School Bus Archives - Page 5 of 7

5 Top School Bus Tracking Software Providers Every Parent Must Know

Posted on November 23, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Child safety and security is a major cause of anxiety for parents in these times.

Parents start worrying as soon as the child leaves home for school.

Whether the bus was on time, did their ward board the bus, did the child reach the school safely, and when the student was dropped back are matters of daily concern. This can be solved with school bus tracking software.

The school authorities are responsible for the child safety to and from schools.

It is definitely a daunting task with increasing numbers of students, buses and routes.

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The degree of alertness and follow up by personnel at different levels vary, often leading to lapses in the process.

Now technology is helping out in this matter to a great extent.

There are many software applications designed to ease daily activities in almost all spheres of life.

In the school scenario, the most relevant and important one seems to be a specialized tracking system for school buses.

Most software packages have a web-based app for the school authorities and a mobile app for parents, drivers and students.

Now here we are showcasing 5 top school bus tracking software providers

1: TrackSchoolBus

This is an excellent software platform designed for all associated with the child – parents, school administration, drivers and transport managers.

With this, concerned people can track attendance of the location of bus, and pick up and drop off timings.

Parents have the option to change the pick-up and drop off points for their ward(s) with intimations to the driver and school.

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The parent can also apply for leave if the child is sick through this app.

Both the driver and administration are informed. The route can be changed if necessary for drivers to reduce running time.

The school authorities have access to details regarding the driver, route, time spent on the road, list of students present on the bus thus enabling them to put their fleet to optimal use.

Transport managers can plan routes and trips, track every bus and communicate with drivers.

Accidents and traffic congestions along the routes can be viewed and conveyed to both parents and drivers.

With this, transport managers do not have to perform school bus routing, optimization and allocation manually because the system does it automatically as our system is AI in-built.

2: BusWhere

Considered very easy to use and a reliable for parents, the app tells us ‘where’ the bus is located currently.

The bus routes can be viewed on an interactive map.

Parents are notified when the bus is going to reach the stop. They get a minute by minute update on expected arrival time.

It tracks the location of the different buses on the specified routes, the time of arrival and departure from each stop, deviation in route due to traffic delays, expected arrival time at each of the designated stops.

This is of immense help to school administrators.

They have an easy access to information of the buses in their fleet mainly the routes, present location, speed and fuel levels.

With this, if any delay in school bus timing, parents can be notified via messages.

An additional feature of this is that the previous history of the bus can be obtained.

Details thus logged can be downloaded for further analysis too.

3: School Bus Tracker

School bus tracker offers real-time location of buses to both parents and school authorities.

Location of the buses, time of arrival and departure and route changes are monitored.

If any delay, direct messages are sent to parents and the information is also relayed to school authorities.

With this, parents can request for route change.

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The driver can also be notified directly by the parent if the child is sick.

This enables him to change the route accordingly.

Though widely used, this does not monitor the child’s attendance on and off the bus as it does not have RFID.

4: Here comes the bus

Being a bus location sharing platform, it provides the parents and school administration with the exact location of the bus.

The parents can view the scheduled and actual time of student arrival at both home and school.

In case where the bus is delayed, email alerts are sent to parents.

This is a device to track whether the student got on and off the bus.

It will indicate the bus-stop too. ID cards are scanned by students while boarding and exiting the bus. This will provide details of student attendance.

In conjunction with the GPS device, the location is pinpointed and the school as well as the parents is notified if students have alighted at the wrong stop.

5: Applane Real-Time Bus Tracking System

This system is a powerful software for parents to track their child’s bus route, location and timings of departure and arrival.

It offers an option wherein the child can be dropped to the next bus stop in case they fail to drop the child off at the usual one.

Parents are notified of route changes due to delays. They are also informed of any emergency situations or breakdowns.

RFID integration helps in monitoring attendance. An additional feature is the CCTV installed which keeps an eye on both students and drivers.

Unlike others, this can be accessed on mobile devices by the school authorities making it possible to manage their entire fleet anywhere anytime.

Conclusion

These software applications make the school bus fleet management an easy task.

Managed well within the parameters of privacy and security terms, this can be a boon to all.

Both the parents and school authorities can stay updated about the whereabouts of their wards. These providers help to enhance child safety.

What Are The Advantages Of A School Bus Tracking Software?

Posted on November 19, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School bus transportation has seen tremendous technological advancement over the last few years. Today, software is available for the school bus fleet management, including scheduling, and also geographic information system to improve efficiency and tracking.

The main purpose of employing technology in school bus fleet management is to ensure student safety. This is because these systems enable route planning to improve efficiency and provide information in real-time on location and security threats.

Here are some of the key benefits that schools can enjoy using school bus scheduling software:

Improve Fleet Optimization

Manual scheduling of routes and times is a static procedure and it is one-dimensional in nature. Inconsistent school bus schedules tend to impact morning routines and results in frustrated parents calling the school for an update on arrival at the waiting point.

Inconsistency in tracking also leads to increased expenses. On the other hand, the use of right software helps schools easily overcome all these challenges.

Tracking software helps to analyze the bell times for students in different grades and tier the bus routes accordingly so that the late arrival of buses, calls from parents, and unnecessary spending can be avoided.

Tiering enables schools to use the same drivers and buses and this effectively reduces the requirement of buses and drivers by 50%. This, in turn, results in a reduction in overall transportation costs as well.

It is not easy to create effective tiered routes for school buses. Many scenarios have to be taken into consideration. However, the scheduling software allows for the creation of unlimited scenarios and study or review a number of hypothetical tiering schedules to ensure the optimal use of the school’s fleet of buses.

Makes Routing Easy

If the conditions remain ideal, schools can set the routes and use them every year. However, the reality is that the student population keeps expanding and costs continue to rise.

This means that school administrators must keep track of the routes and change them as required. Optimization of bus routes is the best way to reduce costs, minimize ride times, and ensure student safety.

This is best achieved by implementing the bus scheduling software. It may sound intimidating initially, but technological advances enable scheduling of school bus routes easy.

The software helps the school administration department to quickly analyze traffic pattern, route times, and student populations to ensure student safety.

The software also incorporates other functionalities. They make it possible for administrators to communicate with drivers and monitor the movement of school vehicles in real time.

When schedules need to be changed, school administrators will have to often put away other jobs and focus only on readjusting schedules.

The use of the bus scheduling software totally eliminates this problem. This is because the suitability of various alternative routes can be checked almost instantaneously, resulting in saving time and cost.

Update Drivers Quickly

Students move to new homes, and therefore, their pick up points change. The parents of a child may have split custody. The child may come to school by one bus but go back home on a different bus.

This child may also use different buses. In such cases, school bus drivers of respective routes should be informed of the same at the very next moment.

When the pickup point of a student changes, web access portals come to the aid of school bus drivers. The scheduling software provides drivers with daily updates before they start their work in the morning.

Reduce Costs

All schools experience problems with respect to balancing their budgets. When they face financial challenges, the first department to get the cut is the transportation department.

Parents become concerned when routes are changed and bus stops are eliminated. Fortunately, the scheduling software helps to optimize routes without compromising the safety of students.

The software helps to save money in the following ways:

Route Planning

School bus tracking software does away with the need to organize lengthy planning sessions. The routing job used to be completed only over a few days.

With this software, the job can now be completed in a matter of minutes. It also has special features which help to set parameters and designate zones when creating routes that are safe and efficient.

Maximizing Efficiency

Efficient routes reduce the fuel requirement and driver downtime. School bus scheduling and tracking software helps to identify the routes that rationalize the stops.

It also enhances student safety as it identifies routes that avoid areas with a high level of traffic. Rationalization of the routes also helps to minimize driver and bus requirement.

Integration

Advanced school bus scheduling software is available now and can be integrated with many other tools such as GPS systems.

These integrations, in turn, enhance the capability of the school bus scheduling software and help develop more efficient routes, identify inconsistencies, and track ridership. Elimination of inconsistencies further leads to a reduction in wasteful expenditure.

Conclusion

Investing in school bus tracking software often tends to save money in many indirect ways as well. For instance, the use of safer and more efficient routes helps schools to cut down insurance costs. When the software is integrated with tracking programs, reporting becomes much easier and this adds to the cost benefits.

Master the Skills of School Bus Driver Roles and Be Successful

Posted on November 16, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School bus drivers are bestowed with the responsibility of transporting kids to and from school in a safe and timely manner. They also take school sports teams and other groups for trips.

This means that apart from their transportation duties, there are certainly other skills that they must possess to be able to successfully perform their roles.

The job of a school bus driver is suitable for those who like driving and working with children. A passion for driving alone may not be enough to do your duties as a school bus driver to the best of your ability.

This is because working with children requires a lot of patience, a lot of responsibility, and a lot of spontaneity.

School bus drivers generally work part-time, for as long as the school is in operation. These drivers are not just vehicle operators since students consider them to be friends, parents trust them with the safety and security of their child, and school authorities expect them to maintain the school’s reputation.

While little formal education is required for this career, a school bus driver must have adequate training and a commercial driver’s license.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER – SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Communication

School bus drivers deal with various audiences – students, parents, teachers, principals, transport authorities, and more. This makes it extremely vital for them to have proper communication skills. School bus drivers must be able to:

Listen to others and ask questions: They must know how to engage in dialogue with students. They must inquire about the child’s overall well-being, inform parents all necessary information and take charge of what is happening on the journey between school and home.
Understand spoken/written information: School bus drivers are given several instructions on a regular basis. They also receive route maps and addresses to ensure every child is dropped off at the right destination in a timely manner. If school bus drivers are unable to follow this information, they will not be able to perform their duties responsibly.
Speak clearly: School bus drivers are sometimes requested to communicate information between parents and teachers. This must be done with utmost care so that messages are well understood at both ends and there is no confusion of any kind.

2. Reason and Problem Solving

School bus drivers must be alert to notice when something is wrong or about to go wrong. For instance, if weather conditions can cause delays, they must be able to use reasoning and draw conclusions as to how time can be managed effectively.

They must focus and not get distracted while performing a particular task. They must follow instructions and arrange objects in a certain order.

If they are transporting school teams for events, they must know how the team’s equipment is to be stored so that there are no damages.

3. Bus Conduct

School bus drivers often need to perform multi-task. They need to watch the road and drive safely. At the same time, they need to monitor the conduct of students on the bus also.

Buses come with large mirrors on the front window making it easier for drivers to keep an eye on the actions of the students. School bus drivers must watch student behavior and stop any hooliganism as soon as it is noticed.

Moreover, drivers must immediately report irresponsible behavior so that necessary action is taken and harmful behavior is not repeated. Drivers must identify these students, their seats, and ensure that they sit in their allotted seats regularly.

4. Vehicle Safety

School bus drivers need to have a clear understanding of the bus’ equipment. In simple words, this refers to the regular evaluation of tires, brakes, tuning signals, and other mechanical equipment.

They must also watch gauges, dials, and other parts of the engine to ensure that the machine continues to run smoothly. School districts generally prepare a checklist that drivers need to fill after conducting basic checks on different safety items.

In case of any issues or operational troubles, the bus must be immediately sent to the workshop for repair while the school bus driver uses an alternate vehicle for transporting students.

This skill of understanding the mechanism of the machine can help school bus drivers go a long way since issues are identified early on and they do not get stuck during the course of transportation.

5. Record Maintenance

School bus drivers must maintain a regular basis log activity in different categories. This includes the number of students riding on the bus, the absentees, the distance traveled, the route stops, and the time slots.

Furthermore, drivers must record when fuel is replenished, the quantity, and the rate per liter/gallon. School authorities mostly provide private fuel stations for the use of school bus drivers. Logging in this data helps to maintain accuracy in routes.

6. Perceive and Visualize

Vision is an important parameter to evaluate the proficiency of a school bus driver. He/she must be able to quickly and accurately compare numbers, patterns, pictures, letters, or objects.

He/she must be able to read road signs, manage right routes, and avoid any kind of mishaps. A school bus driver must know one’s location and accurately judge the position and distance from other objects in a physical setting. He/she must be able to adjust the relation to self.

7. Patience

Working as a school bus driver requires interaction with children from all age groups and all backgrounds. You must have a lot of patience to manage different tantrums and behaviors.

A school bus driver can never get strict or violent with the children. Parents hand over children to a school bus driver with a lot of trust and confidence.

This trust must be respected. Therefore, work on your patience levels and your child-handling skills, if you wish to succeed in your career as a school bus driver.

The job of a school bus driver does not require a specific educational qualification but it does require several interpersonal skills that you need to excel at in order to be able to master at work. If you think that you can master these skills, there’s no reason you wouldn’t succeed and become the most loved bus driver at school.

10 Important Benefits of Propane Based School Buses

Posted on November 12, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Propane is more widely available and is cheaper than both gasoline and diesel which makes it a preferred fuel for running school buses. Generically known as liquefied petroleum gas, propane is available even in rural areas.

The number of school districts that are using propane for their school bus fleets is on the rise. Propane-based school bus sale has increased by around 500% since the year 1912. As of last year, there are about 13000 propane-based school buses that ferry close to 800000 students to and from schools every day.

This naturally leads to the inference that school buses that use propane are seeing more advantages as compared to others. This article attempts to list 10 of the most obvious and important advantages as to why school bus fleets want to power their buses with this gas.

Here follows the 10 important advantages of propane based school buses which you must know.

1: Financial gains

The primary reason why many schools choose propane is for financial gains. The price of propane is low as compared to traditional gasoline or diesel and also reduces the operating costs. The school buses were able to save to the extent of $3000 per bus if it starts running on propane. The range of savings, however, depends on the price of the fuel.

Right away propane is costing just half as much as diesel from the pump station. In a majority of cases, the school sins a contract with the propane retailer for the fuel consumption of the entire fleet of buses and this makes the cost of propane even lower.

2: Lowered maintenance costs

With propane based school buses, it is possible to save maintenance cost This can be possible in several areas, one being less-frequent changes of the engine oil.

An oil change for propane takes up only 7 quarts of oil. However, for a diesel engine, the oil change requires about 17-36 quarts of oil. The next reason is the installation of less complicated emission control systems which do not use the diesel exhaust fluid. The fuel burns in a clean manner and there is no requirement for add-on filters usually used by diesel engine systems.

3: Propane is a proven fuel alternative

Propane has been used in vehicles ever since the 1970s which makes the technology almost five decades old and proven. Many school districts started using propane from as early as the 1980s.

4: Quick returns on the investments are possible with propane

School districts that had purchased propane-based school bus fleets got back their initial investment in just about an 18- to 24-month period. This was because of reduced fuel expenditure and lowered maintenance costs.

Typically, the cost of propane has a value that is midway between the price of natural gas and oil. Schools also do well by negotiating a fixed propane price for the entire year with the local retailer.

5: Propane is a non-toxic fuel and is non-spillable too

Propane has lots of good characteristics:

•    It does not contaminate the soil, air or water
•    It is not made up of harmful chemicals like diesel and gasoline
•    Propane is usually used in a closed-loop system as a result of which it does not spill
•    There are no major clean-up concerns for this fuel

6: The refuelling infrastructure is spread out and big enough

Many of the districts have multiple points from where the school bus fleet can refuel. Each fleet can have their own refuelling strategy. The individual buses from a fleet can be part of a refuelling network.

These networks can be used by those bus fleets that do not have a refuelling facility and infrastructure in their premises. Most of the refuelling stations function 24/7 for the convenience of the bus fleets.

7: The propane refuelling infrastructure is easy to create

For bus fleets of big sizes, it is worthwhile to consider installation of a propane refuelling facility if there is sufficient space in their premises. The infrastructure is affordable and is cheaper than installing stations for dispensing petrol or diesel.

If the refuelling station is outside the premises, a centralized location would be the best as it serves to reduce downtime of the buses. It is also a matter of convenience. Such refuelling centres can be up-scaled when the sizes of the fleets increase.

8: Propane engines operate in a cleaner fashion

As propane engines operate in a cleaner manner than diesel engines. This means that school running propane-based buses set do not have to buy an extra set of about 20 ancillary parts that are required to clean the unwanted emissions of diesel engines.

Without these parts, diesel engines would fail to meet environmental protection standards as far as emissions are concerned.

Propane-based buses emit fewer oxides of nitrogen and almost no particulate matter as compared to diesel.

9: Propane buses have no cold-start problems

Propane buses do not have cold-start issues with the result that the school saves a lot of time as well as money.

10: Drivers love propane-based buses

Drivers love propane based buses for the fact that they operate in a much quieter fashion, they accelerate quickly and are easier to handle, unlike diesel buses.

They do not have the exhaust fumes of diesel engines either. They are quick to start even in the dead of winter. Propane buses do not have to ’idle’ before it starts to move. At the end of it all, they are easier to clean and maintain.

Conclusion

A major cost for most schools is the transportation system. The rising fuel costs coupled with the fact that diesel engine mechanics are rare breed these days, most of the schools are settling for buses that use alternative fuels like propane instead of conventional fuels like diesel and gasoline.

How to Install Car Seats In School Bus?

Posted on October 31, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Drivers depend on car seats to keep babies safe. However, according to some experts, only 15% of the car seats are correctly installed guaranteeing the safety and protection of the child.

Before you start installing a car seat in the school bus, know the type of car seats you have. Is it a rear-facing car seat or a front-facing one? Next, take a look at its design to understand if it has to be fixed to the school bus’ seat belt, or the anchor belts attached to the car seat, or to both.

Let us look deeply onto it.

Installing a Rear-Facing Car Seats in School Bus

Step 1: The carrier and the base are two different parts and must be separated. You need to install the base as this is what will remain in the car.

Go through the manufacturer’s instructions to understand how the carrier can be removed from the base. Generally, this is done with the help of a lever or button placed at the base.

Step 2: Check for the belts attached to the base. Some car seats have a belt with two hooks that can latch onto the designated spots near the seat belt area of your vehicle. If these are the kind of belts in your car seat, snap the hooks onto the metal bars of your school bus’ seat.

Make sure the base is resting right against the seat. Tighten the anchor belt in case of a gap.
Check the instructional manual to ensure that this is the way the base has to be fixed.
Some car seats have another belt that needs to go through the car seat to secure the base and provide additional security.

ALTERNATIVELY,

If the car seat which you are going to install does not have an anchor belt with hooks, it will have a buckle to securely put through the school bus’ belt opening. The seatbelt must go through straight without any twists or turns.

Check the manual thoroughly to understand where the belt has to be attached in case of doubt.
Every school bus and every car seat is different and, therefore, the manufacturer’s manual must be referred to.
A car seat that is not properly latched can be dangerous since the child is at the risk of getting injured.

Step 3: Fix the infant carrier onto the base. The direction of the carrier must be such that the child is facing the rear side. When the base and carrier are correctly fitted, you must hear a click sound. You can practice placing and separating the carrier a couple of times to know how it’s done.

Step 4: Check the angle of the base. Rear-facing car seats can be adjusted to different angles. Young infants need a more reclined position as it helps them to breathe properly.

Car seat carriers have level indicators to help you understand which is right for your child. Read the level and check if this is right as per your child’s weight/age/height.
Alter the base angle if you feel your child is not comfortable.
Always change the angle as your child grows.

Installation a Front Facing Car Seats in School Bus

Step 1: Take the seat belt through the car seat. Front facing car seats have openings at the back or bottom through which a seat belt needs to pass.

This seat belt must be buckled into the school bus’ seat on the other side. Once the belt has passed through and you’ve buckled it, push it down and pull to ensure that it has locked well. Check that the belt is straight and there are no twists or bundling.

Step 2: Some car seat designs include an attached tether. This can be taken over the top of the vehicle’s seat to latch on the anchor behind the seat. If your car seat and vehicle’s seat both support this locking, attach the tether to the anchor and tighten.

ALTERNATIVELY,

If the tether is not attached, you need to use latches to secure the car seat. Check the bottom of the car seat for two buckles with hooks.

These should latch onto the designated spots of the school bus seat where the back and bottom join. Tighten the belt in a manner that the back of the car seat is snug against the back of the vehicle’s seat and the base is snug to the base.

Safety Guidelines

Proper installation of the car seat in school bus is not enough to ensure the safety of the child while traveling. There are a few other factors that you must keep in mind to ensure that the child remains uninjured on the school bus journey. Here’s what you must check:

Choose the right spot to fix the car seat. Child car seats should not be installed in the first few or last rows of the school bus. This is because these seats are unsafe and experience more jerks than the middle rows.
The seat must fit well according to the dimensions of your vehicle’s seat. At any point in time, the base of the car seat must not move more than 1 inch.
Pull and push your car seat in different directions after installation to check this movement and in case the car seat is moving a lot, do not place the child in it. Tighten the belts to first fix the car seat correctly.
Use the shoulder straps and lap harness to buckle the child into the seat. The child must not be left loosely in the seat. The chest clip must also be buckled properly.
Tighten all the belts to make sure that your child is safe and comfortable as well. Please ensure that none of the straps are twisted or bundled.

Keep the instructions manual handy to be sure that you have done everything correctly. Student safety in the car seat is in your hands and you must double check everything.

15 Effective Special-Needs Training Tips For School Bus Driver

Posted on October 15, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Regional rules require that students with special needs should be transported only by those who are specifically trained to provide the service. This is because the whole process is quite a difficult one which involves many different activities.

Here are some of the activities:
•    Loading and unloading students using specific procedures
•    Securing student using a wheelchair
•    Knowledge of operating specific equipment
•    Proper communication with students and concerned people
•    Evacuation of students in an emergency
•    Knowledge of regional and state laws pertaining to the transport of students with special needs or disabilities, etc.

Every driver and bus attendants should have these sort of training so that they can transport students with special needs in a secured way and with utmost care to and from school.

Below are 15 tips for school bus drivers to transport students with special needs.

The first point that you can start with is you can search for ‘transporting students with disabilities’ in Google. The list that is thrown up would contain many websites that can provide help in this direction.
Different states have published their own training manuals on the web. You can use any of these to define a starting point for your training and design program that suits your needs.
One useful resource where you can spot an effective special needs driver training program is the NST specifications and Procedures manual. This can be downloaded from www.ncstonline.org.
Your training guidelines for drivers transporting students with disabilities should be based on those that are dictated by your district policies.

They should also be based on the regional and state legislation on the matter. This would tell the drivers and attendants the need for this kind of training.
It is necessary to familiarize the drivers and attendants with the characteristics that pertain to the different disabilities so that they are able to identify them easily. This is likely to make the training more effective for them.
Companies that manufacture equipment such as the wheelchair that is required to transport children with special needs provide training on different aspects such as loading the wheelchair on to the bus and securing it.

It is essential to subject the drivers and attendants to such training every time whenever there is a new release of the product and/or its securement systems to keep them updated.
The NHTS Administration has published many manuals to describe the use of child restraint systems in school buses. It is a good idea to become familiar with these during the driver and attendant training sessions.
Your special education department is likely to contain resources that teach drivers and attendants how to control the behaviour of children with special needs during school bus rides.
For drivers and attendants to become good at emergency evacuation procedures, it is important to conduct mock drills at timely intervals with help from the local fire department. This would provide them with first-hand knowledge as to how children with special needs have to be handled during emergency situations.
Drivers and attendants have to be taught to keep specific information regarding students with special needs confidential. They have to be aware of the student’s medical needs if any and should be subjected to sensitivity training to best appreciate the condition of the student.

These are important topics that have to be present in the training manuals. At this stage, the drivers and attendants have to be reasonably familiar with the line of practice that is followed in the specific district.
Every training session should be documented for future reference. These documents should find an appropriate place in the drivers’ and attendants’ training files.
The training program should be one such that it draws from the experience of the training veterans in the field of transportation of students with special needs.

This does not mean that the new trainers can be left out. They will bring in their own expertise to the table. They should be asked to train the drivers and attendants about the requirements they envision in the future for transportation of students with special needs. As of now, there is a lot of precious information in this field that is waiting to be shared.
It is important for drivers and attendants to remain updated about the latest procedure, best practices and incorporate new ideas and information.

Trained drivers and attendants should be readers of school publications that cover the needs of students with disabilities.
To make the training more effective, it is the duty of the trainers to make the environment more conducive to learning. The learning environment should be professional for the best outcomes after the training sessions.
Bus drivers and attendants should be aware of student medical emergencies that may occur. They will have to be trained to pull over and call 911, stay calm, stay with the student during the medical emergency, lend emotional support to the student and correctly document the incident.

Conclusion

Bus drivers and attendants that transport children with disabilities shoulder a great responsibility. It can be done safely and effectively only when the drivers and attendants carry out the job in a very professional manner.

For this, the training has to be very effective. Drivers and attendants that are well trained provide the safest means of transport for children with special needs.

How to Prevent the Threat of School Bus Hijacking

Posted on October 11, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

In these days when terrorist attacks are common, it is possible that a school bus may get hijacked.

This is because, worldwide, international terrorists have targeted transportation systems (in particular, buses) and secondly compilations have indicated that many terrorist incidents at schools were focused on buses at targets.

Buses are preferred targets for the reasons because there are many people concentrated in a small space inside the bus and, secondly, the bus is a horrible target to around millions of parents whose children ride to school in the school bus every day.

In the light of these facts, it is very important that every school bus driver must be prepared to prevent the threat of school bus hijacking at any cost. Given below are a few pointers that can be adopted by drivers if they are faced with such a situation.

It is important for the bus driver to anticipate the threat of a hijack and be prepared for one, always.
The bus driver should be aware of the fact that the hijackers are not always adults. There have been instances when students have hijacked school buses.
The motives of the hijackers are varied and most surprising. Whereas in the case of one bus hijack the attackers wanted money, on another school bus hijack the attacker was unhappy with his employer.

The hijacker can even be a parent of one of the children on the bus. In some weird case, the hijacker may not have a motive at all.
The hijacker can be of any ethnicity, sex, race, age, or background. They can be a complete stranger too. This is why it is important not to allow any unauthorized individual on the bus be it a child or an adult.
The school bus driver should have a perfect plan on what exactly to do in the vent of a hijacking. This plan must be practised with dry runs just like emergency evacuation drills.
School bus drivers should use code words to inform others of the hijack in case it has happened. It is not a good idea to tell the others that they think they ‘have been hijacked’ or that ‘one of the students has a gun’.
The driver of the bus should check in with the authorities from time to time when on a trip. If some check-ins go missing, it is easy for the authorities to understand that a hijacking may have taken place or the bus and its occupants are in some kind of danger.
It is important that the school authorities/school district works closely with the police and other law enforcement agencies. The police should regularly patrol the scheduled school bus routes. This can deter the hijackers.
Students can be trained to conduct regular bus patrols. The older students of the bus patrol can be taught to act in a specific manner in case of a bus hijack. At the same time anyone of the students can call police for help.

The bus driver can focus on this job and do it well while he/she knows that someone else is calling for help. However, all these have to be practised beforehand through dry runs.
If at all the school bus has been hijacked, then the school bus driver has to become very alert and must take some decisions very quickly. However, there are two methods that are recommended.

Whereas in one the instructions are for the driver to obey the hijacker’s instructions while waiting for some kind of assistance, the second method recommends that the bus driver has to resist and take command if the situation is conducive.

Whatever be the method adopted, the protection of the children on the bus is paramount. For all these to happen in the best manner possible, the driver has to conduct drills beforehand.
It is important for the school bus driver to maintain good communication with the students and their parents/guardians.
In the event of a hijack, school bus driver has to communicate with them instead of fighting. Saying the right things and maintaining the right tone can help to de-escalate the situation to a large extent.
The driver should be trained in the use of all emergency-related equipment. They should be familiar with operating all the emergency procedures and plans.
The driver should have the clarity of thought to identify an emergency and clearly understand their role in the unfolding emergency situation. The driver should stay calm under all circumstances
The driver should make it a point to remove the keys from the ignition when the bus is left unattended.
The bus driver should be familiar with all the guidelines of the school district and state as far as security is concerned.
The inside and outside of the bus has to be inspected thoroughly before and after every school trip.
If the driver spots suspicious people around, they should immediately notify the authorities about the concerns they have.
In case the driver notices any unusual behaviour from individuals, the judgment should not be based on race, religion or ethnicity.
Suspicious individuals can pretend to have gotten lost and may be seen wandering near the buses or inside the school premises. Some of them may even openly wield dangerous weapons or other items.
A suspicious person should be approached by the driver only if they are comfortable in doing so.
The bus driver should refrain from becoming confrontational and try to detain the suspicious person in the first place. The driver should withdraw if they become aggressive.
The driver should look to diffuse the situation, should not attempt to grab the weapon or make any sudden movements and look for ways to alert emergency response. The driver can also pretend that the bus has broken down, if possible.

Conclusion

Every school bus driver should have a written down plan that can be executed if the bus is hijacked. These plans must be practised just as with emergency evacuation drills.

Common Guidelines for the Location and Design of School Bus Stops

Posted on October 8, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Millions of school children travel to and from schools on a daily basis in school buses during a school year. The safety of students is a matter of high concern for both school authorities and parents.

This post provides some information on the common guidelines related to the location and design of stops for buses run by various schools.

Guidelines for Deciding the Location of School Bus Stops

The first step is definitely deciding the routes for the school bus. Once the routes have been finalized, the next step is to decide the location of each school bus stop along these routes, taking into consideration the various aspects that have been listed below:

Special guidelines required for kindergarten children like picking them up from their door-steps
Choosing the location of school bus stops on the key arterial roads of the city or town
Transportation in danger zones marked as “no transport zone”
Locating stops in dead-end streets
Locating stops at places midway between residential blocks or at corners
Closeness to railroad crossings
Adequate visibility

There is an intimate link between school bus routes and stops. This is because the characteristics of one impact the other.

For example, a route may have a busy road segment and a stop may have to be necessarily located in this segment. Students waiting at bus stop will definitely have to deal with the heavy traffic on the segment.

Keeping in mind the street-side things like the condition of the road from where the students board and alight school bus and ensuring a safe environment for children, consider the following aspects whenever possible.

Route school buses through roads with lower traffic speeds and volumes
Avoid roads with multiple lanes where the risk of injury for pedestrians is very high
Select roads that have sidewalks/designated pedestrian walkways which are different from the roadway/traffic; if this is not possible select roads with adequate space so that children can walk along the roadway and reach the stop
Avoid/limit the stops that necessitate the school buses to make a left/right turn along the route depending on whether right hand or left-hand driving is practiced
Avoid stops that necessitate backing up; if backing up cannot be avoided, make sure that the students are picked up before backing and during the return trip the children should be dropped off only after backing up so that the bus can be driven in the forward direction
Avoid railroad crossings as much as possible; if it is not possible to do that ensure the presence of signage and crossing arm protection
Select stops that have a high level of visibility for both drivers and pedestrians; the sight distance should be sufficient for both the students waiting at the stop and bus drivers

When it comes to the sight distance, some of the factors that have an impact are:

Sunrise/sunset times – It is better to avoid locating stops in such a way that the buses are forced to face into the sun at pick-up/drop-off times
Curves
Trees and vegetation

Guidelines for Designing School Bus Stops

When designing school bus stops some of the key aspects to be kept in mind are as follows:

Opt for the safest areas where students can wait for and get into and off of the school bus
Choose “near-side” stops as much as possible
Design should minimize the need for crossing the road to board or after alighting from the bus; as much as possible the need to cross multi-lane roads must be minimized
Ensure adequate lighting is available; if children have to wait during hours when the light is low, the school bus stop must be close to a street light/ other light sources as much as possible
Ensure adequate waiting space for both students and parents; the waiting place must be at least 12 feet away from the bus but the bus class and sight distance should be kept in mind
Consider the environment around the school bus stop; parks and commercial businesses both have their own benefits and drawbacks; they may confer safety as drivers might expect the presence of pedestrians in the areas but they can distract children
Design school bus stops in such a way that the children remain protected from vagaries of nature weather

On the basis of the geographical region, some of the aspects to be kept in mind are:

Design stops in such a way that shade is available without sacrificing visibility
Avoid areas that will reduce the visibility/access because of changes in weather conditions
Avoid snow drift areas that reduce the visibility of the bus or access to the school bus
Take into consideration the number of children that have to be picked up from a school bus stop; the presence of many students might confer safety, but it can increase the chances of behavioural problems

The common guidelines outlined in this post are focused on preventing traffic-related injuries to students using the school bus to travel to and from their schools. Students, just like all other community members, face risks of assault and other crimes.

Many of the other non-traffic issues addressed by transportation policies such as proximity to bars, liquor stores, and adult entertainment, among others are not dealt with in this post.

However, following the guidelines when designing and locating school bus stops can greatly improve the safety and security of school children.

How Safe Is Your School Bus ?

Posted on October 4, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

How safe is your school bus is a question that comes to everybody’s mind at the start of each school year. This can be attributed to the several high-profile school bus accidents that have taken place in the past.

According to safety administration authority, the safest way of transporting children to and from the school is the school bus. In fact, a school bus is considered to be seven times safer compared to traveling either by car or van.

Bus Safety

Time and again people have raised the issue that school buses are not provided with seat belts to ensure the safety of children. On the other hand, seat belts have been compulsory for passenger cars ever since 1968. However, experts in the filed opine that they are not required on school buses.

According to them, seat belts have a key role to play in ensuring the safety of passengers in cars, but the design of school buses is different and a unique kind of a restraint system on buses works extremely well.

On the other hand, the small school buses are to be equipped with lap and/or lap plus shoulder belts at all of the specified seating positions.

This is because the weights and sizes of smaller school buses and vans are closer to that of passenger cars and mini trucks, it is essential to provide seat belts to ensure the safety of the occupants.

In addition, the chances of students getting to school safely are nearly 70 times higher when they take a school bus instead of commuting by car.

This is because school buses have to comply with a lot of regulatory stipulations compared to other vehicles that ply on the roads. Moreover, they are designed to provide a higher level of safety than other passenger vehicles and prevent crashes and injuries. Further, the stop-arm laws protect students from other motorists.

Another aspect is that school buses are designed in such a way that they ensure high levels of visibility. Other safety aspects include flashing red lights, protective seating, rollover protection, high crush standards, and cross-view mirrors in addition to stop-sign arms.

The school students are also further protected by law. The law prevents drivers from passing a school bus when students are being dropped off or picked up, irrespective of the direction from which he/she is approaching.

Bus Stop Safety

It is not riding the bus that poses the greatest risk to the school students. The risk is higher when approaching or leaving the bus. Prior to going back to school or starting school for the very first time, the parents and children must have a clear idea of the traffic safety rules.

Parents must teach their children to follow all road rules and safe practices so that waiting for school bus at bus stops becomes safer for them.

Children must reach the bus stop from where they board their school bus at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time of the bus. Parents can visit the school bus stop and show the children where they wait to safely board the bus.

Children should wait at least six feet or three giant steps away from the curb. Children should also be told clearly that they should not run around or play when waiting for the school bus.

When it comes to boarding or getting down from the school bus, children should be taught to be patient, until the door gets opened, and the driver announces that they can board or get down at the bus stop.

Children should also be taught to hold the handrails so that they don’t fall down while boarding or alighting from the bus.

Children should never be allowed to walk behind the school bus. If a child has to cross the street to board the bus, he/she should be trained to walk on the sidewalk or along the street on the side to a point which is at least 10 feet or 5 giant steps in front of the school bus prior to crossing the street.

It is also important that children make an eye contact with the school bus driver prior to crossing the street in order to make sure that the driver has seen him/her. At times children might drop a book or a ball near their school bus but they should never try to pick them up.

This is because the driver may not be able to see them. The safest thing to do in such a situation is to inform the bus driver.

On their part, school bus drivers can take care of a few things to make school bus travel safer for children. When backing the bus out of driveways or leaving garages, they must keep a watch on children that are bicycling or walking to school.

The same rule applies when driving the bus around the neighbourhoods within school zones. Drivers should watch out for children walking or cycling to school.

It pays to slow down the bus and watch out for children that are walking on the street, especially if the neighbourhood does not have any sidewalks.

They should also be aware of children congregating and playing near school bus stops. Drivers should also be vigilant as children that arrive late might run on to the street unaware of the traffic.

In addition, drivers must be aware of the school bus laws in their state and obey them. This includes the use of the flashing light signal system for alerting motorists.

Flashing yellow lights indicate that the school bus is going to stop either to enable the children to board the bus or alight from the bus. This is a warning for the other motorists to either slow down or prepare for stopping their vehicles.

When the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, other motorists understand that the school bus has been stopped for children to either get into or get off the bus.

Motorists will immediately stop their vehicles and continue to wait until the driver puts off the flashing red lights and withdraws the extended stop-arm.

The school bus starts moving even before other motorists start driving their vehicles again. Further, refresher training courses are available for school bus drivers to ensure the safety of children during the school year.

It is not an easy decision for parents to allow their children to travel to and from school on the school bus. However, it is important that they keep in mind the fact that, even without seat belts, a school bus that operates as per regulations is the safest option for school children.

15 FAQs about School Bus Automation

Posted on September 12, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

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

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

Questions and Answers Concerning the Auto Optimization Feature

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs about Auto Allocation Software and Their Answers

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

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

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

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

How is a pickup location assigned and optimized?

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs about Auto Routing Feature with Answers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Closing Thoughts

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

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

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