driver console app Archives

Is Driving A School Bus An Enjoyable Job?

Posted on May 22, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

A school bus driver’s job is very challenging. Transporting students to and from school is one of great responsibility. The safety and comfort of students are of prime consideration to the school bus drivers.

Like any other job, the interest and dedication to the profession make the school bus driver’s job enjoyable. Driving a school bus can be enjoyable if the driver can relate to children on the bus.

One who has a low tolerance level to kid’s antics and especially high sound levels may not find the job interesting.

Drivers working for a bus system owned by a school or a school district are generally happier. They drive the same routes every day. They get to know each child on the bus and are able to develop a healthy relationship with them. The drivers also interact with the parents all through the school year on a daily basis.

Whereas a driver working for a contracted school bus company may not find their job enjoyable, the contract companies are more focused on profits and not on children. Drivers are juggled around depending on the decision of the transportation manager each day.

They drive different routes for different schools and hence building a rapport with children or parents become impossible. This clearly makes the drivers unhappy.

Most of the drivers feel that their job is rewarded by each child’s smile every morning. The child is invariably rushed to the bus stop in the mornings by the busy parents who have no time for niceties.

The child is therefore only too happy to see the familiar cheerful welcoming face. Similarly at the end of a tiring school day the child once again sees the school bus driver who is known to him. The child feels secure in the care of the school bus driver.

Utmost dedication and patience is the virtue of a good school bus driver. Affection for children and an ability to mingle with them is certainly of help to manage the students on board the bus.

A pleasant disposition with both students and parents will entail the school bus driver being included in the community.

Drivers term the students as precious cargo. They feel like carrying the future citizens of the country. Hence they are very careful and responsible in handling them.

The relationship with children and their parents leads to the drivers being accepted into their community. The drivers are invited for fetes, carnivals etc hosted by the community. The drivers are even called for college graduation day celebrations.

This inclusiveness raises the self-esteem of the driver. He feels important and in turn takes on himself the task of caring for the children on board the bus. Connecting with community and being surrounded by children on a regular basis keeps the drivers young at heart.

The drivers use their discretion depending on the relationships. If a normally punctual child is running late, the driver might wait for a reasonable time instead of sticking rigidly to his time schedule.

Teachers often change during the school life of a child. But a school bus driver remains the same for the duration of the student’s school life.

The job of a school bus driver is most of the time a part-time job. Drivers who can deal with part-time hours find the job enjoyable. The school bus drivers have a lot of independence.

Drivers can do other jobs during their free time to augment their income. They can attend to their personal needs at home.

The flexibility in their job allows the school bus driver to be happy. School bus drivers who work part-time have flexible schedules as compared to rigid schedules of a full-time job.

They can opt not to work on days they are otherwise engaged. They can take up other work during their idle time. Most drivers enjoy the flexible schedule so that they can mesh together their personal life and professional life seamlessly.

The school bus drivers have the opportunity to do additional work like driving students on field trips, athletic events etc. The schools operate on school year calendars where time off is given for Christmas, summer and spring breaks.

Transporting children to and from school for five days a week is the main job of the school bus driver. Hence they enjoy their weekends and evenings off giving them ample time to spend with their families and friends.

A school bus driver does not have to spend years obtaining a certificate or degree. A school bus driver’s profession would be apt for those who do not wish to spend years studying.

A driver’s license and the special skill training to be a school bus driver will enable him in transporting the young children safely to and from school. He is surrounded by playful children and appreciative parents. He interacts with people in the community.

There are other humane aspects which make the driver’s job enjoyable. The exchange of greetings like good mornings on entering the bus and the good days while being dropped off at the end of the day is an encouragement for the drivers.

The drivers get an insight of the different personalities and their traits. It ranges from the mild mannered, boisterous, polite, considerate, taunting and bullying nature.

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

The driver witnesses the warm exchanges between children and their parents or grandparents while they are being dropped off at the bus stops. The drivers in the bargain learn to be patient, compassionate and caring.

The school bus driver’s job is repetitive. An early morning start in all weather conditions, checking of the condition of the vehicle daily, memorizing routes and pick up points, tackling traffic are inevitable acts that the driver has to perform day in and out.

The loud noise of chatter and communication of students on the bus, the fights between students, dealing with irate parents and school authorities are other challenges the driver faces. Without a sincere dedication to his duty the driver would not be able to do these tasks.

The remuneration of a school bus driver may not be very high. But the immense satisfaction the driver derives in transporting young scholars to and from school safely makes his job enjoyable.

The work life balance is high. If working part-time hours, the driver finds sufficient time to do time his household duties. He can take up other jobs during his free time if he needs to augment his income.

The driver has to handle plenty of responsibility. The parents and school entrust their children with the driver. His alertness and ability to make the right decision is of paramount importance to the safety of the passengers. Though stressful at times the job of the school bus driver is relaxed in general.

The added benefits of payment during summer duty, additional money on field trips, the holidays and flexible schedules make the job attractive. Helping special needs children makes the job even more worthwhile. Co-worker interaction helps the drivers to learn from each other’s experiences.

The job provides job security. There are plenty vacancies for school bus drivers at all times. Performing the job to the best of one’s ability and remaining extremely professional will ensure that the job is secure.

Being safe, punctual, reliable, responsible and behaving appropriately with the children on the bus are key factors pertaining to retaining a school bus driver’s job.

There isn’t much of career advancement in the school bus driver’s job. Sometimes they are promoted to drive bigger vehicles like coaches or offered trainer positions. The special skills acquired to drive a school bus can be easily taught to other drivers.

The school bus driver sets the tone for the day. The first and last face the child sees during a school day is that of the school bus driver. The driver who enjoys his job and is happy will make the child’s day on the bus a pleasant experience.

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.

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.

Why Tracking App is Inevitable for a School Bus Attendant

Posted on April 12, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

School administrators operating school buses are always faced with two primary concerns. While one is about the safe, to and fro transportation of students from the school to their homes.

The other concerns the efficient management of their fleet of school buses. So, how do these administrators ensure the above concerns are addressed in the best possible manner and at all times?

They invest in what are called as tracking apps which not only resolve the above mentioned issues, but also improve the goodwill of the school that patronizes these apps.

Alongside offering convenience of monitoring the trips of students, these tracking apps serve as a leading light to school bus attendants. Here we shed light on the benefit of these apps to a school bus attendant.

An Overview of TrackSchoolBus and Its School Bus Tracking Apps

TrackSchoolBus, as the name suggests is a provider of technology-powered school bus tracking apps that come as convenient and safe means of transportation for students.

Additionally, these apps not only help school bus attendants to know of the real-time location of any particular school bus but also provide invaluable on-road information.

TrackSchoolBus presents 4 unique tracking apps which are:

1. Parent App

2. Bus Attendant App

3. Transport Manager App

4. Driver Console App

Here we shed light on the 3 important tracking apps that are meant for school bus drivers and attendants.

1. Bus Attendant App

True to its name, this state-of-the-art tracking app enables attendants to lay hands on the information concerning the next destination that the bus is heading towards.

Tagged as route planning app, it is through this app that bus attendants can take well-informed decisions through real-time notifications and announcements indicating a traffic jam or bad weather conditions.

This app helps bus attendants assign feasible pick-up and drop points. It is through this app that school bus attendants will be notified about every student in the bus and where he/she should be picked up and dropped.

Additionally, this app helps them make alternative arrangements for all those students who have missed their bus.

This app sends notifications to school bus attendants and administrators informing them about instances when a student gets dropped at an unlisted point.

The list of benefits of the bus attendant app does not end here. You can employ this app to enjoy a couple of advanced features, namely: re-center facility and manifest feature.

The re-center feature comes into play when there is a change in the pick-up point. Given the sudden relocation of any child, it is through the re-center feature that school bus attendants can get the details of the new pick-up point from where the student needs to be picked up.

The manifest feature shows up all the details concerning every student who boards the school bus.

Details like the pick-up points, a route map indicating the exact location for a pick-up and the entire list of students who are onboard will be displayed.

In the event a student is absent on a particular day, the manifest feature does not display his/her details on the stop list for that day.

2. Transport Manager App

TrackSchoolBus offers a tracking app called as the Transport Manager app which comes handy to all the school bus fleet managers. It is through this tracking app that transport managers can exercise a strong control over the entire fleet of school buses.

While allowing the managers to track each and every school bus that is plying on the road, this app ensures connectivity with other app users.

So, with this app in your hand, you as a transport manager can send voice instructions to bus attendants. Last but not the least, the transport manager app helps managers locate untracked vehicles.

3. Driver Console App

Recognized as an innovative offering of TrackSchoolBus, the Driver Console App is a trip-friendly app that provides a host of features to all the drivers at the wheel.

In addition to helping the driver to schedule pick-up and drop trips, this app gives out invaluable information like the speed of the school bus while also gathering the details of different school buses.

It is through this app that school bus drivers and bus attendants can lay hands on live camera feeds of the activities inside the bus along with managing pick-up points.

School bus attendants can make the most of the real-time notifications and alerts given out by this app to plan daily route trips.

The Promise of Real-Time Notifications Given Out By Tracking Apps

TrackSchoolBus, through all the above described apps helps all the stakeholders including students, parents, the school authorities and all those concerned to heave a sigh of relief with every school bus trip.

Providing top quality software that should be installed in superior quality tracking systems, TrackSchoolBus, the provider of school bus tracking apps delivers real-time notifications along with an auto optimization feature.

It is through this innovative feature that school bus attendants can get to know the exact pick-up point as is displayed on Google Maps.

With this information, school bus drivers can save a great deal of time when they can effortlessly optimize the student’s pick-up and drop points.

School Bus Designs : Why They Remain Unchanged

Posted on February 26, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

First of all school buses are designed well and serves its purpose. School buses are the primary mode of student transportation in the United States.

Over half the student population in the country rely upon school buses for transportation to school and back to home. It is estimated that over 26 million students travel in school buses.

Transportation wasn’t the same in old times. Some of the first school buses were carriages that were drawn by horses which were called kid hacks or school hacks.

These were made by Wayne works around the year 1886. There were even sledges and farm wagons that were used by students to get to school or sometimes even walk to school through the snow covered lands.

With the popularity of automobiles rising in 1914 the same Wayne works moved on to automobile chassis to help students reach schools faster. With the introduction of these buses students sat on the perimeter of the bus facing towards each other rather that towards the front as they do today.

It was later on that the Blue Bird Company took an effort to create a design for the bus that resembles the buses of today even though they had a long way to go.

Some of you might wonder why the colour of a school bus is yellow. It has been yellow since its inception. This makes it easy to distinguish it from other vehicles on the road. The yellow colour is recorded as Federal Standard No. 595a,

Colour 13432 with both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Buses usually operate in the morning and evening so the colour is better visible during these times.

It is supposed that the colour helps drivers to notice and slow down their vehicles keeping in mind there are children on board.

Why School Bus Design Have Remained Unchanged

School bus designs are made to safeguard the children on board. Parents worry about their child’s safety and the modes of transportation they take to reach school or come back from school.

So there is a genuine need for standardizing the way children travel. The present mode of transportation is satisfactory and safer. School buses are typically safer as they are not driven very fast.

According to the studies by National Academy of Sciences and National Transportation Safety Board school buses have closely spaced seats which are shock absorbent and are able to protect children in case there is an accident.

Little Bit About TrackSchoolBus

Various apps can be used to monitor the daily activities of students, drivers and attendants. These help to know what is happening to your child when he leaves for school and comes back from school.

Parent App – TrackSchoolBus has come up with the parent app so that parents can make use of this app to build a rapport with the drivers. The app lets you get to know when a bus reaches a pick up point or the drop point.

Parents can also monitor the speed of the bus. If the bus is being driven recklessly they are immediately notified regarding this. You can mark a leave for your pupil using this app.

You neither have to call the driver or the school management. With track school bus’s app parents are notified regarding the real-time location of the child and also the route that is followed by the school bus.

Driver Console App – Using the driver app from TrackSchoolBus drivers get to communicate the route taken by them and the number of stops during the trip with parents as well as school management.

This helps them to take the shortest route possible which is beneficial to both the drivers and the school management as this saves a lot of fuel and time. They get to pass information with the transport manager.

Using the driver’s app by Track School Bus, transport managers can give drivers instruction regarding best route that can be taken by looking at the traffic on each road.

School Bus Attendant App – Bus attendants will have an app that has all the student details like pick up and drop points. This helps them to work more efficiently. Another added feature for the TrackSchoolBus app is that the birthdays of the students will be notified to the bus attendants.

With this the attendants can wish the pupil on his birthday which creates a better rapport with the students. They get to know which students have boarded the bus and those who haven’t. Using the Track School Bus App they can contact the parents to check if the students are on leave or if they have failed to board the bus.

School Transport Manager App – In some cases the schools have a transport manager or the school bus contract is given to a third party in which case the fleet is managed by a transport manager.

By using the TrackSchoolBus app, the transport manager can track the school buses from anywhere using the app. The transport manager will be notified regarding route traffic, unfavourable weather conditions, bus break down, or anything that is related to the vehicle status.

TrackSchoolBus Launches Upgraded Driver Console App

Posted on March 20, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Hurrah!! we're launching an upgraded version of our Driver Console App. A number of our clients and prospects were confused with the mobile and tablet versions of the app. So we decided to combine both their features and release it as a single app.

This new version is a complete trip management app. As the same app is now available on mobile as well as tablet, it allows drivers to access the app without any confusion.
It is a useful version for transport managers as they obtain details such as kilometres covered, details of finished trip, vehicle speed, etc. As per these details, school authorities can provide ranks to drivers.

Read Also:

Why is the Driver Console App a Necessity for Schools?

In addition to above benefits, there are a number of other valuable features including:

Error-free attendance management system
Easy scheduling of instant trips
Data storage (everything related to trip such as route, pick-up point, etc.)
Next destination details
Quick creation and update of new pick up points
Trip history details
Announcement of next trip
Real-time notification
Automatic school announcements
Chat facility
Birthday wishes for school bus students
CCTV Footage for drivers
Automatic leave update
Over speed Alert
Welcome message for each student

We are excited about this new app. It is definitely a positive step towards TrackSchoolBus' ultimate aim – 100% safe school buses. The launch of the app is not the final word though. There would be constant improvisation as we try to implement new ideas, and more importantly, listen to feedback from the Drivers and Transport managers themselves.

If you want to check out the app, here's the link – Driver Console

20 Must-know School Bus Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers

Posted on November 23, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

At an initial glance school bus might not seem different from other buses, but there are vast differences between school bus and other buses.

Compared to driving by themselves or riding with friends, students are about 50 times more likely to arrive at school alive on a school bus.

School bus, no doubt is the ultimate solution for safe transportation of children to and from school. There are a lot of factors that adds to the school bus safety.

From GPS tracking to RFID tags, school bus attains full points as far as safety of children is measured.

School bus driver plays a vital role in managing and maintaining the school bus. There are guidelines for the school bus driver to be followed.

The task of picking up of students from stops and dropping them off at school are managed by the school bus drivers. They also transport students and faculty to field trips or sporting events.

Must Read:
How to Handle Emergencies? Tips for School Bus Drivers

School bus drivers often work split shifts of mornings and afternoons. They hold a very important responsibility of transportation of the students.

The role of drivers might appear small but there are a lot of things that drivers must concentrate on.

School Bus Safety tips for school bus drivers

1. Usually drivers follow a strict time schedule, but under no circumstances safety should be sacrificed to maintain schedule
2. The driver should be well aware that he represents the school so he must display a clean personality with good behavior
3. Leave at the right time to the bus stop, don’t rush
4. Should concentrate on moving traffic
5. Pay attention to the traffic and safety measures, do not listen to music player, do not play handheld video games which can lead to distractions and accidents
6. Never wear hood while driving as it can make difficulty in hearing and seeing traffic
7. Ensure that all the children are safely seated before starting the bus
8. Be courteous and show respect to children
9. Be friendly to children but concentrate more on road while driving
10. Stop for picking and dropping of children
11. Drive with the headlights on, even during day time
12. Be prepared to act accordingly during emergency situation
13. Deal with the public in a positive, courteous and respectful manner
14. Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
15. Alerts about bad weather should be noticed
16. If the bus is trapped on tracks, evacuate the bus immediately
17. The speed should always be under control
18. Do not rush to reach the destination fast, always put safety prior to schedule
19. After every drive, bus drivers should check all seats and interior
20. Do not smoke or consume alcohol inside the school bus

Here are the 20 safety tips for school bus drivers shown in the form of Slideshare presentation:

Primary Responsibilities of the school bus drivers

• Transportation of the children to and from school
• Transportation on scheduled time and route
• Before operating the bus, ensure the functioning of the bus. Check the bus tires, breaks, lights, and oil.
• Helping disabled children to enter and exit the bus
• Ensuring that children are seated before the bus starts
• Keenly following the traffic rules
• Informing the passengers of any delay
• Staying updated about the latest driving rules
• Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
• Emergency numbers must be kept with the drivers
• Drive students and staff members to field trips, sporting events, and other outdoor activities

Knowledge and skills

The driver should possess combination of thorough knowledge, skills and abilities.

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Driver’s knowledge should include

• All routes including the highways
• School bus regulations
• Dealing with children
• Dealing with children of special needs
• Scheduling system and procedures
• Record keeping system
• Equipment cleaning standards and procedures

Skills and abilities of the driver

• Operating the school bus in a safe and responsible manner
• Skills of client service and public interaction
• Team building
• Problem solving skill
• Quick decision making capability
• Verbal and listening skill
• Ability to write and read
• Stress management
• Time management

There are some must follow qualities for being a perfect school bus driver

• Honesty and trustworthy
• Respectfulness
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Should be flexible
• Demonstrate sound work ethics

Special direction for the drivers to follow

There are some school bus safety measures that must be followed by the by school bus drivers.

• The driver should not leave the bus with motor running
• While children are on the bus, driver should never fill the gasoline tank
• No one other than authorized people should drive the school bus
• Driver should not merchandise animals, weapons, or other loads or attachments when transporting children
• There must be a back up bus in the school
• Move the bus only after all the riders are seated
• Do not consume alcohol before driving
• Report to the concerned authority if there are unmanageable pupils
• Never put the child to walk home
• Never use abusive language
• While transporting pupils, driver shall not exceed 15 m.p.h
• Promptly file all reports, routes, schedules and instructions for picking and dropping

6 Ways School Bus Driver Route App Provides Safety

Posted on April 21, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

"Anyone can drive a car but it takes someone special to drive a school bus!”

School bus transportation and its safety are what matters most to parents as well as school authorities. Student safety is not the responsibility of school bus driver alone. Everyone, including students, has a unique role to play in assuring safety.

With the introduction of school bus driver console app , driving has become easier for drivers. Using the app, they are able to have better control over each school bus ride. Also, it helps to keep the bus under surveillance from inside, helps mark attendance, assists in planning route, makes coordination with transport manager easy, etc.

Drivers are able to perform multiple tasks with minimum disturbance. School Bus Driver Route app is a great solution for managing school buses in an effective and efficient manner.

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How can Driver Console App help School Transportation

Here are the six ways school bus driver console app provides safety:

1. Navigation or Trip Planning

School bus driver console app allows drivers to plan each trip carefully and easily. Your bus driver can set routes, set the number of stops in a single trip, etc., allowing the driver to decide beforehand and act wisely according to your plan.

The Driver Console app shows the profiles of students to be picked from each stop in an organized way. Drivers are able to select the shortest route from their console and thus plan the trip properly.

2. Speed Monitoring

Bus speed can be monitored in real-time using the app. That is, parents as well as school authorities can check out whether the school bus is over speeding or if they are making unnecessary stops. Hence it is possible to keep an eye on drivers and send alerts to them if necessary.

One of the biggest benefits offered by the app is to get an idea about the good and bad driving habits of drivers.

3. Providing Live-Cam Feed

Multiple cameras are installed in buses which give driver live feed of students on board. Drivers can view what's happening in the school bus through this console with the help of school bus driver route app. It is very advantageous for drivers as they are able to observe children without leaving their seat.

Live cam feed saves time and at the same time adds safety and is convenient to the driver.

4. Taking School Bus Attendance

App assists drivers in taking school bus attendance. By using the app, drivers can easily spot missing child in the school bus. As the students board the school bus, attendance will be taken.

Driver console contains details of each student who are boarding from a particular stop. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards will be provided to each student and with the help of those cards, student attendance can be taken.

Taking school bus attendance is the greatest benefit offered by the app as it gives instant warning to drivers, parents and other school authorities if a student is missing.

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Why is the Driver Console App a Necessity for Schools?

5. Make Important Announcements

With the help of driver console, important announcements can be delivered to students. Drivers are able to interact with the students through the driver route app which indeed gives them provision to make important announcements.

Hence the app helps drivers to maintain discipline inside the school bus. Similarly, transport managers are also able to play audio on the bus and thus make announcements as well as play informational audio.

6.Revolutionize School Bus Driver Experience

With the innovative school bus driver route app, school bus drivers are able to enjoy and have better control of the school bus. Technology has made driving an easier and safe one. The app makes it easy for the driver to stay in control.

Introduction of Driver Console app has opened up a new and enjoyable driving experience to drivers. Risk and tension of parents, teachers and drivers are reduced to the minimum.

How can Driver Console App help School Transportation

Posted on March 18, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

Safety of school transportation is what parents care the most. Some parents are so scared to send their child to school via school bus. Hence, they try to use their own vehicle to assure safety for their children. But the truth is that today's school bus transportation is safer than anything.

With the technological development, school authorities are able to manage school transportation better. Parents, school authorities and drivers can now check out the safety of the children through the apps on their smart phones.

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Why is the Driver Console App a Necessity for Schools?

As the name suggests Driver Console App is an app designed for drivers. Drivers can enjoy a variety of benefits from this app. Some of its major benefits are:

Better Control

Drivers are able to have better control over each bus ride with the help of School bus driver console. It helps the drivers not only to closely observe the activities of students inside the school bus, but also helps them to design the best route for the school bus journey. Also helps them to keep up a good co-ordination with transport managers. They are able to carry out multiple tasks with minimum distraction. Above all, it is a great solution to manage school bus in an effective and efficient way.

Planning School Bus Trip or Navigation

Drivers are able to plan each trip using driver console app. They can set route, and decide stops in a single trip in advance. Through the app, drivers are given details about each student picked from a particular stop. Based on the shortest trip shown in the app, driver can plan the routes.

Helps to Check Speed of the School Bus

Driver Console App helps the driver to check speed of the school bus in real-time. This app is useful to parents and school authorities also. As it can give alerts when the driver increase or decrease the speed of the school bus unnecessarily. Thus, they can keep a regular watch on school bus drivers. One would get a brief idea about the good and bad habits of school bus drivers. Hence, parents as well as school authorities will be able to recognize any kind of unsafe driving.

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Able to get Live Camera Feed

There are multiple cameras installed in the school bus, which gives a continuous live camera feed of students on-board. Drivers are able to view this feed on his console app with the Driver Console App. They are also able to check the school bus without leaving the driver's station. At the same time, it saves time, add convenience and safety.

Helps to Update School Bus Attendance

The app helps to update school bus attendance of each student in the bus. With this feature drivers are able to know which all students are missing from the school bus. The latest edition of console app enables to update attendance when the students board the bus. Also, it has details of students boarding from a particular stop. Bus attendance of each student is marked using Radio Frequency Identification.

Apart from these benefits, drivers can interact with the students through this app and thus give them provision to make important announcements. Drivers not only get help with navigation and marking attendance, but also helps to keep up proper discipline within the school bus. Transport managers are able to play audio on the bus to make announcements and play informational audio in the school bus. Introduction of driver console app is a boon to school transportation as it doubles the safety of students.

Why is the Driver Console App a Necessity for Schools?

Posted on January 20, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

Driving is the most risky job. And when it comes to school transportation the trouble becomes doubled. It is the responsibility of driver to control the school bus trip and behavior of students. Drivers should be able to handle multiple tasks at the same time. Their prime responsibility is to take care the school bus safety.

With the introduction of apps, the drivers are able to fulfill their duty more proficiently and they have better school driving experience. Driver console app is an excellent example for this. Driver console app is a brilliant app created especially to help and guide school bus drivers.

Bus rides can be revolutionized using the driver console. Drivers are able to have better control over each school bus rides. The next pick up and drop details will be provided to them at the right time. They can keep a close observation both inside and outside the school bus.

Here are the benefits of using driver console app:

helps to take attendance of students in school bus
can keep a good coordination with transport manager
can helps the drivers in routing
helps to execute multiple task
manage bus effectively and efficiently

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All these benefits help the driver in doing various important tasks easily and quickly. Apart from this, the app helps them to plan the trip or navigation. Drivers can decide the route and the number of stops in a single trip beforehand. The app provides profiles of students from each stop to the driver. Hence, there would be a proper organizing in fulfilling the driver's tasks. They can find the shortest route and thus plan accordingly.

Using the app, a driver can monitor bus speed regularly. Similarly parents, transport managers or other authorities can also keep an eye on the driver. And they can send alerts if the drivers are not paying much attention to driving. One can easily identify if there is any possibility of unsafe driving.

The drivers would get a continuous live feed of students aboard with the help of multiple cameras installed in the bus. All these live feed can be viewed by the driver using their console app. The drivers will have the ability to monitor the bus efficiently. Some of the qualities of the app include convenience, time saving and safety assurance.

Driver console plays a greater role in keeping school bus attendance. This feature helps the driver to identify who are all missing in the school bus. The app also enables to take bus attendance whenever the student board the bus. Drivers are able to get information about each student at a particular stop from the app. Bus attendance can be taken using radio frequency identification (RFID) cards. Apart from this drivers are able to interact with students inside the bus and can thus give important announcements through the app. The app indirectly helps to maintain discipline inside the school bus.

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The driver console can be a very useful app for every schools. The app not only helps to maintain discipline but also helps to maintain school bus safety. With the introduction of app, navigation or trip planning have become easier for drivers. Transport managers can also make important announcements through the audio facility of the driver console app.

By considering all the benefits together we can understand the importance of driver console app especially in an institution like school where school bus safety is given greater priority than anything.