School Bus Archives - Page 2 of 7

Top 9 Electric School Bus Manufactures – TrackSchoolBus

Posted on May 2, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

School buses are specifically designed for the role of safe transportation of students to and from school. The design for school buses is based on the safety specifications and regulations stipulated by the authorities.

Hence school buses have evolved into a category different from the normal buses and are built by specific manufacturers.

The current set of stringent rules to reduce environmental pollution and health hazards has led schools into buying buses running on fuels other than diesel. Electric buses are found to be the best alternative to diesel powered vehicles.

Zero emissions reduce environmental pollution. The quiet engines create no noise pollution. There is a large saving on fuel costs. It is expected that by 2030 all schools will have converted their school bus fleet into electric.

Top Electric School Bus Manufacturers

1. Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird Corporation is a public company with Cerberus Capital as majority stakeholder operating since 1932 from Georgia. They produce school buses fueled by diesel, gasoline, propane, CNG along with fully electric buses.

Blue Bird was awarded a grant of US $ 4.5 million in 2016 to develop electric school buses. They produced two models – Type C and Type D – and marketed them in 2018. The power-train has been developed by Adomani and EDI.

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

The electric buses have a lithium-ion battery of160kwh capacity. The design provides a range of up to 120 miles. Blue Bird offers a seven year warranty on the battery. They also include a charging station that can recharge at a stretch or overnight.

Blue Bird was the first to produce electric school buses in 1994. Over the years, the advances in technology, especially in battery technology has helped in building more efficient electric buses.

2. IC Bus

IC Bus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Navistar International Corporation. Founded in 2002 the company has its corporate office in Illinois, assembly factory in Oklahoma and parts fabrication unit in Arkansas.

IC introduced their concept Type C electric school bus called ChargE. The bus has a quiet drive-train from Volkswagen and produces no emissions. The ChargE has a range exceeding 120km and the power-train can deliver up to 260kw. This electric bus is set to launch in late 2019.

3. Thomas Built Buses Inc

Thomas Built Buses Inc is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, the parent company of Mercedes Benz. Thomas was founded as early as 1916 when it was known as Perley A. Thomas Car Works operates from North Carolina.

Thomas developed ‘Jouley’ a Saf-T-Liner eC2, a Type C electric bus named after joule the unit of energy. This bus has an average range of 100 miles between charging stations.

With additional battery packs, higher ranges can be achieved. It takes 3 hours to recharge a battery capacity of 180kwh.They are powered by batteries from Proterra, a leader in battery management systems for heavy-duty electric vehicles.

Jouley claims zero emissions, exportable power and near-quiet operations. Students will be able to directly plug into the vehicle portals to charge their computers, lap tops and phones. Jouley is expected to go into production in 2019.

4. Collins Bus Corporation

Collins Bus Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of REV Group. Founded in 1967 and operating from Kansas.

They have introduced a Motiv Powered Type A electric school bus in 2018. The buses have a range of 75 miles and a battery capacity of 106kwh. It requires 8 hours to fully charge the battery pack.

The new Type A Electric model is in addition to their existing alternative fuel fleet of school buses powered by propane and CNG.

5. Micro Bird Inc

Micro Bird Inc is a joint venture of Girardin Minibus and Blue Bird. The company is situated in Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1935, Micro Bird introduced a Type A electric powered Micro Bird G5 Electric School Bus in 2017.

With zero-emissions, the G5 offers the cleanest drive-train. The electric bus has no transmission which results in reduced maintenance and service requirements.

6. Starcraft Bus

Starcraft Bus is a division of Forest River Inc., Indiana, and Established in 1997. In 2009, Starcraft in a joint venture with Hino motors (a division of Toyota), developed a prototype of a new Type C vehicle.

But this did not go into production. In 2016, they developed a Type B bus on a Ford chassis to use alternative fuel sources which is presently being manufactured by them.

Forest River, Phoenix Motor cars and Creative Bus Sales have joined together to develop, build and market electric school buses. Phoenix Motorcars supplies electric drive-trains to Forest River for school buses built by them on the Ford chassis. Creative Bus Sales will be the sole representative for vehicle sales and service.

The electric buses powered by electric drive-train technology will have a range of130miles on a single charge. They will be equipped with telematics solutions providing real-time operating information and remote diagnostic techniques. Starcraft electric buses powered by Phoenix will be available in 2019.

7. Lion Electric Company

Previously known as Lion Bus, was renamed in 2017 as a focus towards producing electric vehicles. Lion produces Type C buses. They produce diesel fuel buses and also the fully electric school bus ‘eLion’.

Lion uses composite materials instead of steel for the bus bodies thus minimizing corrosion. Lion manufactures its own chassis, body and battery packs. This allows them to use the best technology keeping manufacturing costs low. Thus they offer their best models at most affordable prices.

The eLion C bus is available in ranges of 50, 75 and 100 miles. Battery packs of 130kwh are used. An on-board single-phase charger is used for charging. The company plans to introduce two more models- eLion A and eLion M.

8. Trans Tech

A division of Transportation Collaborative Inc. operates from New York from 2007. Trans Tech manufactures Type A, fully electric school bus ‘eTrans’ and SST-e. Trans Tech school buses have the longest running ranges. The eSeries are powered by Motiv Power Systems, California and have been in commercial operation since 2014.

The buses are built on Ford E450 chassis. The power-train control system supplied by Motiv is compatible with a wide variety of batteries and chassis. A single battery from a pack can be changed without replacing all the batteries in the pack.

The SST-e model comes with four or five battery packs providing a running range of up to 100 miles. The on-board fast charging technology enables the battery to attain 50% charge in less than an hour and full capacity in 8 hours. The low cost 3 phase charging eliminates the requirement of expensive charging stations.

9. GreenPower Motor Company

Builds electric vehicles. They are into manufacture of Type D buses from 2007. They operate from Canada with their assembly unit at California. GreenPower Synapse 72, introduced in 2017, is a zero-emission Type D school bus.

The basic model has a battery capacity of 100kwh which can be raised to 200kwh depending on charging needs of the bus. The on-board charging system is an added feature.

GreenPower sources its components from global suppliers- drive motors from Siemens, axles from ZF, brakes from Knorr and dash control systems from Parker.

The limiting factor in considering the use of electric school buses is the cost of the bus and charging of batteries. With the continuous improvement and research on battery technology, the prices of batteries can be bought down and solve the charging issues .Cleaner fuels contribute to cleaner parts and a longer engine life.

Manufacturers are hoping to work with bus operators, school authorities, government officials, and utility companies to provide a comprehensive solution encompassing charging infrastructure, vehicle technology and financial support.

6 Years Of School Bus Routing Software

Posted on April 29, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

School bus routing is an uphill task for all schools. Scheduling and planning of bus routes is the most important factor in increasing the efficiency of the school transportation system.

Proper routing of buses reduces operational costs of the bus fleet, fuel costs, driver expenses. Over and above it makes the job of the school administrator easier.

During the past years, bus routes have been decided and charted out manually by the school transport officers. With the increase of students and the corresponding increase of buses and the numerous pick-up locations, this task had become cumbersome.

Technological innovations and inventions have made the process of bus routing simpler for everyone concerned.

School Bus Routing Software

EdsysPvt Ltd, an education software developer, launched software solutions for schools, transport providers and school districts. These software solutions have been developed for different applications with characteristics unique to each.

The TrackSchoolBus software was basically developed as a bus routing application. With developments in technology, this software was upgraded to include features to increase the efficiency of the school transport system. This is a look into the 5-year progress of the software.

2014

TrackSchoolBus software was launched by EdysPvt Ltd. in 2014 as an application for tracking school buses. Version 1 was an independent app and was one of a kind for schools during its introduction. The software was widely accepted in the Middle East and South East Asia.

The software was designed to track buses and students in real-time. This proved to be of great help to transport managers and school personnel.

Data was collected automatically and routes were created by the software system.They could view the progress of the buses along the routes, real-time location of students and buses on a computer screen.

2015

An upgraded version of the application was introduced as Version 2.0 in 2015. This application was developed with additional features benefitting parents and schools.

The new system with an RFID card reader was integrated with the GPS tracker. The RFID card reader was a boon to the school bus drivers, parents and school authorities.

The student attendance can be recorded automatically by the RFID card reader as each child boarded the bus.

The school administration was benefitted as they could get the details of the students travelling on each route on a daily basis without the tiresome procedure of manual counting.

Parents were benefitted the most as they could get instant alerts on their mobile phones when their child gets on and off the bus.This app helped reduce the anxiety of the parents as they were able to track the whereabouts of their child in real-time.

The application gained wider acceptance in the Middle East and South East Asia.

2016

In 2016, TrackSchoolBus Version 3.0 was released with a multitude of additional features. The major feature was the availability of data for the different users on the web and all mobile phone apps. The customer base expanded to other countries across the globe including South Africa.

Version 3.0 was developed as a comprehensive solution to the various problems encountered in the school transportation systems. It was designed based on knowledge gained from actual experiences of users.

The software supports multiple user profiles such as parents, school authorities, teachers and transport managers. Additional features were added to the parent and school apps. The access to details by teachers and bus attendants was newly introduced.

The parent app allowed parents to apply for leave without actually contacting the school. A message sent on the app is communicated to all departments concerned – drivers and attendants, teachers, school administration. This app allows them to communicate with the school management and drivers whenever necessary.

The most helpful aspect of the teacher app is the daily attendance marking. Teachers can track the students who travel by each bus. They receive notifications when the student arrives in school. Teachers can mark attendance for each period. The attendance history for a day or a period can be retrieved with ease.

Drivers can view the assigned routes, the number of trips in a day/shift, pick up and drop off points, time schedules. They do not have to remember the details. A trip is marked completed only when all students have alighted from the bus. Quick changing of routes and pick-up points is possible with the driver console app.

It also enables the bus nannies/attendants to access student attendance through a separate app. The manifest feature provides them with daily routes and student details. This app helps to locate the pick- up or drop off point.

The contact detail of the student along with the image of the student appears on the app. They receive alerts when the child gets on and off the bus. They are notified when students are absent so that the route can be revised. Pick up points can also be updated on any change required.

2017

The TrackSchoolBus version 3.5 was released in 2017. This version saw added features which aided School transport providers. Command-centre was introduced as an add-on.

Artificial intelligence was incorporated into the system. Changing route with a simple swipe was included as a feature in route optimization.Alerts can be set up for different aspects of student safety.

The software found new markets in Africa, Australia, South East Asia and the Middle East. Franchisees were appointed in many places like Dubai and Netherlands.

This upgraded version was designed with school transport providers in mind. It collects data of students and pick up points automatically and sets routes.

The software can be used to deploy drivers and attendants on specific routes. The unique feature of nanny management enables in assigning trips, recording attendance etc. Duty roster feature helps in dividing tasks among the fleet members.

The trip management feature enables transport providers to assign vehicles to trip routes, monitor vehicles in real-time. Auto-routing and auto-optimization features help in saving fuel and reduce vehicle expenses.

The feature of parking management allows the tracking of a vehicle when it is parked. Parking slots can be assigned automatically.

This software provides free Wi-Fi to students on board the buses and unique cards for students, drivers, attendants and vehicles.

The application can be used by accounts departments for direct bus fare collection. The software can create an invoice and payment can be made from anywhere at all times. Payments will be secure and the process saves time.

The unique command-centre feature gives a comprehensive view of all planning and operational data. A centralized system gathers information, processes and analyses each function.

Details of vehicle maintenance requirements, expenses and inspection dates can be obtained. This saves time for school transport provider and allows him to concentrate on other areas of importance.

2018

Version 4.0 of the TrackSchoolBus was launched in 2018. Integrating Artificial Intelligence into the application it featured as the best school bus routing software. The additional features in this app catered to School Districts and School Transport Providers.

This App was designed forSchool Transport Managers to manage the fleet with ease and efficiency. Vehicle safety and maintenance alerts, push notifications in cases of emergencies, planning of transportation budget are features incorporated in addition to bus tracking and trip scheduling.

The transport department is alerted when any vehicle cannot be tracked. This helps in immediate identification of the reason-mechanical failure, accidents, traffic blocks- and deployment of another bus to take over the route so that least inconvenience is caused.

The fleet management app helps to keep track of the drivers,bus attendants, routes, trips, time schedules. It takes care of the fleet maintenance – recording fuel consumption, programming vehicle maintenance schedules etc. The optimization of routes brings about a reduction in maintenance costs, thus increasing productivity and efficiency.

The school district transport software simplifies the management of a large number of buses from different transport providers. This app is compatible with all types of vehicles- school van, mini-bus or a full-size bus.

This software analyses the performance of drivers which helps in rating and motivating them to enhance their performance.

Parent concerns, bus breakdowns, student missing etc. are notified to the concerned users enabling action to be taken immediately. Accountability for each user is well-defined.

Safe and secure bus fare collection is simplified by integrating with online payment.

This app ensures higher efficiency attained through optimized operations. The reduction in manual resources increases the return on investment.

2019

In 2019, TrackSchoolBus’s enhanced version 5.0 was introduced for better efficiency and productivity.

Devices like CalAmp and Streamax, Dahua was integrated into this updated system.

In new version, we have different dashboards for students, trips, vehicles, alerts and All-in-One Dashboard for the transport manager.

Users can search and view the status of the vehicle in the map, can view the live status of Shuttle Trips which includes trip progress, seat availability and currently seating student count along with attendance details.

We have categorized the general setting menu for the convenient use and added a few more setting options for the user in the new version.

Users can create new user roles based on requirements and control access for the user profiles.

Schools can mark the school premises using school geo-fence.

Additional features in setting like integrating settings were added, so the school authorities can integrate SMS gateway, Payment Gateway, Cashless system, etc by themselves.

The school can create five types of trips as scheduled, instant, shuttle, excursion, stay back trips. In the earlier version, these are managed separately, now all can manage in a single point

Auto data collection method was enhanced.

Access Rights Management was introduced in which the school can create user roles like receptionist or any other supporting staff to control system access.

The system can automatically calculate the bus fare based on the geo-fence and payment period. The school can also have the provision to enter the bus fare charges per single trip as well.

The new version also allows the school authorities to set the “Night Parking Time” where the system will check the current location of all the vehicles at that time and report to the transport manager.

The new version allows the schools to purchase features and enable as per their requirement. Since all the schools doesn’t want to use all the features, the schools have the freedom to select the features and add-ons as per their need.

The parents can decide what notifications need to be received in a push notification, email, SMS(if the school enables SMS option).

The main advantage of the updated version is that it focused on self-learning thus reducing dependency on us.

We provide a download section for all supporting documents like User guides for each module (including School, transport, manager, parents, driver, etc) and hardware documents, configuration tools, etc.

Each module with supporting documents is readily available in the system to be downloaded.

The TrackSchoolBus is an outstanding school bus routing software. The features of auto-route optimization and auto-allocation make it the best school bus route planner. The added features of fee collection, fleet management, and multi-user access make it the most widely used bus routing software world-wide.

Why School Bus Drivers Deserve Our Respect

Posted on April 27, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

The primary duty of the School Bus Driver is the transportation of students to and from school regularly. The parents and the school entrust their children to the school bus driver for safe and secure transportation. He has to be committed to his profession in order to work to the satisfaction of all concerned.

A school bus driver’s job is considered an easy, simple task and not considered worthy of mention. The stress and strain undergone by the drivers in the seemingly simple task of transportation are not to be neglected.

They deserve enormous respect for the one single fact that they are the safe transporters of the nations young.

School Bus Driver – Role

The role of a school bus driver is a multi-faceted one. His responsibility is not limited to mere driving. In addition to possessing a valid driver’s license he needs to both possess driving and inter-personal relationship skills.

Driving skills include knowledge of traffic rules and experience in driving heavy vehicles. Ability to stay focused on the road and to remain alert at all times is a necessity for safe driving.

School bus drivers interact with students, parents, teachers, school authorities, transport companies, other drivers on the road on a daily basis.

The driver’s attitude and behavior have a large impact on the relations with each one of them. The expectations from a school bus driver are many and the challenges faced by him from various quarters are even greater.

Expectations

The school bus driver is expected to be a perfect time-manager. Sticking to designated routes and being punctual at bus stops and on-time arrival at school is of daily concern to the driver.

A slight deviation in timings caused due to traffic blocks, accidents or even late arrival of children at stops invites the wrath of both parents and school.

slight deviation in timings caused due to traffic blocks, accidents or even late arrival of children at stops invites the wrath of both parents and school.

School bus drivers are the first point of contact for parents each day. Since the bus drivers have a one to one interaction with the parents, they are required to be pleasant and smiling always.

They have to be kind and polite with the students and parents. This will assure the parent that there child is in good hands.

The driver has to be positive and dedicated to his job. An understanding of his prime responsibility of the safe transportation of children is necessary to ensure his commitment.

School Bus Driver Challenges

Students

School bus drivers are responsible for the hundreds of children riding the buses to school and back. The safety of the children on-board their buses is a source of constant worry to them.

The biggest challenge for the school bus driver lies in driving a bus-load of 50 noisy children seated behind him, with only one mirror above his head to check their behavior.

The students keep talking, laughing, shouting, crying, fighting among themselves. Some of them will be eating, walking up and down the aisle, ripping seats and some with special needs. Unruly behavior of students on buses is very common.

Students do not give enough respect to bus drivers. Students insult, use swear words and accuses the drives when he tries to discipline them.

At times, the drivers have to stop the buses to quiet the children and assure minimum disturbance before he proceeds further. This causes delays in the time schedules.

The students are disrespectful by leaving garbage in the bus to be cleaned by the drivers later. The students feel they have the liberty to do anything once outside the school campus. They are a disturbance to their riding compatriots who are quiet and disciplined and want to enjoy a safe ride.

School bus drivers do not expect impeccable behavior from youngsters. They only require them to have peaceful conversations without any disturbance.

The drivers, while keeping an eye on the students, need to drive safely, watching out for traffic on all sides. He has to comply with road signs, traffic signals, speed limits and crossings. The driver’s stress is compounded in adverse weather conditions.

The boisterous and noisy students on the bus are a major cause of distraction to the drivers.The school bus driver has to monitor and maintain a level of discipline on the bus to minimize distractions. A moment of inattention can imperil the lives of the young children under his care.

Parents

Despite all the effort taken by the school bus driver to maintain cordial relations with all, he is faced with countless problems from parents. He feels misunderstood and unappreciated by them.

Parents are always defensive when the driver points out the misconduct of their ward. This gives the child the feeling that he can misbehave and the driver is not an authority to be obeyed.

Prima facie the driver is blamed for any mishap on the bus by students, parents and school.The child’s version of the disciplinary measure meted out to him by the school bus driver very often upsets the parents. Parents react without learning the facts of the situation. They fail to give the driver the benefit of doubt.

The driver is usually faulted for non-tactful handling of the situation. This minimizes the impact of the wrong-doing and the student continues to engage in dangerous activities.

Parents can communicate with drivers through the special windows, but very often they barge into the bus blocking the entry passage. They interfere in fights among students and directly admonish those involved with their child.

School

The school bus drivers are reprimanded by the school administration for minor accidents, short delays, route deviations, faulty records. Many a time, the drivers are not given a fair hearing for their lapses. Reasons beyond the school bus drivers control are very often not given due consideration.

The cumbersome procedure in reporting of misbehavior of children on the bus does not elicit the desired result. The school bus driver reports misconduct.

The students are then removed from the bus. Parents complain and the students are re-instated. The driver’s efforts to maintain a level of decorum is disregarded.

Employing an annoyed, de-motivated, frustrated and distracted driver compromises the safety of children on board the bus.

Personal grievances

The drivers have to deal with malfunctioning equipment in the bus like cameras, alarms, sensors etc. They are not trained sufficiently to handle medical emergencies or special needs children. Quick and ready access to their superiors is limited.

Long hours behind the wheels and irregular food habits cause health challenges in them. Stress, insomnia, obesity, muscular pains and gastric disorders are common ailments among the drivers.

Why the drivers deserve respect

All these factors show how exhausting the school bus driver’s job is. Every day offers something new and unstructured. Their performance against all odds is commendable.

School bus drivers need to be respected and appreciated for reaching students safely to school and back, amidst daunting circumstances inside and outside the bus.

The students need to be made aware of the difficult job that the drivers handle. They have to be taught that their safety is in the hands of the driver. Parents and school have to inculcate in them a respect for drivers.

The thoughtless complaints raised against the drivers lower their morale and motivation to perform. It would be beneficial to school bus drivers and authorities if due consideration is given to how challenging it is to navigate a cabin filled with young children through traffic and adverse weather while simultaneously maintaining discipline and order in the bus.

It is customary for school authorities to reward exemplary students and compliment teachers. The system of transportation is often overlooked until something bad occurs. They should be equated with the other staff in the school system.

The drivers do not seek any special recognition. They need to be listened to. Their requests should be heeded.All that the school bus drivers require is to feel included, that they are an important part of student education.

This dedicated group of drivers should be thanked profusely and praised for their efforts in safely transporting the students to school and back.

9 Ways To Reduce School Bus Transportation Costs

Posted on April 24, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Schools and school districts are constantly on the look-out to reduce operational costs wherever possible. The reduced budgets given to schools prompt them to cut costs in areas that do not directly affect classroom studies. School Bus transportation costs thus become a target when school administrations seek to curtail their expenses.

Bus transportation costs depend on the age of the fleet, wages, maintenance expenditure,fuel-consumption, insurance charges. This comprises of 80% of the total cost.Capital costs include purchase cost of new vehicles and cost of fleet replacement. Operating a school bus fleet at optimal efficiency has a direct impact on the costs saved.

Methods to reduce school bus transportation costs

1. Reducing the number of buses

Operating a fleet of school buses is expensive. The best method to reduce costs is to reduce the number of buses in operation. Trimming the fleet automatically decreases driver wages, fuel consumption, wear and tear of vehicles etc. These factors contribute enormously in saving costs.

Efficient route management is the most practical way to lower costs without hampering the quality of service provided.The best model in cost-cutting serves to get students to school efficiently while optimizing transport times.

2. Route management

Transporting pupils to schools is a complex matter. Technological advances have helped school administrators tackle the issue with considerable ease. Software systems are used to develop bus routes. Some schools still do the route mapping manually.

Schools have to periodically review their bus routes in terms of the actual number of students using the bus and the total time utilized. Simple adjustments to the previous year’s routes will not help in lowering operational costs.

School administrators cut backs on stops and routes to stay within the budget. Minor changes in operations like minimizing trips and routes, often result in great advantages.

3. Trip planning

The number of students at each bus-stop, stop locations and bus capacities has a direct impact on the charting of bus routes. Minimizing the number of trips minimizes the number of buses required.

Trips can be linked together on a single bus route if school start and finish timings are altered slightly. The elementary, middle and high school start and dismissal times are fixed to fall within a certain time slot.

Then it becomes possible to link more trips together on a single bus. This decreases the number of buses required in total. The optimal combination of alternate bell timings and trips results in saving costs and increasing efficiency.

4. Route planning

A method used to increase operational efficiency is route planning. A single route is designed for children of different schools in a school district. Trips of different schools are combined to form one route.

A single bus is assigned to this specific route. This reduces the time the buses run without students on board as well as the number of buses on each route. Each route becomes longer but serves more trips on one single route.

This minimizes the number of routes resulting in lower operational costs. Pollution caused by diesel exhaust fumes is reduced to a large extent. This model is viable where schools fall under the purview of one governing authority and the services of a centralized bus company is utilized. Private schools which own their own buses might not be open to this model.

5. Walking School Bus

‘Walking School Bus’ is a new concept which has been adopted by neighborhoods in the US. When rerouting to optimize costs, some of the routes closer to the schools get eliminated. In such cases, students along those routes group together and walk to school under the supervision of an adult.

The parents and children like the idea of walking as it is healthy. Students feel energetic and fresher. Most often students get to school quicker as school buses normally take more time picking up children on their routes.

These students can either walk or bike to school. This enables students staying further away, disabled or otherwise-able students to avail bus services .Student safe zones have to be ensured.

6. Alternative fuel vehicles

States and cities in the US spend roughly $15 million annually transporting children to school. Diesel, that powers most of the buses, is now very expensive.

Governmental regulations on cutting down the pollution, forces one to adopt alternative fuel sources for running vehicles. Propane, CNG and Electric vehicles are available options. Hybrid diesel-electric vehicles, though expensive, are used by some schools.

Cost of vehicles running on alternative fuel is high as compared to the cost of diesel engine vehicles. There is a significant reduction in fuel costs. Air pollution due to diesel exhaust fumes is drastically reduced leaving lesser carbon footprint. Better utilization of the buses can make it viable in the long run.

The buses in the existing fleet can be retrofitted with alternative fuel engines. This can help reduce the initial capital expenditure. When deciding to retrofit, the age of the vehicle has to be taken into account,to gain maximum benefit.

7. Maintenance cost

Regular maintenance is needed to keep the buses safe on the road. Less number of school buses on the road means lesser maintenance of vehicles. Savings on parts, supplies and labor is considerable when the number of buses is minimal.

A maintenance program that can extend the life of buses is essential.Periodical regular maintenance and scheduled preventive maintenance will reduce the incidence of unexpected breakdowns and the costs associated.

Schools and transport companies need to have policies on disposal of buses that cannot serve efficiently.

8. Staff expenses

A reduction in the number of buses will require less number of staff to man them. The reduced number of drivers brings about a huge saving in wages. Efficient routing and time management will reduce overtime costs.

Fleet management software provides real-time feedback and comprehensive reporting enabling safe and efficient pupil transportation.

Using digital software systems for routing, GPS systems for locations, RFID readers for bus attendance; CCTV to monitor bus discipline reduces the need for administrators handling these functions manually.

The one-time capital expenditure to install the technology and equipment required will considerably save on otherwise recurring expenses.

9. Down-side of cost reduction

Re-routing and elimination of routes will leave a good number of students without transport. Cutting bus routes without proper plans regarding student safety will cause adverse effects.

When bus stops or routes are eliminated parents react with anger. They are concerned about the dangers involved when their wards walk or cycle to school. Parents then opt to drop them to school in their cars.

About36 cars are needed to transport an equivalent bus-load of students. This proportionately increases traffic congestion and corresponding air pollution on the roads.

The incidence of accidents is higher among cars increasing the risk of safety. School buses meet with fewer accidents. Their big sizes allow them to withstand damage better on an impact. School buses are considered to be 13 times safer than cars.

School buses in the US alone transport 25 million students, travelling distances of approximately 4 billion miles each year. Decreasing school budgets and rising fuel prices necessitates minimizing school bus operational costs.

It is worth the effort to stream-line the operations to ensure safer transportation of students at minimal costs to the school.

How TrackSchoolBus System Keeps Your Bus Fleet Running Smoothly

Posted on April 18, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

To efficiently manage a fleet of buses is obviously a painstaking task, not to mention the problems that arise despite the hard work. But, with technology, like TrackSchoolBus System, you can definitely have your efforts halved and results improved.

TrackSchoolBus System is an all-in-one application that suits the needs of parents, drivers, and transport managers alike, with bus safety as a priority. Here’s how it helps you get a better grip of your job and keep the bus fleet running smoothly.

Plan bus routes efficiently

Planning bus routes manually may be a nightmare to most transport managers. It takes days to collect data regarding traffic and routes. To organize the information, to sit together with your team, and plan the routes may take another few weeks.

And no matter how much effort you have taken, you may end up making mistakes, the most common one being allotting two or more routes for the same bus, or vice versa. Such errors may cause all your week-long hard work to go down the drain.

In the case of school bus fleet, the Parent App integrated with the TrackSchoolBus System provides residential information of students, making it easy to allot pick-up points.

Even if a student relocates,the auto routing feature of TrackSchoolBus System makes the job easier for transport managers. In short, TrackSchoolBus System assists you in assigning buses and planning bus routes. But you, as the transport manager, will have full control over the bus fleet management process.

Keep track of bus drivers

Efficient management of fleet also involves taking enough steps to ensure bus safety. Despite sufficient background check before hiring, it is not always easy to detect driver malpractices until they start the job.

Malpractices like over speeding, drunken driving, taking a route different from the original, etc., can affect bus safety as well as add to the operational costs. Therefore, it is important to monitor bus drivers while on duty.

TrackSchoolBus System makes it possible for you to keep track of bus drivers’ performances, a task which is manually impossible.The application utilizes GPS to gather data and notifies transport managers real time regarding the speed of the bus, unwanted stops, punctuality, etc. All these data gets stored for future use.

Reduce operational costs

An important portion of an organization’s expense comprises operating the bus fleet. The operational costs include amount spent in terms of maintaining the fleet, refuelling, the distance covered by the buses, and the like. Manual labour and driver malpractices can also add to the expenses.

TrackSchoolBus System allows constant monitoring of fleet, thus helping you to avoid unwanted expenses. Since bus drivers are aware of being monitored, they will not attempt vehicle misuse or other malpractices.

This helps to save fuel, avoid accidents and as a result, the maintenance costs can be reduced. Also, since the application helps reduce manual efforts, labour costs can be halved as well.

Ensure BusSafety

Bus safety is also an important part of efficient bus fleet management. The TrackSchoolBus System helps you to keep driver behaviour at check by providing you with real-time notifications regarding location and speed of the bus. This helps curb any sort of driver malpractices.

Also, the school bus tracking software provides information regarding passenger attendance. This is helpful especially when you are managing school buses. Parents are often concerned whether their kids have boarded the right bus and through their journey to school and back.

TrackSchoolBus System provides real-time information notifications to parents as well so that they feel ensured. It also notifies you at times of emergency so that you can act quickly.

Fleet management software has become popular in the past few years. Many companies have come forward with their own versions of software. But, amongst them all, here is how TrackSchoolBus System stands apart.

User-friendly interface

TrackSchoolBus system comes with a simple interface that can be easily used by transport managers, authorities, drivers, and parents, alike. It saves you from the extra expenses usually spent over training sessions to acquaint everyone with complex fleet management software.

Cost effective

Most organizations rely on technology to cut down costs. But, most of the time, the opposite happens. The above-mentioned points regarding how TrackSchoolBus System helps you handle bus fleet efficiently are the perfect reasons to why it is a cost-effective solution.

Customizable

“Comfort” is one of the factors that any organization looks into in any software they plan to use. TrackSchoolBus System can be customized according to the needs of whoever is using it.

Compatible

TrackSchoolBus System works well with any device and latest Operating Systems.

In short, depending on technology, like TrackSchoolBus System, can help you get past the hurdles put forward by manual bus fleet management and ensure a smooth running bus fleet for your organization.

3 Key Benefits of Video Camera on School Bus

Posted on April 10, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Video cameras are becoming a necessity in society today. Video surveillance can reduce diverse safety risks on as well as off the bus. The American School Bus Council has reported that each year school buses are transporting more than 25 million children from and to school.

Continuous monitoring can improve safety. In most cases, server inside the video records and wirelessly transfers the recordings and the data to the administrative server, which school board members can check.

Govtech.com has recently reported that school districts are adding safety cameras to its new fleets; they are now considering a four-camera system on their buses where now they have a two camera system.

The school board will be placing those two additional cameras, on the front dash that faces forward and another on the stop arm that faces backward. These cameras help to capture stop arm violations, by improving Wi-Fi capability within the district.

Here are three important benefits of video cameras on a school bus

1. Ensures student safety

By monitoring students, drivers and other staff in the bus, school districts can ensure that their students are safe during their bus journey. In school grounds students are under observation.

Video cameras can improve safety of students from the time they leave the parents to the school campus till they reach home back. But when travelling in bus, chances for bullying and other wicked happenings are more, which often go unnoticed.

Awareness of the fact that they are being observed in bus too will discourage any such acts and if it continues they will be punished. Not only school authorities, it also help drivers to watch each kid closely, thus preventing any sort of accidents.

To ensure safe off-loading and on-loading of students, most school boards are now considering stop-arm cameras that can protect students even outside the bus.

Such cameras placed on the stop arm of school buses can automatically capture stop-arm violations along with key details such as date, time and GPS location, which helps in legal enforcement review. These cameras also capture license plate numbers of violators in high-definition and can download stop-arm events automatically via Wi-Fi.

Such measures also prevent on-board deaths. Incidents were reported earlier on such issues, where kids who go asleep are left behind in their school bus, leading to consequences.

UAE school buses have installed “sleeping child check buttons”, which works via a mobile app that parents can access. This app will work even if bus supervisors fail to do their duty perfectly. Video surveillance also helps to make sure that the child still in the bus.

2. Monitors driver behavior

Video footage also helps to monitor driver’s behavior and activities. Often drivers get involved in issues such as rash driving, sudden braking, improper behavior, over speed, getting late than usual pick-ups and drop-offs and more.

Any such activities inside and outside the bus can be easily captured with videos surveillance and school authorities can take action to prevent them. With video camera surveillance system, drivers will be careful about breaking the school bus safety rules.

3. Prevents other vehicle’s illegal passing

overtaking of vehicles are getting increased day by day, this can endanger the lives of students when they are getting in or out of the bus. Law in most countries recommends motorists to stop their vehicles when school buses are boarding students or getting them down.

Also bus drivers are recommended to stop buses completely at places like railroad crossings to ensure student’s safety. In its 2017 National Stop Arm Violation Count report, the National State Directors of Pupil Transportation Service (NASDPTS) has highlighted that over 104,000 school bus drivers reported that 77,972 vehicles passed their schools buses illegally all on a single day.

Many states and their school districts are now placing cameras outside the bus to record illegal passing and thus punish motorists who pass stopped school buses.

They don’t wait for the red lights to stop flashing which indicates that the motorists can proceed. Often drivers illegally passing stopped school buses will be issued tickets for which they have to pay heavy penalties.

Stop arm cameras can identify such motorists who are not obeying the law. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recommends most U.S. states including Georgia to post a warning sign on all school buses which has a monitoring system installed and this indicates the use of such a system.

In case of any accidents, video footage can provide evidence on who is responsible and statements from eyewitness can provide details on what actually happened. Stop-arm cameras can also provide high definition photos of any vehicles passing through and its license plate.

However, in each country usage of video cameras for school purposes or even individual needs should be adhered to certain standard rules and policies.

For instance, in Canada, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Newfoundland and Labrador – Donovan Molloy has recommended that installing and using cameras in schools and on school buses needs to be identified under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (ATIPPA, 2015).

If not it will be considered as a law violation, leading to punishments and penalties. School districts considering outsourcing their transportation tasks should also mention their video surveillance policies in the contract they sign with the partner company.

10 Reasons Why Eco Friendly School Buses Are Common In USA

Posted on April 8, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

School buses are the main mode of transportation of students to and from school. Approximately half a million buses transport around 25 million students each day of the school year in the USA.

Buses transport an average of 50 students as opposed to a passenger car which on an average transports only 2 students per car. School buses thus save billions of gallons of fuel and a proportionate amount of dollars.

Majority of the buses are fuelled by diesel. Diesel emissions and its effect on health and environment are of major concern around the world.

The environment protection agency (EPA) in US has bought in regulations for bus emissions to reduce pollution in the environment. This in turn has made school authorities look for other viable eco-friendly options.

Reasons why school buses are eco-friendly:

1. Emission Standards By EPA

Diesel emissions are highly toxic and pollute the environment.

Particulate matter includes small solid or liquid particles found suspended in the air. Inhaling this air is hazardous to drivers and students cause breathing problems.

Nitrogen oxide emissions when mixed with moisture and air make tiny particles when inhaled cause bronchitis or heart disease. Carbon monoxide or green-house gas absorbed in large quantities might prove lethal. They replace the oxygen in the red blood cells. Non-methane hydro-carbons produce smog.

To circumvent these hazards to human health and environment, the EPA in conjunction with school bus manufacturers set higher emission level standards.

Schools had to adopt ways to comply with these stringent emission standards for their buses.Using alternative fuel instead of diesel helped in promoting cleaner air and being eco-friendly.

2. Environmental Harm

Emissions from diesel vehicles are harmful to humans, animals, flora and fauna, vegetation and the air in general. Emissions from diesel exhaust cause smog, haze, acid rain and other pollutants in the air.

School buses mainly travel through busy roads, crowded cities, and residential areas and school zones. They make numerous trips, circulating in and out of avenues, exposing many people to the risk of inhaling the fumes.

Large numbers of school buses shifting to alternative fuel will help to reduce these emissions to a zero level. This in turn will leave the environment and the air cleaner. Replacement of fossil fuels with alternative fuels, reduce use of earth’s natural resources which takes years to replenish.

3. Health Hazard

Breathing in diesel fumes leads to health problems like asthma, allergies and infections. Federal agencies have classified the emissions as a probable carcinogen. The students taking school buses were found to breathe in more particulates than students who used other means of transport.

The air inside the school bus is found to be polluted than the air outside. The air inside is noxious by the frequent opening and closing of the doors. The bus emits pollutants into the air while idling.

Children breathe faster than adults and their lungs are not fully developed. The particles inhaled settle in the airways and cause long term breathing difficulties.

Low sulphur content diesel lowers the emission rate by 85%. Minimal limited exposure to this can be harmful.

This one most important factor has lead to usage of alternative fuel.

4. Alternative Fuel

The most commonly used alternative to diesel is the low-level emission fuel propane. CNG and gasoline are also low-level emission fuels. The current best alternative is Electric buses.

Since 2006 when EPA lowered emission levels, a good percentage of school buses started using propane as the fuel. The price of propane as compared to diesel was found to be 5 times cheaper. An excise tax rebate of 50 cents per gallon is applicable on propane. The fuel cost reduced considerably.

CNG is cheaper and a considered option. CNG operated buses perform in comparison with diesel vehicles with the additional benefit of reduced emissions. Lesser availability and mileage are its drawback. The safety factor in the event of an accident has placed it on the lower rung of options.

Electric buses are expensive to purchase but cheaper to run. They are more efficient than conventional buses. Their drawback is the short driving range and long charging time.

Improved performance, reductions in battery costs and longer driving ranges have currently made electric buses a viable option. A study shows that if all school buses in America are replaced with electric buses, an average emission of 5 million tones of green house gases can be prevented.

5. Economies of Alternative Fuel Buses

The price of a full propane bus is about $4000 more than a diesel bus. But given the long term use of a bus for an average of 15 years there still saving approximately $100,000 in running costs. Long term usage of buses is of primary concern to schools.

Electric buses are expensive to buy, but proves cost effective over the life-time of the bus, Use of electric buses can save fuel and maintenance expenses. Power for these buses can be tapped from renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, geo-thermal etc.

Energy efficient and low emissions solutions become viable only over a time period. Initial costs involved being higher, EPA has suggested retrofitting and up-gradation of existing vehicles. Bus manufacturers advocate use of clean diesel which emits 85% less gases. The diesel buses are less expensive, low maintenance and long life machines.

6. Noise Pollution

Buses using alternative fuel have quieter engines. Electric buses are swift and noise free while running. The students inside the bus, while speaking to one another, do not have to shout above the engine sound. Buses while running through residential areas do not pollute or disturb the neighborhood.

7. Idling Pollution

Green-house gases are released by idling vehicles which pollute the air. Idling of school buses is inevitable and happens frequently in traffic jams and at bus-stops. The pollutants and carbon monoxide gases emitted into the air are harmful to the drivers, students and the general public.

A new bus parked next to an idling old bus can also have high levels of diesel exhaust fumes.

Schools should chart bus routes minimizing idle time and avoiding major traffic blocks. They should allow free flow of buses from the bus parking lot in school where the majority of time is spent idling.

Alternative fuel has helped reduce this considerably.

8. Power Company Assistance

Some of the schools have electric buses to transport their students. Electric buses are about three times more expensive than a conventional bus. This is prohibitive for most of the school districts.

In some towns in USA, schools have purchased buses from the local utility electric company. In summer when the schools are closed, the utility company gets to use the buses. The buses are plugged into the grid and used to store surplus power for use whenever required.

This arrangement benefitted both. The schools saved around one third the cost of the bus and with an additional grant they were able to purchase an electric bus at almost the same price of a conventional diesel bus.

This model is an incentive for the schools to use eco-friendly transport.

9. EPA Assistance

Schools having old buses which do not comply to current emission standards can be retrofitted with newer engines to suit the fuel they propose to use. EPA and some school bus manufacturers jointly provide help to upgrade engines. They assist and offer rebates to schools that cannot afford to change their fleet at one go.

Since electric buses and propane buses are expensive, EPA has suggested use of clean diesel technology. The devices can be refitted with filters or devices to capture diesel particles or direct fired heaters to reduce idling.

10. Go Yellow, Go Green Campaign By NSTA (National School Transportation Authority)

This campaign encourages use of eco-friendly buses. Reducing carbon emissions and usage of fossil fuel is the main aim. It advocates use of cleaner school buses by replacing, retrofitting and idle minimization.

NSTA has instituted an annual award to a leader in the school bus industry to recognize their efforts and commitment to environmental factors. NSTA provides ample help to school bus operators to go green

School buses reduce the number of cars on the roads going up and down to drop and pick children from school. This by itself reduces pollution on the roads. In addition to this, use of non-diesel buses help to reduce the emissions to zero levels resulting in a pollution free environment.

Electric school buses are seen as the future of eco-friendly transportation. Technological developments and citizen awareness of environmental pollution has urged the US to adopt eco friendly policies. By 2030 they expect to have zero emission traffic and cleaner air.

6 Leading School Bus Rental Companies in Philadelphia

Posted on April 5, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Established in 1818, the Philadelphia school district is the eighth largest in terms of enrolment in the U.S. The school district operates 214 out of the 300 public schools and they include 149 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, and 49 high schools. The remaining public schools are operated by independent charter schools which are authorized by the school district.

A number of school bus rental companies operating in Philadelphia cater to the transportation needs of these children. Some of the top rental service providers are:

1: YellowBird Bus Company

Since 1981 YellowBird has been providing school bus services for the children of the greater Philadelphia area. Known for providing services on time and quoting competitive rates, it is considered to be one of the most reliable school bus service providers in the area.

Over the years, the company’s fleet has grown from about a dozen vehicles to more than 100 buses and carries hundreds of students on a daily basis to and from schools.

YellowBird Bus Company is a family-owned business that provides safe rides to school children all over Philadelphia as well as the Bucks and Montgomery counties.

In addition to providing daily transportation services to school children, the company caters to bus needs for special events such as class field trips and wide array of private events. They include sports events, bachelor parties, wedding parties, and senior events, among many others.

2: David Thomas Transportation

The school bus rental company David Thomas Transportation operates the latest model school buses that can carry 16, 20, 48, and 50 students. The company also offers 14 passengers shuttle buses.

Their entire fleet has AM/FM Stereo Radio, Public Address System, CD player, and a cell phone for emergency calls. David Thomas also makes available air-conditioned school buses. They come with more headroom as they are designed for adults.

The company is well known in Philadelphia for operating school buses at affordable rates and providing safe transportation to school children. For chartered trips, the company offers services on all the 7 days of the week.

David Thomas Transportation, established in 2001, caters to the transportation needs of school children in and around the Philadelphia area.

The company also arranges buses for school field trips, after-school sporting events, and many other school activities. The air-conditioned school buses operated by David Thomas are licensed to travel even to destinations outside Pennsylvania.

Finally, the company ensures the buses are clean and well maintained and are driven safely by knowledgeable, friendly, and professional drivers, who always present themselves in uniform.

3: Maytav Bus Company

Maytav Bus operating in Philadelphia specializes in providing low-cost bus services for the metropolitan area. Maytav operates on rental basis on school bus routes for transporting students, taking them to and from school.

In addition, the company rents out buses for other school trips, day camps, senior groups, daycares, and private requirements.

Read Also: Top 10 School Bus Companies

Maytav has a professional set of staffs on their rolls. Further, Maytav’s busses are all equipped with a GPS device. This is to make sure that the passengers reach their destination on time without fail.

In addition to offering quality service all the time, Maytav ensures safe travel at very competitive rates.

4: Total Transportation Corp

The school bus and charter company Total Transportation serves NYC, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. With a professed mission to provide dependable and safe transportation services to its clients, TTc has been operating school bus and charter bus services for more than 40 years now.

Furthermore, the company is committed to offering distinctive and tailored services so as to address the needs of each client.

Total Transportation owns and operates several transportation companies. Mat Bus Corp is the company that operates transportation services for school students in the Philadelphia school district.

5: Durham School Services

Durham is a provider of safe and reliable school student transportation services across the United States of America, including Philadelphia.

The company transports over 1,000,000 students on a daily basis. Schools and school districts making use of their services don’t have to worry about capital for new buses, routing issues, driver recruitment and training, and bus breakdowns.

This is because the company has the expertise and experience in providing transportation services and nation-wide resources.

Durham School Services is a division of National Express LLC which is the subsidiary of the U.K. based National Express Group in North America.

At Durham, the safety of the children is the #1 priority. That’s why the company follows a nationally recognized fleet preventive maintenance program.

The history of Durham School Services can be traced to 1917 when it started its services with just three buses in San Gabriel Valley, California.

Back then, Durham was specialized in providing special education transportation. Today, the company owns over 16,300 school buses. They serve over 400 school districts across 31 states in the US.

6: First Student

This school bus rental service provider is more than one hundred years old. The company serves nearly 1,100 school districts for ferrying children from and to the schools all over North America.

First Student works very closely with all the school districts as they appreciate the fact that the requirements differ from one district to another. In fact, this company ferries a larger number of students on a daily basis than the people transported by airlines in the country.

Further, First Student is the only school bus transportation services company to be given the coveted Green Cross Safety Award by the National Safety Council. This is because the company focuses a lot on the safety of the students they transport from and to school.

That is why First Student has equipped its fleet with real-time tracking devices, efficient communication tools, digital cameras and Wi-Fi routers.

4 Ways To Find The Best School Bus Driver

Posted on April 3, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

The responsibility of a school bus driver is much more than mere driving. Parents and the schools entrust their children to the drivers for safe transportation to and from school.

Possessing a valid driver’s license and satisfying the age criteria to drive school buses is the bare minimum requirement. The bus driver should complete a special training program to be a school bus driver.

Apart from the eligibility criteria, school bus drivers need to have additional characteristics. This is a necessary requirement since the passengers the drivers deal with are children of different age groups and the people they report to are varied – parents, teachers, school authorities and transport authorities.

Selecting the best school bus driver

School bus drivers are hired on the basis of their resumes the school transport department receives and also recommendations from bus companies.

Selecting the best driver is about picking aspects that show they can perform the task professionally. To make the selection process easier it would be most practical to list out the traits required.

Final selection can be made keeping these qualities in mind.

1. Driving skills

Experience

Driving large vehicles like the school bus requires skills which differ from driving small personal cars. On road experience of driving large vehicles amidst small cars, traffic hold-ups, road accidents etc is highly essential. The driver experience in transporting school children is definitely desirable.

Knowledge of traffic rules

The drivers have to be well versed with the traffic laws and regulations, in general and that pertaining to big vehicles, in particular. A different set of rules is applicable to school buses especially when stopping to pick and drop off students. The rules on the use of stop arms and flashing lights, while stopping, have to be strictly followed.

Road focus

School bus drivers should concentrate on the road, no matter what personal problems or distractions he/she faces. Distractions inside and outside the bus should not cause him to lose focus of his job.

Alertness

Safe driving requires the driver to be mentally alert during his shift. His quick response is warranted in situations of emergency. Having a good night’s sleep and not being under the influence of alcohol will enable the driver to remain alert.

Judgement

A keen sense of judgment is the key to safe driving and it comes with practice. The driver’s assessmentof the oncoming traffic, aggressive driving, vehicle speeding, pedestrian behavior etc help in avoiding accidents due to external factors.

Track record

The driver should have had an accident-free and clean driving record. He should be devoid of criminal cases. His credentials should be verified and counter checked with respective departments.

Mechanical skills

Knowledge of basic mechanical skills is highly desirable. Repair of minor technical issues by the driver himself will save down-time of the vehicle. This will help in maintaining schedules with the least disruption. Assisting in keeping the bus clean and checking the operation of the bus daily are additional points to be considered.

2. Operational efficiency

Reliability

The school bus drivers are personnel on whom the schools and parents depend and rely on. The driver has to be punctual to the time schedules given to him. He should strictly adhere to the route charted out for him by the school. He should be prompt in updating parents and schools of any changes in route or timing.

Time-Manager

A school bus driver must follow the specific route given to him. He should always keep to the timings for each stage on the route. A good time manager will start early to avoid traffic and begin his route on time. He should refrain from using alternate routes or short cuts if it affects the time schedule.

Effective Communicator

The parents see and interact with the school bus driver more frequently than any other person in the school. He has to be prompt in updating them on changes in time schedules and routes.

He has to answer their calls and queries politely. Bad conduct of their wards is communicated to the parents without offending those involved.

The school bus driver has to be in constant touch with the school transport department reporting delays due to traffic jams, road construction, accidents etc. Accurate and regular reporting is required to keep the operation smooth.

Leader

The school bus driver is in charge of the students on the bus. He should be confident and take the right decisions when it is required. He should be in effect a leader, always keeping in mind the well-being of the students.

Maintaining Log

Daily recording of routes, trip times, distances run, fuel consumed etc. has to be kept. This information is required for efficient fleet management and is helpful in monitoring drivers. Student discipline reports have to be written.

3. Behavioral Aspects

Patience

Being patient with the students on board the bus is the highest virtue that a school bus driver must have. He must understand that they are children and that patience with them is absolutely essential.

Even when the students are boisterous, he should be patient and be able to control them. This will ensure no mishaps and that the bus reaches the destination on time.

At times, the students tend to become violent and fight among themselves. The students get adamant about seating and their belongings, some indulge in misbehavior.

The driver requires extra-ordinary patience and skill to manage the children on the bus and at the same time drive the bus. He should be able to handle all situations with ease.

Being Personal: The driver has to build a healthy relationship with the children on the bus. He should try to remember their names, be kind and friendly to both parents and children. He should possess a pleasant demeanor, smiling at all times. His duty is to make the child and parent feel at ease while boarding the bus.

Staying Calm

Bus drivers do not have control over what happens on the road. Hence they have to be always prepared for any eventualities such as road rage, traffic conditions and bad weather.

Rational decisions have to be taken in adverse circumstances. They have to remain calm under situations of pressure keeping the safety of the passengers in mind.

4. Attitude

Being Positive

A positive attitude is required to perform a satisfactory driving job. Bad moods and personal problems should not affect the driver. This should not be reflected in his job at any time.

Commitment

The school bus drivers must be dedicated to his job. He should enjoy doing his work. This will keep him in a happy frame of mind which will make his job easier. His commitment will be reflected in his dealings with the parents, students and authorities.

Respect for others

While the foundation of the driver’s job is to transport students, he has to respect all individuals he deals with. Each of these individuals, be it students or officials, contribute to the success of the driver. All of them have to be respected and appreciated.

Understanding

School bus drivers should understand the nature of their work. A comprehension of the high degree of responsibility they are entrusted with is of utmost importance. Understanding that safety should be his priority at all times will make him function logically.

These are the core traits that a school bus driver should have to be successful in his job. Finding the perfect fit for the best school bus driver is being able to recognize these traits.

While school buses are considered to be the safest mode of transportation for students, school bus drivers have a challenging task transporting them. A driver with ample driving experience, knowledge and an interest in working with children would be an asset to the school.

School Bus Driver Salary 2020

Posted on March 27, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

500,000 school buses ply the road daily in the US alone. This calls for a requirement of an equal number of drivers well experienced in transporting students safely. The school bus drivers require responsibility and a high level of commitment. The driver should love to drive and must be aware of traffic laws.

Job Description of a School Bus Driver

School bus drivers are engaged mainly to pick up students from the bus stops, bring them to school and at the end of the day drop them back home. He also transports them on extra-curricular activities, field trips and class picnics.

The driver starts off his day from the school-yard ensuring that the bus is safe to drive and has enough fuel for the day’s trips. He must make sure the bus is properly maintained, should perform mechanical checkups on a weekly basis and properly keep a driving log.

He drives on pre-assigned routes, always keeping to schedules. He makes certain that the student is picked and dropped off at bus stops at the appointed times despite traffic jams, bad weather, and accidents on his route.

Safety is the prime aspect of a school bus driver. He has to be on constant look-out for erring vehicles on the road to avoid accidents. Drivers must know traffic rules and follow them diligently.

The next important quality in a driver is his level of maturity and calmness. He has to manage student discipline in the bus, fights and bullying among students. In addition to this, he has to handle irate parents and school authorities.

Qualities of a School Bus Driver:

Customer service skills- School bus drivers often interact with parents, students and school authorities, so they must be courteous and helpful to their needs.
Hand-eye coordination- A driver needs to be alert all the time while driving. He/she requires to have normal use of one’s arms and legs and should have good hand-eye coordination as well.
Hearing ability- it is required that a driver needs to have good hearing ability. He should be able to hear a forced whisper with or without using a hearing aid.
Patience- A driver may overcome stressful situations like heavy traffic congestions, unruly passengers, etc, so a driver should be able to overcome these situations calmly and must maintain enough patience.
Physical health- A bus driver should have sound physical health. Federal and state regulations do not allow people facing health issues like high/ low blood pressure, epilepsy, etc to operate a bus. Because these health issues can interfere with driving.
Good vision- Bus drivers should pass vision tests. People with poor vision or color blindness must keep away from becoming a driver. Federal regulations require at least 20/40 vision in each eye. He should be able to distinguish traffic colors also.

Pay of school drivers

The average annual salary of school bus driver, as per the Bureau of Statistics, is $29,250 which works out to $14.05 an hour. The lowest-paid school bus driver gets under $18,800 a year or $9 an hour. The highest-paid drivers receive above $47,800 annually which approximates to around $23 an hour.

Also Read: 15 Best School Bus Driving Games 2020 [Updated]

Most of the bus drivers are part-time employees. This is possible as school timings are fixed. They usually work in other places during their down-time.

The regular employees help in doing basic vehicle maintenance and do administrative jobs when not on school duty. This way the drivers make extra money as well as keep themselves gainfully occupied.

The schools normally pay the drivers for the hours and days worked. Doing extra runs during vacations for summer school activities, field trips, school picnics add to their earnings.

The actual wages offered to school bus drivers depend on the previous driving experience of the driver, prior driving history, the employer, location of work and the hours worked.

School Bus driver Salary Based on Location

SL no	Location	School Bus driver Salary
1	Seattle, USA	$39,465/ Year
2	Washington, USA	$38,797/ Year
3	Baltimore, USA	$34,024/ Year
4	Akron, USA	$32,344/ Year
5	New York City, USA	$40,851/ Year
6	Minneapolis, USA	$39,943/ Year
7	Toronto, ON Area	CA$ 18/hr
8	Canada	CA $ 1,133/month
9	Australia	A$ 2,502/month
10	Alabama	$35,223/ Year
11	San Francisco	$43,841/ Year
12	India	Rs 16,255/ month
13	United Kingdom	£ 10.35 per hour
14	Switzerland	CHF 68,699/ Year
15	Germany	€ 27,300 / Year
16	London	€ 28,853 / Year

NB: “The above information is collected from various websites like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, neuvoo, etc“

Factors considered while deciding the wages of school drivers

Driving experience

The pay mainly depends on the driver’s prior experience in driving. The driver should obtain his Commercial Driving License as per state requirements and pass all federal alcohol/ drug tests and physical examinations.

School bus drivers undergo rigorous classroom and road training. Drivers on completion of a licensing exam obtain an endorsement to drive a school bus. Some states require drivers to take refresher courses to retain their licenses.

Drivers have to take road and knowledge tests at specific intervals, the number of years being specified by each state. Some employers pay for and train the drivers to attain the necessary standards.

As the drivers gain experience their earnings also increase. An entry-level school bus driver salary is $30,000 on average annually. A driver with an experience of 5 to 10 years can earn $31,000 annually in wages.

The earnings go up to $34000 annually for drivers with experience of 10-20 years. Drivers with driving experiences above 20 years earn approximately $35000 annually.

Also Read: 27 Best GPS Tracking Apps for Android and iOS

Prior driving history

This means a track record of accident- free driving, clean criminal record and incident- free behavior of drivers.

School buses are the safest mode of transportation for students to and from school. Hence school bus drivers have to exercise extreme caution while driving.

School bus drivers, in addition to driving safely, are responsible for maintaining discipline inside the bus. They have to report misbehaving students to school authorities. They settle skirmishes and fights among students on the bus.

They have to answer parents and school authorities. Dealing with students and parents require tact and diplomacy. Drivers with a high level of maturity handle this with ease.

An excellent school bus driver is one with superb driving skills and an enormous amount of patience. They should be friendly and enjoy driving.

How many trips they make

Schools pay drivers on the basis of the number of trips they make in a day. Some schools hire them on a monthly salary. In addition to the daily trips, they are required to transport children on school field trips, museums visits and other extracurricular activities.

Some schools stagger their school timings so that the drivers get to drive multiple routes in a day. On average, drivers spend 20 hours per week behind the wheel.

Most of the drivers work during the school months and are off during summer months when the schools are closed.

Some of them work year-round with limited time off. There are drivers who consider school bus driving as a part-time job due to the fixed hours of working.

Some districts in the US have year-round schools. So they have full-time drivers. Special needs students attend extended year programs at school during summer.

Whom they work for

The school bus driver’s pay depends on whom they work for. Wages differ slightly from employer to employer. School districts for elementary and secondary schools pay their bus drivers an average of $15 an hour.

Those who work for transportation services earn slightly higher at $ 16.5 an hour. Those working for charter bus services earn around $16 an hour.

Since there is no prescribed standard wage, the employer can use his discretion to fix wages. Private school operators and charter bus services pay higher.

Location of work

The salaries of the drivers depend on the geographic location where they operate on. Average annual wages in the range of $39,000 to $43,500 are paid in cities like Washington, DC, New York etc.

Southern states of US, like Alabama, offer lesser annual wages ranging from $18500 to $21,000. Major metropolitan cities, like San Francisco, tend to pay higher annual packages of $52,500 approximately.

Children need to go to school and transporting them safely is a huge responsibility. Hence well-experienced school bus drivers are always in demand. Job security is the advantage of being a school bus driver. Inspite of this school bus drivers are not without complaints.

This is proved by the high attrition rate. They earn lesser than their counterparts with commercial driving licenses in other industries. There is a limit to the hours one can work.

The extra runs made by them are paid at lower rates than the normal. Drivers cannot afford the high premiums for health-care. The training for school bus driving is expensive with the aspirant paying all of it on his own.

Lack of support from the management of school and bus companies is a major reason for drivers leaving the school bus fleet.

Honest, dedicated, friendly and safety abiding drivers are always needed and in great demand. In addition to being professionally experienced, the school bus driver has to be humane to perform his duty cheerfully and responsibly.