guaranteeing student safety in school bus and it will considerably lessen the nervousness of parents about the safety of their children.

TrackSchoolBus offers you with tracking app that will offer a 360-degree view into the elements of a transport system like cost management, safety, driver responsibility, maintenance, etc. It can aid schools considerably in managing their fleet and keeping students as well as parents happy in an efficient way.

How this Software Guarantees High Performance of a School Bus Fleet

TrackSchoolBus aids school administration significantly in getting in touch with their bus drivers constantly. It assists the school management to have better communication with their drivers. Moreover, schools can easily know the spot of their school buses, get immediate alerts on climatic conditions, traffic rams, and can manage the emergencies as quickly as possible. The features of this TrackSchoolBus app will aid fleet vehicles as well as the bus drivers in the most resourceful way.

Some of the ways the TrackSchoolBus app support schools in handling their transportation securely and effectively include:

  1. The software offers the required convenience to the school management by means of its highly developed technology.
  2. It allows making the school bus scheduling as well as routing more efficient.
  3. It is an instantaneous GPS, meaning the school administration can get in touch with their drivers and students at any time, irrespective of the location of school bus.
  4. It simplifies the process of student attendance by making use of the face identification feature or through the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards.
  5. The software plays a vital role in managing absentee as well as belated students in an efficient way.

Above all, the app offers the required serenity to both parents, as well as to the school management on knowing the safety of the students. Additionally, it offers a bounty of other benefits, such as immediate warnings and information, improving the focus of bus drivers, abridging the overall costs of the schools, offering reports with accurate details, etc.

Benefits of Using TrackSchoolBus Software

  1. As the software comes with the easy-to-use interface, it offers the school administration and parents the required peace of mind in knowing the safety of the school students and the school buses.
  2. The beneficial features of the app allow schools to operate their buses in a more cost-efficient way.
  3. The software can be easily customized according to the needs of school management, parents, and bus drivers.
  4. The app is designed to work well with all the latest operating systems, regardless of the devices on which they are installed.
  5. The school management can easily create a comprehensive report on the attendance of their student according to their desired format whenever they need.

Above all, the software comes incorporated with GPS as well as with the RFID reader, meaning it is the most versatile app to track the school buses.

How Can You Boost the Effectiveness of Your School Transportion Department

Installing the Trackschoobus app will aid you significantly in making the most of your vehicle utilization, minimizing the fuel consumption, and handling emergencies in a superior way. This is because the latest technology of the software will allow you to lessen operational expenses and most significantly, it will make your fleet secure and safe for your students.

It will improve the output of your school's transport department. This is because inaccurate school bus route planning and deprived driving performance by school bus drivers can hazard to the safety of your school bus. Using this school bus tracking app will aid you substantially in constructing an efficient plan to make your school bus run on optimized routes. This will assist  bus drivers to handle their time and reach school bus stops in a timely manner.

The software will help school bus drivers to do their responsibility, thus, playing a vital role in making your school transportation department more efficient. However, sometimes they can create problems which can affect the reputation of your school.

Thus, it is essential to make the drivers know their responsibilities which will allow you to alleviate risks. Using the TrackSchoolBus software, you can track the working performance of your school bus drivers. This is very useful as when they recognize that they are under observation, they will be inclined to obey the rules and regulations and will drive in a more responsible way.

The TrackSchoolBus app will meet the expectations of parents because all parents will usually expect the school transportation to be on time, secure and comfortable for their children. However, because of unforeseen traffic conditions, school bus drivers can face difficulties to arrive at the nominated bus stops on planned time.

This software application is capable of helping parents to save their valuable time. This software will also allow parents to track the school bus of their children in real time which in turn will allow them to reach the bus stop on time.

How Can You Boost the Security of Your Transport Division

You can improve the security of your school transport division by installing GPS trackers in all of your school buses.  These specialized trackers will allow parents to know the exact location of their children and their respective school buses. This will offer them the peace of mind in knowing that their kids are secured by getting instant notification about the real-time location of their children as well as school bus

To conclude, If you want to track the real time location if school bus and children, then you must opt for a dedicated school bus tracking software such as TrackSchoolBus. By tracking the real-time location, you are ensuring the safety as well.

How TrackSchoolBus App Optimizes School Bus Routes

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is indeed the buzzword that is doing the rounds in almost every sphere of human life. This modern technological innovation has made it possible for school buses to support a smart optimization feature. It is with the help of AI that school administrators can exercise better control over school bus routes, looking into the details of pickup points.

It is in this context that you will find it beneficial to delve into the numerous advantages that come with TrackSchoolBus app. This app which employs the built-in AI capabilities has lots to offer when it comes to auto optimization of school bus routes.

Promising Features of “Auto Optimization” Embedded in the TrackSchoolBus App Are: 

  1. Auto Routing

It is indeed a challenge to school bus operators to optimize operational costs. They can cut down costs only when they optimize school bus routes. The Auto Routing feature embedded in the TrackSchoolBus tracking app does just that.

This facility not only comes up with auto suggestions concerning the most fuel-efficient route, but also conducts an efficiency check to ensure that all the existing school bus routes are running according to their optimum capacity.

This feature relies a lot on historical data that is saved under the heads of pick up points, routes and vehicle details teamed with the seating capacity of every school van. Vehicle assignments can be initiated by looking into the current transportation information or the data that is collated in parent registrations forms. This feature offers two different facilities. They are:

  1. Route Optimization

All thanks to the auto optimization facility offered by TrackSchoolBus tracking app, you can effortlessly and efficiently manage many pick-up points in a single route. In the event of a location change of a kid, you can come up with a contingent pick-up or drop point. It is through the route optimization feature that you can hit the shortest route as well.

  1. Pick-Up Point Optimization

Making use of system intelligence, the TrackSchoolBus tracking app collates all the historical data that is fed into it. After a thorough analysis, the app suggests an exact pick-up point for every student. This start or end point is suggested that is in line with the earlier assigned points.

These two facilities lend a helping hand to school bus operators to work on regular feedback and suggestions coming from the app that will be in line with coming up with the most fuel and time-efficient route.

Pick-Up Points Are the Primary Source of Information

The unique School Bus Auto Optimization feature offered by TrackSchoolBus tracking app allows you to take into consideration the starting point (source) and the destination (drop point) of every school bus trip. Once the start and end points of a trip are chalked out, these data points help in cutting down the running time and fuel expenditure.

It is through this unique feature of TrackSchoolBus app that every school van-in-charge is spared of his efforts in manually allocating school bus routes. School bus drivers can also heave a sigh of relief when they have a clear cut and updated route map indicating the pick-up and drop points of school kids.

  1. A Constant Vigil For Any Last Minute Changes to Pick-Up Points

With the TrackSchoolBus tracking app, you can indeed breathe easy. All your school bus routes will be pre-verified and approved, taking into consideration the shift of school bus drivers, the pick-up point strength and vehicle capacity. A continuous monitoring system provides the much-needed information that comes in the form of a relocation, calling for immediate attention.

With such notifications, you can be sure of hitting the right lane which has smooth traffic, thus cutting down the distance and running time. It is through the TrackSchoolBus tracking app that you as a transport manager will be able to assign pick-up points, relying on actual locations.

Top 10 School Bus Route Auto Optimization Features from TrackSchoolBus

Optimizing School Bus Routes Offers a Plethora of Benefits

You will agree with the fact that there is a direct correlation between the running time of a school van and the cost incurred on fuel. That means, while you are trying to optimize school bus routes, you are also cutting down on fuel costs.

What about the wear and tear of the school buses?

With optimized school bus routes, you will also be improving the durability of your fleet when you put a full stop to unwarranted distance and travel time.

So, what are you waiting for?

Simply subscribe to the smart and user-friendly interface of TrackSchoolBus to become the proud operator of an efficient and affordable school bus fleet management system.

School Transportation Apps are Booming Now. Know Why?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

School buses play a vital role in transporting students promptly and safely to and from their schools. The current soaring of offenses, particularly during student travel, has become a subject of concern. Parents are increasingly worried about sending their children on school buses.

The school transport system often lacks any accountability or communication after it leaves the school. This makes school districts look for a reliable way to resolve all these issues. This makes them install a powerful and effective school transportation app in their school buses.

The countless beneficial features, reliability, and safety of these apps make them more and more popular and essential amid schools, parents, as well as students. Some of the other valid reasons that make the school transportation app an essential one include:

Real-time Tracking

The school transportation apps aid the school management and parents considerably in estimating the precise location of school bus. This feature helps them in knowing the expected arrival time as well as the scheduled pickups of school bus accordingly. In addition, any hindrances to the route of the school bus can be informed digitally.

This greatly reduces the pressure on physical communication. Moreover, these applications allow parents to follow the school bus on its route and keep their eyes on it to boost accountability. The real-time tracking feature of the apps has turned out to be an extra benefit, as well. This is because the school management can use school bus transprtation apps as a way to ensure the safety of kids.

Driver Responsibility

Another major reason is that they ensure responsibility as well as the accountability of school bus attendants and drivers. Once students board their school bus, they become the accountability of bus attendant and driver. However, increasing number of crimes in mind, holding the bus attendant and driver responsible has become extremely important. School authorities have been employing several safeguards, including using nannies for their school buses.

However, a nexus, which creates between the nannies, attendants, and drivers, is likely to make such a protection useless. This can be done easily with a school bus tracking app. It will prevent the bus attendant as well as the driver from involving in a crime. This is because the entire bus crew will know that it is under the real-time observation of school authorities and parents. Thus, this works as a way to hold the driver responsible and accountable for his or her deeds.

Efficiency

Using a reliable school transportation app will reduce the wastage of time and resource and will increase the efficiency. This means that it will boost efficiency in many ways, including monitoring and thus, decreasing the costs. This is because the school management can monitor the routes of school bus over a period to value the fuel and time investment for a particular route.

Furthermore, schools can explore alternative routes to make their bus arrive at the similar destination. These alternative routes are prone to be less fuel concentrated, reducing fuel expenses for the schools. In addition, driving the school along a route that involves less traffic will benefit the students, as well. This is for the reason that it will help them reach their school or home quickly and safely. Habitually, such time and fuel efficiency will create an optimistic impact on the ecosystem of city.

Schedule Improvement

The schedule of school bus can be greatly improved through a school transporting app by predicting delays. The substantial traffic jams that subsist today can be a main reason for the school bus delays. These delays habitually become a reason for disappointment and discontentment amid the parents.

Usually, parents call the school management to know the reason for delay that in turn will contact the school bus staff. This will result in wastage of effort and time. On the other hand, the school transportation software can help you out in this. Parents are responsive to traffic jams or school bus delays through tracking their school bus in real time.

A school transportation app will lessen their worries and will offer them a peace of mind in knowing that their kids are safe in their school bus. Conversely, if the school bus is late while coming from school, the real-time tracking features of these apps will allow the transport manager of the school to reschedule vital assemblies or tests. This will prevent any cultural or academic loss that the kids may come across because of delays.

Ensure Traffic Compliance

A school bus transportation application will ensure observance with the existing traffic regulations and safety procedures. Often, schools receive complaints regarding their drivers for not following the traffic regulations and other safety strategies. The school transportation software will not only supply the real-time location of the bus but also watch other logistics.

Any reliable school bus tracking software can aid school authorities considerably in monitoring the standard speed that the driver of their bus follows.  Exceeding the specified speed limit may be a reason for alarm. Therefore, these tracking applications can assist school authorities to compel their drivers to obey the road safety regulations.

Furthermore, they can use the school bus tracking software as the evidence of misbehavior of their drivers on road, if driver rejects the needless speeding.

Conclusion

With the help of these apps, the school transportation authorities can track all their buses on one map as well as comprehensive route logs at any time on any day. This is because these apps come with multiple tracking features, including the real-time locations of the school buses and barcodes that track the location of students while getting in and getting out of their school buses.

Therefore, all these benefits and features make the school transportation apps more popular amid many modern-day schools.

Top 7 Advantages of Wifi on School Buses

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

In the modern day and age, due to the rapid advancement in technology and communication, almost everyone and everything is available online. Learning and education is no exception to this. It is no longer confined to the classroom, and students can learn about faraway places and obscure things, within a single click.

Owing to the fact that students are expected to now a great deal even when the time is limited, schools are determined to utilize their time to the fullest and enable the student to achieve her/his maximum potential. It is therefore no wonder that WiFi on school buses have become quite popular.

Enabling WiFi facilities in school buses is not a very expensive thing. If you think about its advantages, then it is a wise thing. This article seeks to illuminate the advantages of having WiFi on buses.

  1. Better Tracking Facilities

Enabling buses with WiFi offers the school and parents with distinct advantage of tracking the ride. This means that the movement of buses can be tracked, making it safer for the students. Any irresponsible behavior of the driver like over speeding, sharp turns, skipping signals etc. can be recorded, and punitive action can be taken against him or her. This also acts as a deterrent for the driver.

An advantage to the driver is that s/he can know in advance the traffic conditions, thus saving time and fuel. It also helps in monitoring the idle time of the bus, enabling optimum utilization. It is also possible to keep records, even of the minutest details, and then obtain them in a form that is comprehensible. Tracking systems also help in giving feedback about the condition of the bus and the service schedule.

  1. Helps to Alert Parents and School

Having WiFi on buses also makes it safer for students. It helps to track students and immediate alert can be sent to the concerned authorities in case there is a problem. It helps in making the parents, students and teachers feel secure. It is also possible to alert the police promptly if there is any security threat.

And also if the bus is late or if a student does not get into the bus or gets off at the wrong stop, parents will get notified. They would know the exact time for dropping and for picking up their wards. All this is only possible if the bus is connected to internet and the ride and students are effectively tracked.

  1. Learning in the Bus

In the fast-paced modern world, it is important to utilize the day to the fullest. WiFi enabled buses can help in providing education and learning to the students even on the buses itself. Keeping in mind the fact that most students travel for long hours before reaching the school, this seems to be an effective way to utilize time and keep the students engaged in productive activities.

Children will show interest in this form of learning. This also adds to the time that children can spend time with their families as they can utilize the time spent in traveling for doing their homework.

  1. Preventing ill Behavior

Engaging students in learning activities while traveling to school can also help in preventing destructive tendencies. This is especially important in cognizance of the fact that a lot of bullying and sexual harassment amongst students happens in buses. If the students are kept occupied during this time, there is a possibility that this behavior can be curbed to a great extent.

  1. Better for the Economically Disadvantaged Group

The economically underprivileged group of students who do not have the facility of internet at home can benefit tremendously through these WiFi enabled school buses. They can complete their projects and use it for learning purposes also. These buses can also be parked in areas where these students come from, giving them the advantage of WiFi enabled area.

These students can be provided with their own passwords and log in ids, thus securing the network and preventing unauthorized use. It is also possible to monitor what the children are accessing on the internet.

  1. Better for Longer Routes

School buses are very often used to commute longer roads while taking the class for field trips or picnics. While traveling, students can be kept engaged and entertained. Information about the site and the activities that the students can engage in can also be imparted to the students in the buses.

Parents will also become more willing to send their students for these activities, if they know that the students can be tracked and in case of an emergency, they can be immediately notified. The virtual presence of teachers can be increased through software like Skype.

  1. Easier to Impart Knowledge to Large number of Students

Safety instructions regarding the course of action that should be taken in case of a fire in the bus, or an accident, can be easily explained and demonstrated with the help of WiFi. This means that special time does not need to be scheduled for this, thus resulting in time saving.

Children can learn their subjects while on their way to school without the presence of more number of staffs. Animation can be used to explain students, thus making it more entertaining and ensuring that the students pay attention and learn better. And finally, feedback from the students can be recorded and incorporated for future use.

School Bus Tracking Apps – An Ultimate Guide 2018

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Usually, every parent would like to know the location of the school bus that they and their kids are waiting for. They will feel happy and relaxed when they are able to see the bus of their children on a map. This can be possible only if the school bus is installed with a GPS-based tracking system.

How it is Useful to Parent and School Management?

With the dedicated school bus tracking apps, parents will be able to know where their children are, whether they are safe and they are in their school or in their bus. Moreover, these tracking apps also aid the school administrators substantially in keeping track of their school buses and their students to improve their security as well as in providing better service.

Furthermore, the app allows the school management to offer an enhanced safe and secure experience to their students. As a result, teachers, parents, and school bus transportation managers get real-time information through SMS and drive notifications.

With the present rapidly developing systems, these apps are giving school administrators and parents more serenity, efficiency, as well as control in transporting kids safely back and forth their school.

Now, are you confused in choosing the finest school bus tracking apps for your schools?  Then, consider some features which will help you in choosing the best one resulting in ensuring student safety.

Here we are listing out those features:

  1. School Bus Attendance

Confirming the boarding of each student is really a challenging task. Having the school bus tracking app that comes with the attendance feature will allow you to record the presence of students easily.

Additionally, besides boarding, descending of the students from your school bus will be effectively recorded by the app in the morning as well as in the evening. Moreover, parents will be capable of viewing the attendance of their kids through the app, without seeking the help of your school management.

  1. Route Scheduling

This feature will allow you to plan the routes in an efficient way. This means that you can decide the shortest route and can inspect the selected route to ensure the safety of your students and your school bus.

Additionally, with the software, you can effectively make your school bus to evade heavy traffic, dangerous, as well as construction areas. Besides this, the drivers of your school bus can verify the route, and settle on the number of stops in one trip.

  1. Real-Time Track location

This feature will not only allow you to track your school bus easily, but it also allows parents to track the exact location as well as to monitor the route followed by your school bus driver. With these particulars, parents with their kids will be capable of reaching the pickup point spot punctually.

  1. Instant Alerts

Any well-designed and reliable school bus tracking app will come with a plethora of diverse types of notifications, including over speeding, unscheduled stops, attendance, etc., whenever your school students are boarding or descending the bus. Thus, you can rest guaranteed that you would have a comprehensive summary of the school bus trip of your students.

  1. Better Communication

The school bus tracking software that is designed with the enhanced communication feature will enable you to boost the relationship between your bus drivers, kids’ parents, as well as with your other school transportation managers. In the meantime, you will be capable of communicating with them whenever and wherever you want without meeting them in person.

  1. Map

Consider the school bus tracking app that comes armed with the comprehensive particulars and images about picking up points as well as on drop points of your school students.

This means that the software is supposed to come with the map feature, allowing you to get the complete history of the trip when you confirm your school bus trip. Thus, you will be capable of retrieving even the smallest details of the trip easily through the map feature.

  1. Announcement

Nowadays, all school bus tracking apps are available with the announcement feature. This feature will allow the transportation managers as well as school authorities to send a range of announcements to their students, parents, as well as to their drivers on some of the important occasions or whenever they want.

In addition, school students will get their birthday wish when they board their school bus. This will allow you to develop a strong as well as a friendly relationship with the beneficiaries.

One final and important factor to consider while choosing the best school bus tracking app is that it should offer you the details with the maximum veracity and precision.

This means that all the facts you get through the app should be accurate and error free. As soon as your school students board your school bus, you should be capable of viewing the particulars about their attendance and location in the real-time.

Conclusion

In fact, all the factors that are mentioned above are extremely important for choosing the best as well as the most useful school bus tracking app. This will not only allow you to offer better safety and security to your students but also the required serenity to their parents. With these apps, your school bus operation will become easy, viable, and manageable.

School Bus Seat Belts – Are They Compulsory?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

To buckle or not to! These are the two sides of an argument whether seat belts in school buses should be made compulsory. While some of the strong advocators of the safety of school kids are in favor of seat belts in school buses, there are others who substantiate their argument that seat belts do not save the lives of kids onboard. They are just seen as unwarranted expenditure burning a hole in the pockets of school administration.

The school seat belt debate continues, with the primal focus on the student safety. Student safety is all about identifying potential risks coming from different corners. Most of the kids suffer injuries not while traveling in a school bus but at pickup and drop off points. It is hence the need of the hour to educate kids about various safety rules along with their strict adherence.

Along with highlighting the significance of reaching the pick-up point in advance, kids should be asked to exercise caution when they are getting on and off the school bus. Drivers, on the other hand should also be closely watched whether they are following the safety norms while driving. If such safety measures are followed both by drivers and students, the propensity of accidents caused to school students can be brought down significantly.

Why Don’t School Buses Have Seat Belts?

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To answer this question as to why school buses don’t have seat belts, you need to delve deep into the opinions expressed by school administrators who look seat belts as unnecessary devices. Below is the rundown of the various reasons given by them.

  • First and foremost, this section of school administrators thinks installation of seat belts as an unnecessary expenditure. Since schools often run on tight budgets, ordering and equipping seat belts to school buses will further fleece their finances.
  • If the safety of school kids is a point of concern, these administrators argue that most of the injuries or casualties occur when kids are either walking to the bus stop or away from their drop point to reach their homes.
  • School buses are built in such a way that they promote the safety of kids onboard at all times. They are heavy vehicles which come with strong shock absorbers which are capable of offering the much-needed cushioning effect to students during any eventuality. Hence the need for seat belts does not arise.
  • School bus seats are padded and hence well-designed to absorb the impact of a shock.
  • There aren’t any data points about the appropriate and regular use of seat belts in school buses.
  • There is no past data that highlights the significance of seat belts in bringing down injuries caused to school kids during travel in school buses.
  • Unruly kids can resort to violence using seat belts as their weapons. In the event of an improper use of seat belts, they can choke students.
  • There can be instances when seat belts are not used according to their prescribed instructions, causing injuries to kids onboard.
  • Research proved that lap belts can actually harm kids. In the event of a buckled seat belt, there can be increased chances of a head injury resulting from a head-on collision. Along with this, there are greater chances of getting student injured on his/her neck.
  • The money that is spent on seat belts can be diverted to the installation of other safety devices in school buses.
  • School buses normally follow the concept of “compartmentalization”. As per this design concept, seats are placed so very close to each other so that school kids experience minimum impact caused by a collision. So, the use of seat belts becomes redundant.
  • The interiors of school bus seats are made of energy-absorbing steel. Along with this, all the seats come with extra padding.
  • Another factor that makes seat belts in school buses impractical comes from the well-designed arrangement of seats. While all the seats are tightly fastened to the floor of the bus, seat-backs are raised so as to ensure extra security to students traveling in the school bus.

Is Seat Belt Necessary In School Buses?

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This question is looking for responses in favor of the installation of seat belts in school buses. Therefore, here we present all those arguments that strongly advocate the use of seat belts for multiple reasons.

  • Tagged as safety devices in school buses, seat belts are meant to ensure the safety of kids at all times. Just as you buckle up your car seat belts, school bus seat belts guard students against the sudden impact of a collision. Seat belts in school buses help to cut down the number of injuries and casualties concerning kids.
  • When school kids are secured with seat belts, they sit in their designated seats without distracting the driver by running around in a moving bus.
  • In the case of an accident, seat belts offer the best protection, securing the kids from either hitting against the front seat or rolling over to the next passenger on the seat.
  • Safety begins at school when school kids will learn to adhere to safety rules while riding and traveling. Here, seat belts emphasize the importance of good safety habits.
  • The use of three-point seat belts in school buses can double up the safety of kids. These seat belts which secure the lap of students run over their shoulders, safeguarding their sitting position in the event of a rollover accident.
  • Last but not the least, all those in favor of seat belts in school buses consider it as a worthwhile investment, keeping in mind the safety of kids onboard.

Is It Good For Student Safety In School Bus?

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Accidents do not happen every single day. These are rare instances that one should be prepared for, especially when it concerns the safety of young kids being transported to and from schools to their homes. School buses are the preferred means of transportation for most of the parents for simple reason that they ensure a great deal of student safety.

Statistics report that school buses are 16 times safer when compared to reaching school in a family vehicle. Under this section concerning student safety linked to seat belts, you will be able to come to a conclusive decision whether seat belts actually guarantee student security or not.

The following are the substantiating opinions about how seat belts in school buses do not guarantee or improve the safety of students.

  1. Safety Mechanisms Are Already in Place

Many districts in the United States employ close to 40 safety standards while designing and constructing school buses. These come in the form of superior and reliable brake systems, bright red indicator lights, cross-view mirrors for clear visibility, escape outlets to roofs, stop-sign arms and emergency exits.

If you look at the school bus seats, they come with high-quality padded seatbacks which absorb the impact of a crash. Sporting a bright yellow color which attracts the attention of both commuters and other vehicles on the road, school buses promise protective seating teamed with impact-resistant features. These seats also guarantee strong rollover protection systems.

  1. School Buses V/s Passenger Vehicles

Research reveals that your kids are 70 times safer while commuting via school buses when compared to traveling by car. The very fact that school buses are not built as if they are passenger, vehicles makes them the safest means of transporting kids to and fro to their schools.

The increased height and weight of school buses in addition to the length of school buses are the positive attributes that safeguard them against frequent crashes. Incorporating a body-on-frame design, modern school buses come fitted with anti-lock braking systems; a welcome step towards the safety of school kids.

  1. Injuries to Students Who Have Buckled Up or Not

If school buses install a combination of lap and shoulder belts, they would require stiff seats. Stiff seats can lead to injuries in the event students do not buckle up and a crash occurs. There can be instances of injuries caused to the abdomen when kids can slide down, hurting the organs below the abdomen of students who did not buckle up.

  1. The Legal Provisions

School buses are tagged as the most regulated vehicles on the road, not only on account of their unique designing but also for the fact that they have a strong legal protection. Law is always on the side of students who are either alighting or boarding a school bus, making it an offence for the driver to drive past a school bus which is picking or dropping students; in any direction.

  1. Practical Limitations

1. Given the crucial necessity of evacuating students during an emergency, seat belts are an evident hindrance. When all the kids are fastened to their seats, it becomes a herculean task to push them out of the school bus after a crash.

2. Another concern here is linked to the driver who has to ensure that all the 70 odd kids in his bus are fastened to their seats. There has to be another person who has to oversee all the students, adjust their seat belts and confirm that all of them are used properly.

3. Kids come with different constitutions. While some kids are bulky, there are others who are lean. Seat belts should be adjusted in line with the bodily requirements of smaller and larger kids.

  1. The Exception of Small School Buses

While all the above arguments do not favor equipping school buses with seat belts, there is one exception with regard to small school buses which weigh 10,000 pounds or less. It is for such school buses that lap or shoulder belts should be fitted with seat belts since they weigh closer to what passenger trucks and cars weigh.

Hence, in order to ensure the safety of students traveling via smaller school buses, it makes sense to fit them with seat belts so as to offer superior protection to all those who are onboard.

Advantages and Disadvantages of School Bus Seat Belts

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In an attempt to weigh the pros and cons of equipping school buses with seat belts, you may visualize the below scenarios which are likely to occur on a fateful day.

An Example

Firstly, you can imagine the instance of a crash involving a school bus that had seat belts installed. In such a school bus, it is a common phenomenon to find most of the students strapped to their seats with an exception of some who haven’t. The bus meets with an accident. Upon the strong impact coming from a head-on collision, all the students who weren’t strapped will slam into the students who have buckled up.

Such an impact will not only force the strapped students to bear their own weight but also to counter the additional weight coming from the students who have fallen on them; those who didn’t fasten their seat belts. Isn’t it a possibility for belted students to experience a doubling crash impact? Indeed, it is! Such an occurrence can invariably cause serious injuries to students.

Some Advantages

  • When school buses have students fastened to their seats, they will behave themselves well, without running about in a moving bus. This behavior is welcomed by drivers who need not oversee what the kids are up to, allowing them to better concentrate on the road traffic.
  • Buckling up is a good habit that goes a long way in ensuring safety. Students will be prompted to fasten their seat belts even when they are traveling in a passenger car or family vehicle.
  • The installation of seat belts comes with a nominal price tag; less than $2.00 per child. This is a very small cost component when you consider the big picture of student safety.
  • You can free yourself from legal battles if your school bus is equipped with seat belts.

The Evident Disadvantages

  • School buses are known for their stringent safety standards. In such cases, the use of seat belts becomes redundant.
  • In rarest of rare cases when a school bus has to brave natural catastrophes like flash floods or earthquakes, buckled up students cannot be saved.
  • Most of the school bus crashes occur either when kids are getting in or getting out of their school buses. So the necessity of seat belts as safety device is strongly disputed.
  • Given the cost of installing seat belts per child is comparatively low, you will have to invest huge amounts of money when you have to look into the safety measures of multiple buses which are answerable for the safety of thousands of school kids.
  • The installation of seat belts in school buses can burn a hole in the pockets of schools with a large fleet.
  • Belted students cannot be brought to safety in the event of a fire. A scenario in which the school bus is sinking can be devastating, with the driver and most of the students who have buckled up, to drown. This can be a typical case of an adversity diminishing all the opportunities to save the lives of children onboard.
  • Fearful kids fastened to their seats cannot protect themselves by unbuckling the belts in the event of a crash.
  • Errant students can make use of seat belts as weapons during tiffs and fights.
  • There is no guarantee that seat belts are put to their designated use in all the school buses.
  • The installation of seat belts in school buses is not governed by federal laws.
  • Seat belts have no significant role to play in diminishing the impact of a crash.
  • Since all the school buses ply with a speed limit, there are fewer chances for accidents. Hence the need for seat belts does not arise.
  • School kids traveling in school buses are guaranteed with superior protection as they are positioned above the impact zone. Hence, in the event of a collision or crash, they are left unscratched.
  • The height and weight of a school bus is so designed to absorb all the impact that occurs during a crash. This is not the case with a normal family automobile or passenger vehicle. Hence the difference of opinion advocating the significance of seat belts in school buses always exists.

Delving deep into the above-mentioned pros and cons of the effectiveness of seat belts in school buses can help the concerned make a well-informed decision of whether to fit seat belts in school buses or not.

Seatbelts on School Buses: Statistics

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Described below is the statistical information that will serve as pivotal data points substantiating the effectiveness or the impracticality of seat belts in school buses.

  1. School buses are debatably the single most effective means of transportation for school children. Tagged as the safest means to ferry school kids to and fro to school, statistics reveal that 25 million children in the United States reach their classrooms without fastening their seat belts.
  2. The United States records only six states including Florida, Texas, Louisiana, New Jersey, California and New York which are governed by operational laws concerning seat belts on school buses.
  3. A meagre 20% of the USA’s 480,000 fleet of school buses are equipped with seat belts.
  4. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), a US government agency cites that, on an average, five to six kids die in school bus accidents every year.
  5. The same NHTSA reported that 0.2 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles travelled occurred via school bus accidents.
  6. According to the research conducted by IMMI, an industry leader which manufactures seat belts for school buses, the installation of lap-shoulder seatbelts in school buses can bring down the injury and fatality rate by 50%.
  7. Between 2003 and 2012, the NHTSA recorded 174 cases of fatal casualties involving students during transportation.
  8. As per a news feed published by PBS, 301 children lost their lives to school bus crashes between 2006 and 2015; most of whom were pedestrians or those who traveled in other vehicles. Of these, about 54 were school bus passengers.

How Much Does It Cost To Install Seat Belts in a School Bus?

The debate revolving around the installation of seat belts in school buses does not seem to conclude, especially when you are informed of the fact that school buses are the safest means of transportation. Here, you will be informed about the costs that need to be incurred by school administrations operating a fleet of buses fitted with seat belts.

The Budget for Seat Belts in School Buses

According to a CNN health report published by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in 2016, schools are required to set aside an average amount ranging between $7,346 and $10,296 for a large school bus to maintain its seat belts. That means, every big school bus fitted with seat belts will need to incur an average incremental cost anywhere between $7,000 and $11,000. However, this figure takes into consideration the initial installation costs of equipping a school bus with seat belts. Given that the life of a school bus spans 15 years, you can expect these operational costs to come down with every passing year.

Current Events Relating To School Bus Seat Belts

  1. A School Bus Ferrying Kids to a Field Trip Crashes into a Dump Truck in New Jersey

As recent as 18th May 2018, a news feed reported by CNN described a horrific school bus accident. This incident fueled the argument whether school buses should come up with a mandate for seat belts.

The tragedy occurred when a school bus ferrying kids to a field trip in Morris County, New Jersey collided with a dump truck and tilted to one side, on 17th May 2018. The impact of the collision proved fatal for one kid and an adult, in addition to injuring 43 people. News states that some of the seriously injured passengers might need surgeries to recover. This recent incident brought to light the effectiveness of seat belts in saving the lives of school kids.

Since seat belts belong to the jurisdiction of individual states, it was time for New Jersey to come up with laws concerning seat belts. In the wake of this tragedy, New Jersey’s law would make it mandatory for school buses to be fitted with three-point seat belts on high back seats.

In an attempt to ensure the safety of all kids playing on the roads of New Jersey, the state may direct school districts to ply new buses fitted with three-point seat belts. The three-point seat belts will thus come as the perfect option to ensure the safety of students patronizing school buses in New Jersey.

  1. A School Bus Crash in Tennessee on 23rd November 2016 Claims the Lives of 5 Children

Worried parents expressed their anguish over a school bus accident that took place in Chattanooga, Tennessee on 23rd November 2016. The accident, which claimed the lives of 5 school children and injuring 31 raised queries whether school buses should still be considered as the safest means of transport on American roads.

The CBS news reporter covering this accident shed light on the arguments revolving around the significance of seat belts that are essential for bulky school buses as well.

Over-speeding on driver’s part was the main reason behind this mishap. It was also learnt that the driver was speaking to his colleague over his mobile, while he was at the wheel. The distraction caused by the conversation coupled with over-speeding led the bus to a crash along a narrow and steep road; tilting it to one side.

The school bus did not have seat belts creating enough room for the million dollar argument to come up. It was time for the advocators in favor of seat belts in school buses to press the need for seat belts. As a strong retort, the arguments against the use of seat belts also came up. They quoted the increase in operational expenditure to install seat belts coupled with the stringent design standards that are followed by school bus builders.

These arguments were further strengthened by the opinions of drivers who felt that seat belts could come in the way of evacuating kids in the event of an emergency like fire or drowning.

Conclusion

With innumerable arguments in favor of and against the installation of school bus seat belts, it is for you to decide which way to go so as to ensure the safety of school students. Whether school administrators would choose to boost up other safety measures or would go ahead and install seat belts, it is only to ensure that every kid reaches his/her home safe from school.

Propane School Buses – What are the Pros and Cons

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Propane school vehicles have turned out to be a mainstay in both suburban, as well as in urban communities. They offer students easy access to their school campuses. Moreover, Propane school buses are offering a more inexpensive as well as an ecologically friendly option.

Although moving to Propane-powered school buses may need a huge initial investment, there are considerable cost benefits, as well, over time. It is also essential to note that propane-operated buses are operating with the latest technology.

Though there are higher expenses related to the conversion, there are substantial convenience and savings, as well.

Before considering propane for school buses, every school should consider its pros and cons. Here are some of the pros and cons of Propane school buses that you must know.

Pros of a Propane School Bus

As far as the level of emissions is concerned, propane emits less nitrogen oxide, so it is an extremely enviable option. The emissions of nitrogen oxide will be condensed by 11% simply by changing the exiting diesel-powered school bus into a propane-powered one.

Propane-operated school buses are a cheaper option in due course, as well. Some of the other benefits are as follows:

1. Propane is an established substitute for other fuels.

Most of the school buses habitually viewed the propane energy systems as a budding technology, but actually, it is not true. In fact, propane has been fuelling school buses since its introduction as a  bus fuel from the 1970s.

Propane fuel has been acknowledged as the best, most trusted, and affordable one amid all schools in 50 states in United States, as well as in other countries worldwide.

It has been a long-traditional fuel solution for a variety of applications, including school buses. School which can easily get propane fuel started using this for their buses.

2. Propane-powered school buses offer the minimum total price of ownership.

School buses that are fuelled by Propane tender the lowest total ownership price when compared to other fuels. Some schools get their first investment back in their buses in as early as one-and-half to two years.  This is mainly due to the reduced maintenance expenses as well as fuel prices.

Normally, wholesale Propane is less costly than the traditional fuels. Additionally, the costs usually fall between the price of natural gas and oil, which are used to produce propane.

As propane has the ability to burn hygienic fuel, maintenance expenses are significantly reduced. Moreover, Propane-powered school buses need less volume of oil when compared to that of buses that operate through other fuels.

3. The refueling infrastructure of Propane can accommodate any size of the fleet

Schools have numerous refueling options for their school bus fleet, operating with propane. Thus, a refueling plan can be customized to the individual requirements of each fleet.

Some schools will get the maximum benefits from joining a refueling system. This is the best and shrewd option for the bus fleets with restricted space at their facility to put in refilling infrastructure. Refueling systems offer the benefit of 24 x 7 access, through a card-lock arrangement.

Propane school bus fleets with sufficient space at their facilities can think about the on-site refilling infrastructure, which is the most inexpensive way of installing propane.

A central location offers ease and abridged downtime for school bus drivers, and the fuel station can be upgraded to meet the fleet needs of the schools while it grows. Schools can either hire infrastructure from a Propane seller or buy their own infrastructure.

4. Propane is a harmless, non-pollutant, as well as a no-leak fuel

Schools that run propane-powered buses have no need to worry about the spilling fuel onto streets or footpaths where drivers and students could be exposed to the injurious chemicals that produce diesel and gasoline.

Actually, as propane is a no-leak fuel, the buses that use it as a fuel will come under closed-loop fuel structure. This offers schools a major benefit by getting rid of hazmat cleaning concerns or upcoming ecological mitigation, particularly at repairs and garaging facilities.

5. Propane is a local fuel

As propane is a local fuel, members of school community and small business owners had become the retailers of propane fuel. This is also another way to keep the school money within the community.

There are many other reasons which made more and more school districts making use of propane fuel in their school buses. They are:

  • Good combustion.
  • Extended shelf life.
  • Available during the power cut.
  • Trouble-free storage in small tanks as well as in large tanks.
  • Home delivery is feasible for larger tanks.

Cons of a Propane School Bus

As schools are seeking the most cost-effective as well as the safest school buses, it is vital to understand the way to compare. This means that which would be the finest option, not only in terms of initial cost but also in terms of operating as well as maintenance expenses.

Propane has less power as well as less efficient for each gallon when compared to other fuels. School buses that run with a propane engine will offer less performance.

Therefore, propane is a more costly option, except, if your schools are economical. Moreover, when the school buses get older, during cold seasons, they can get a bit finicky and they may need to freeze up prior to heating up of the engine coolant.

Another major con of the propane-fueled school buses is the fueling. A school operating such a bus must make sure that they can get proper propane supply  so that they don’t have to face any difficulty.

Some of the other drawbacks of operating Propane school buses are:

1. Propane is not easily available when compared to other fuels

When schools need to refill a big tank of their school bus, it is rather difficult, as propane is not readily available like other fuels. As only, some gas stations have the well-pressurized tanks that can store propane in a liquid condition. Drivers of the Propane school buses need to plan well in advance to fill up the entire tank of their buses.

2. Propane-fuelled buses will offer a low mileage

Propane-operated school buses will offer a lower performance besides offering a low mileage per gallon when compared to other fuels. This means that home heating tanks are required to be bigger when compared to that of other fuel tanks.

Besides the complexity of locating propane resources, this can make the filling of the propane tank a more inconvenient process.

3. Propane gas burners are extremely sensitive to temperatures

This means that a school bus that operates through propane will not function properly as the gas burners of the Propane fuel tank will not perform well during the freezing temperatures.

As the Propane is also a gas, the cold temperature may cause it to reduce in volume. This, in turn, will decrease the pressure in the engine system, causing less gas attaining the burner to ignite. This is the major setback when the Propane gas is being burned in outside applications.

4. Propane is an easily flammable fuel

As Propane can easily catch fire, it is considered an unsafe fuel to operate school buses. When propane escapes into a restricted space, it can increase and blow up if exposed to a flame or spark.

Thus, in a Propane-fueled school bus, it is vital and safe to check the fuel line carefully to make sure that the fuel is not leaking. Broken propane fuel tanks in a school bus can be an explosion hazard, as well, as the inside pressure could make the fuel tank of the bus burst.

5. Propane is restricted in its potential

Although propane is abundant in supply, it is limited in its perspective, as it is a derivative of petroleum cleansing. The supply, as well as the accessibility of Propane, is closely associated with the supply and the accessibility of petroleum.

When petroleum is extensively available, propane will be available in plenty. If not, there will a lack in availability of Propane. This means that schools operating their propane-powered buses cannot count on the availability of adequate amount of the fuel at all times.

Some of the other cons of operating the propane school buses are:

  • The tank of the bus is more susceptible to explode, as propane is a flammable gas.
  • The propane fuel network is more difficult.
  • Larger propane tanks are less attractive.
  • Higher fitting expenses.
  • Loss generation of power.

To conclude, propane fuel tanks are big and they may be an unappealing addition to the school buses. This is for the reason that they not only stock an adequate amount of fuel for the future use, but they will also allow the schools to operate their buses in a more cost-efficient way.

An Ultimate Guide to Design a School Bus Maintenance Facility

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Safety is the first norm in the management of school bus system. School authorities and bus companies have to regularly shoulder the responsibility of to and fro transportation of innocent children, which is time-sensitive as well as risky.

Although as priorities, the schools lay a lot of importance, while appointing expert drivers and selecting best buses, timely and right maintenance is the true need of any streamlined transportation system.

With the advent in technology, the schools have now equipped the buses with latest trackers that could give the authorities the real-time location of the buses and notify them about the maintenance required for the vehicles.

The authorities have now begun to realize that the well-maintained vehicles could keep the other operational expenses low. Right type of maintenance not only keeps the carbon emissions from the vehicles low but also makes the vehicles last longer.

A well-planned bus maintenance system ultimately helps companies avoid frequent break-downs and improve mileage from the oil consumption.

Steps to Create a Guide on “How to Design a School Bus Maintenance Facility”?

The planning and compilation of the designing of school bus maintenance facility needs the involvement of everyone, who would use the facility. To add to it, creating the facility requires meticulous planning. As the aim is to go for an efficient facility, which could meet the practical needs of the bus operator.

Let’s know about the steps to create a fruitful school bus maintenance facility.

1. Involvement of right types of individuals and creation of coordinating group

First of all, the first initiative for this is to involve individuals and create a group. Architects, engineers, and real users of the facility need to become members of the co-coordinating group, who would have brain-storming about construction of right type of maintenance facility.

The real users of the facility are mechanics, drivers, supervisors, and clerks and their involvement in the group would add practical ideas to the construction of the maintenance facility. This is the first part of the design stage, where detailed planning could make the future progress of the construction work easy and hassle-free.

2. Understand the Function and Know the Use of the Facility

The second task is to know and understand as to how the facility would be useful for the maintenance of the buses. For that, everyone needs to understand the true functions of the facility. Let’s consider them one-by-one.

  1. Would be facility get constructed only for maintenance purpose?
  2. Would it have space for adequate parking?
  3. Would the construction of the facility accommodate supervisory offices?
  4. Whether the construction would also include a separate “dispatch” section?
  5. Would it also have the provisions for training of the drivers?
  6. As “fueling” is also part and parcel of maintenance system, the new construction would also have a separate gas station or filling station.
  7. What would be the provisions for adequate water storage for washing the vehicles after through repairs?
  8. Where the installation for painting would get constructed?
  9. How would the outside parking get constructed?
  10. What are the installations required for security arrangements?
  11. Would the facility be put to regular use?
  12. Would there be provisions for night-shift maintenance?

3. Let the construction begin for the same

Every facility for maintenance would at least have two dedicated bays for the maintenance purposes. Usually the bay has the 16 feet width and 60 feet length.

The pattern of construction of the bay would have the provision for tool storage and access to every side for the convenience of repairs of the buses. As per the capacity, 20 to 30 buses could only get facilities for maintenance in a shift. When the necessity exists for 2nd or 3rd shift, the coordinating group would also plan for the construction additional bays.

4. What would be the height of the ceiling?

 Usually, the ceiling of the facility would have the height of 18 feet. This is essential for raising the bus on a lift for the purpose of maintenance. The facility needs to have at least one or two lifts.

If it has two lifts, the second one could become useful during the lengthy repairing of a particular bus. Lifts are also very useful for the purpose of inspection of the maintenance works of the vehicles.

5. What are the options for washing the bus?

When plans are afoot for the creation of right type of bus maintenance facility, the coordinating group needs to have proper consultation about right type of bus washing system. The decision makers would have to make careful selections for installing the right type of washing system for the bus.

They would have to exercise their options about creating the suitable type of washing system for the buses. Let’s know about the available options:

  1. If the automatic washing system would become enough for the need of thorough cleaning of the buses.
  2. Whether a portable washing system could sufficiently wash dirt off the buses?
  3. Whether hand-washing of the buses could keep the buses cleaner and hygienic instead of using other types of sophisticated washing systems.
  4. The coordinating group of individuals could think of assigning the contract of washing the buses to the outside agencies instead of getting involved in creating the entire washing arrangement for the facility.
  5. As the wash bay of the buses would require a space of at least 1200 square feet and installation of storm discharge and sewer disposal facilities, construction of the system needs careful analysis and execution.  When huge quantity of water is essential for washing the buses, a water recovery system needs to remain in place to avoid wastage of water.

6. Ideas about constructing the painting facility for the buses

 While the buses get repaired in the maintenance facility, painting of the faded or dented buses is simply unavoidable in the repairing process. Painting restores the vehicles to their original shapes and looks and gives them shining as they get back to the streets after thorough overhauling.

So the ideas about constructing painting bay are as follows:

  1. It is also important to decide whether the maintenance facility would accommodate an independent and dedicated “paint section” or not.
  2. As now-a-days, three types of painting installations are available, such as compressed air, high volume and low pressure, or electrostatic, the coordinating members of the group would have to select the right option for the purpose.
  3. A compressed air system gives highly polished finish to the exterior of the vehicle, whereas high pressure produces over-spray of the paint and it also attracts air-borne particles. The high volume and low pressure system operates with minimum air-pressure that invariably gives low-quality painting. The electrostatic system makes use of electrically charged paint particles, which reduces the chances of over-spraying of the paint on the bodies of buses.

Considering the pros and cons of each painting facility, the members of the group would have to make a judicious decision.

7. What about storage room for Spare-parts?

 A storage-room for spare-parts is almost an essential part in the construction of facility for maintenance facility. Moreover a quick access to the inventory of spare-parts is necessary to minimize the requirement for an open inventory of spare parts.

For storing tires and pipes, the facility has to include space for dry storage. Moreover storage of inflammable and hazardous materials requires safe and restricted areas.

8. Parking – last but not least in priority

As the final phase in construction is to create provision for adequate space for parking, a decision needs to be made whether the parking facility would exist inside or outside the maintenance premises.

As block heaters are necessary for parking inside the maintenance building, no heaters are necessary if the vehicles are parked outside. It depends on the climate of the place to decide about the type of parking for the vehicles.