Tag: school bus GPS tracking

13 Features of a School Bus With State-Of-The-Art Safety System

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

All those parents who sign up for school bus transportation will agree with the fact that school buses come in as the safest means of commute for their kids. If you compare it with either riding your private vehicle or going by walk to school, the former alternatives pose threats to student safety.

It is for a simple reason that school buses come equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems. Hence, you as parents will be buying peace of mind with every school bus ride.

For all those people who are extremely concerned about the safety of children, below is the rundown of all the features of a school bus which is secured with the benefits of a modern safety system.

A closer look at all these features will reinforce the common belief that it is always better to be safe than to be sorry and school buses are the best alternatives.

The following are the striking features of a school bus fitted with state-of-the-art safety mechanisms.

 

 

1. GPS Systems

Parents and school administrators can now operate with the numerous advantages offered by a high-definition GPS system. With this system in place, you will be in a position to pinpoint the exact location of a school bus.

With a simple tap on your mobile app, you will also get to know the running speed of your school bus.

Offering the dual benefits of convenience and security, the GPS location is a vital information for both parents and school administrators.

2. RFID Tags

A major safety drawback is when students are left alone to wait for the school bus at their designated pickup point. This situation can be avoided through the RFID tags.

These tags enable parents to know the exact location of their kid and once the kid boards the bus, parents receive a notification on their smartphones. That is when parents can have a sigh of relief that their kid is now in the safe hands.

3. Indicators

School buses come fitted with extended stop arms and flashing lights. These are safety systems that help motorists to maneuver their vehicles while the children are boarding or alighting a school bus.

4. Emergency Exits

Life is uncertain and you never know when an unforeseen eventuality can throw your peace out of gear. It is for this reason that school buses should clearly mention emergency exits.

5. A Child Check Alarm

Many a time, school bus drivers forget to drop off sleeping children. To ward off such  instances, school buses can rely on an electronic alarm. This alarm prompts the driver to walk up to the rear of the bus to check for any kids who missed their drop points as they fell asleep.

6. A Bus-Empty Sign

Similar to the child check alarm, a bus empty sign is another noteworthy safety mechanism that is designed to prevent leaving an unattended kid on the bus.

This display sign hangs from the rear window after the driver walks through the bus to identify any unattended student and finds none.

7. Safety Seating

Modern school buses which go by the rule that the safety of their students is paramount will invest in comfortable and safe seats. Along with raised backrests, these sturdy school bus seats offer strong padding. Through these measures, you can ensure that your kids travel seated in well-anchored and protective seats.

8. Seat Belts

When every seat comes attached with a seat belt, you are securing the safety of your kids. It is hence a wise move to make the installation and use of seat belts mandatory for school buses so that kids are secured in their seats while travelling or at the time of a collision.

9. Specialized Systems for Preschoolers

When it comes to ensuring the safety of preschoolers and students with special abilities, it is the need of the hour to offer specialized restraint systems.

Along with equipping school buses with wheelchair locks and car seats, you can also hire an assistant onboard who will keep a watchful eye on the needs of such kids. Additionally, it is good for preschoolers and differently-abled kids to be transported via smaller school buses.

10. Regular Maintenance to Fleet

It is always better to be safe than to be sorry, especially with kids who are commuting via school buses. It is for this reason, the school bus-in-charge should conduct periodic preventive maintenance inspections.

When school buses are thoroughly inspected by certified mechanics, you will be adhering to stringent safety protocols meant for the overall safety of your students.

11. Concept of Compartmentalization

A noted measure to protect school buses against crashes comes in the form of compartmentalization. For the simple fact that school buses are heavier and larger when compared to private vehicles, compartmentalization steps in as a noteworthy feature. Through this safety concept, school buses experience a different treatment being given to collision forces when compared to how a strong impact damages passenger cars or other private vehicles.

12. School Bus Safety Consumables 

School buses should always be prepared for any sort of eventuality. It is for this reason that every school bus comes with a first-aid box. It is also very important for buses to have fire extinguishers.

13. The Yellow Color Says It All

All in an attempt to attract the attention of pedestrians and bikers on roads, the bright yellow color of school buses does the trick.

Increasing the visibility of people on the road, this yellow color helps motorists take notice of a school bus. This bright color is easily noticeable paving the way for the safety of school students plying via school buses.

Closing Thoughts

School bus fleets which are equipped with the above-mentioned modern safety mechanisms stand to gain when they guarantee the security of school students. While some assist the drivers to keep track of unattended children, others are meant to bestow peace of mind to parents and caretakers.

All these state-of-the-art safety systems together make school buses the safest means of transportation. It is hence the need of the hour for school districts to look into these safety measures and implement them on their fleets so as to completely avoid the instances of students getting hurt, unattended or stranded on the road.

 

10 Steps Schools Must Take To Ensure School Bus Transportation Safety

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

Providing a comfortable and safe transportation facility is just as important as ensuring top quality education. This is why schools should pay equal attention to school bus transportation. Here are 10 ways of making school bus transportation safe;

1. GPS TRACKERS

            A school bus GPS tracking system is used more often than not in the school buses of today. This assists both parents and schools to keep an eye on the school buses and kids. A school bus GPS helps track school bus routes in real-time and notify in case of any discrepancies. It also helps to optimize routes thereby helping bus fleets to conserve fuel and reduce the cost of maintenance.

With a GPS tracker app, parents can be updated about their kids and school buses. They can also get instant alerts in case of any disparity.

2. VIDEO CAMERAS

For the purpose of improving safety and to reduce student discipline problems including vandalism on school buses, using a system of video cameras have been adopted by schools. This helps in the effective monitoring of the school bus environment.

The video records can be saved for future reference. They are also a great way of analysing the cause of emergency situations, which helps to prevent them from repeating.

3. REFLECTIVE TAPE and STROBE LIGHTS

They ensure proper visibility of school buses which allows other vehicles to maintain a safe distance. In most cases, accidents are caused due to lack of visibility. With reflective tapes and strobe lights other drivers can easily spot school buses from afar and take the necessary precautions accordingly.

4. EDUCATING ABOUT SAFETY

Besides providing the best facilities for a safe and secure journey, schools must also take the responsibility of educating the students about safety. The dos and don’ts to be followed both in and out of a school bus must be taught to the students, especially to those who are new to travelling in a school bus.

Major catastrophes can be averted just by providing the proper knowledge in safety. By teaching students to take up the responsibility of safety, they feel empowered and do their bit in making school buses safe.

5. ROUTE OPTIMIZATION AND MONITORING

School bus routes should compulsorily be monitored regularly. This aids in optimization of routes to ensure that they follow the shortest and safest routes possible. Using GPS tracking system in school buses can help avoid dangerous routes and evade traffic blocks.

6. DRIVER TRAINING

Anyone can drive a vehicle, but to handle buses that carry around 50 children, a person with a sound mind and quick decision making skill is vital. He must be trained to take care of the various situations that might arise during the course of a journey. He must also be trained to handle the needs of the students aboard the bus. A school bus driver has the sole responsibility of student safety outside of a school campus.

7. RADIOS

When all else fails, an easy to handle and dependable, old fashioned radio service can be a life saver. Even if the buses are equipped with modern technologies, all school buses should be equipped with an active radio service.

8. CROSSING GATES

All buses should be equipped with a stop arm placed at the front of the buses that is activated when the bus is stopped. This acts as a guide for students crossing in front of school buses and ensures that students are the required 3 meters ahead of the bus when crossing.

9. RFID TAGS

RFID TAG in school bus tracking systems can serve the purpose of identification and is an effective way of improving safety and confidence. Using RFID for identification ensures that bus drivers and teachers can readily identify new students who are riding buses for the first time. This can also help to take school bus attendance and to store the records on a regular basis.

10. EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROGRAM

All schools are required to provide training in emergency evacuation of a school bus to all its users should an emergency arise. There should be constant research on the various emergencies that may ascend during a school bus journey. The school bus driver and teachers using buses can take up critical roles during an emergency.

12 Reasons Why You Should Be Using School Bus GPS Tracking

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

The safety and convenience provided by school buses are quite rare. Fatalities caused by other automobiles are eight times higher compared to school buses.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the safety of school buses. It’s shocking to know that, a child gets kidnapped or goes missing every 40 seconds. What are we waiting for? Let’s start with a splendid modern day technology that can ensure student safety.

Here are 12 awesome reasons why you should rely on GPS School bus Tracking System:

1. Safety At Its Best– Yes, it is. Ensuring security is a responsibility. Students often wait in bus stops, exposed to various dangers. The external dangers, bad weather and dangerous situations can be avoided with GPS. Notifying parents about the actual arrival time of the school bus minimizes the time children have to wait at the bus stop. It can be used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

2. Time– Avoid planning routes manually with GPS tracking system. The information is automatically collected and reported reduces errors, and does the better planing. With GPS tracking systems, time and energy can be saved.

3. Regular Monitoring– Regular monitoring of the school bus can avoid delay. While the most comfortable route is granted by the GPS tracking system, noting the flaws and working on it can gain the confidence of parents. RFID monitors the children without fail. Parents can be clear the location of their children without much effort.

4. Better Maintenance– Allow better maintenance with GPS tracking system on school buses.  Accurate mileage calculation and speed limit management are possible with GPS tracking system. Know in advance about the bus service date and eliminate unwanted tension about remembering the maintenance of the bus. Battery recovery is available with accurate mileage calculation- another cost-saving method.

5. Environmental Accountability– The news is not something new to our generation. Air pollution has increased to a great extent due to our lifestyle. There are certain responsibilities towards our environment. GPS helps to optimize routing and track engine idling for minimizing the impact of a school bus on the environment. Reduce the emission of pollution and help the environment to stay green. Gift a better planet to the future.

6. Compact Yet Confident– Though the system provides a lot of services, it occupies only a little space. A typical GPS system is similar in dimensions to a mobile phone. The functioning of the whole system is simple. No space for complications. The RFID tags used to identify individual students are so small that they are used with the ID cards of students.

7. Cost-Savings– Reducing the cost is saving it. With GPS, more money can be saved. Operating the vehicle carefully can save a lot of maintenance expense and observing the speed limit and other safety measures can encourage parents to admit their children in school bus resulting in more profit for the department of transportation in school. By monitoring driving patterns, school authorities can control unnecessary expenses. GPS tracking systems are considered as anti-theft devices by most insurance companies. Insurance premium savings is an added advantage.

8. Monitoring Fuel Cost– School bus fleet managers can monitor and manage fuel cost of school buses by maintaining a track record of the routes and mileage that drivers take. Fleet managers can also ensure that the drivers are doing their work efficiently or not such as driving, staying on their scheduled routes and speed limits.

9. Tracking Driving Behaviour of Bus Driver– Fleet managers can keep the record regarding their driver’s behaviour with GPS fleet tracking. The device is capable enough to keep track of driving behaviours and patterns such as unnecessary speeding, hard braking, etc. It not only enhances the safety of passenger but also reduces costs.

10. Attendance Management– In most of the cases, these school bus tracking solutions also includes RFID tracking which helps to track students inside the school premises and also manage the school attendance system automatically. The RFID tracking provides precise attendance report. With this, parents receive alert messages if their kids go out during the school hours. Not only this much, school authorities also receive notification if any student is missing in class or enters any restricted areas.

11. Scheduling– School authorities and teachers can make effective and amazing schedules for their students if they would they come to know when the school bus will arrive and depart. This results in time management.  

12. Enhances Bus Driver Accountability– Parents tend to be always careful about who is taking care of their children outside the home such as babysitters, teachers etc. But what about school bus drivers?  This GPS tracking solution helps to monitor the activities of these drivers which results in ensuring the student safety.    

The Amazing Evolutional Story of GPS Tracking

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

To figure out their position on earth and navigate, people once depended on different ways that are quite unimaginable in this digital era. It must be astonishing for today’s generation to imagine that mariners relied on methods ranging from angular measurements to positioning of celestial bodies for calculating their location. Radionavigation was the first ever modern technique used in order to calculate the exact location.

GPS was initially prepared for military purpose, and then its service was extended to various fields. GPS has proved itself to be one among the smartest inventions ever made. Now GPS has found its way to even school buses for better service and safety.

The extent to which it is provides service to customers is indeed appreciable.

Read on through the remarkable evolution of GPS:

1957: SPUTNIK, the first man-made satellite was launched. William Guier and George Waeiffenbach, American Physicist monitored the emission of radio transmissions from Sputnik with the help of which they could locate its orbit and location.

1959: The first satellite navigation system was built by Navy, which was named TRANSIT. It was built in order to obtain the exact location of submarines. The system was introduced with six satellites which eventually grew to ten. The subs had to wait for hours to receive signals from satellites. The model paved way for the true GPS with continuous signalling from satellites in space.

1960: TRANSITwas successfully tested

1963: The Aerospace Corporation completed a study for the military that proposed a system of space satellites which sends signals continuously to receivers on the ground and could locate vehicles moving rapidly across the earth’s surface or in the air. The study laid out the GPS concept for the first time. Receivers in vehicles on the ground would derive a precise set of location coordinates by measuring the transmission times of radio signals from satellites.

1974: After having worked on GPS for past 11 years, the branches of military launched the first satellite called NAVSTAR.

1978-1985: In order to test the NAVSTAR System, military launched 11 more test satellites in to space, which was called “the GPS system”. To measure the transmission time, the satellites carried atomic clocks with them. Sensor design to detect the launch or detonation of nuclear devices was carried by some of the satellites starting from 1850.

1983: Korean Airflight 007 was shot down by Russians after it wandered in the Soviet airspace over the Kamchatka Peninsula. All 269 passengers and crew members were killed. In order to avoid similar situations in future, President Reagan ordered that all civilian commercials aircrafts must be equipped with GPS system. He believed that GPS could help in navigation and improve air safety to a great extent.

1985: Contracts for “airborne, shipboard and man-pack (portable)” GPS receivers were given to private companies by Government.

1989: The fully operational GPS satellite was launched by the Air Force after testing for years. After the Challenger disaster in 1986, the plan to launch the satellite on the Space Shuttle was changed. It was used in a Delta II rocket instead.

1990: Defence Department deliberately decreased the accuracy of the GPS system fearing that military adversaries might use GPS system for their advantage.

1994: With an eye on the future, FAA and Bill Clinton granted the worldwide airline industry to continue using the GPS system for free.

2000: The purposeful degradation of GPS which was implemented before the first Gulf War by the Defence Department was stopped. Overnight, GPS became ten times more accurate and powerful. Industries like fishing to forestry to freight management began to use it.

2001: Private companies began to introduce out personal GPS products as the GPS receiver technology got smaller and cheaper. In-car navigation devices from Tom Tom and Garvin were introduced.

2004: A new technology was introduced known as “assisted GPS”, which has been tested and developed. The new eminent technology allows phones to use cellular signal in combination with GPS signal in order to locate the user to within feet of their actual location.

2005: “Block II”, first new generation of GPS satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral. Signals were transmitted by the new breed on a second, dedicated civilian channel.

2009: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report warning that the $5.8 billion effort to upgrade the GPS satellites was so fraught with technical problems, cost overruns, and delays that some of the satellites could begin to fail in 2010.

2010-2011: Two new GPS satellites was launched by Air Force,  one in 2010 and one in 2011 which are meant to keep the constellation operable, until the next generation “Block III” satellites get launched in 2014. An additional civilian GPS signal as well as enhanced performance compared to the GPS service is expected from new Block III satellites.

2012:Air Force manages a constellation of 31 operational GPS satellites, plus three decommissioned satellites that can be reactivated if needed, at present. The constellation ensures the availability of at least 24 GPS satellites, 95% of the time. The next addition to the constellation, the GPS IIF-3 satellite will be launched on October 4 by the Air Force in to the space.

How Does GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems Work?

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

GPS were initially used for military purposes by the US Department of Defense. But nowadays its commercialization has opened up a new window of opportunities in the field of safety and security. Everyone with a hand held mobile device can be powered with a GPS tracking app. This has made it possible to track assets on the move. Together with an embedded RFID card (with the asset), ensuring safety and security has become easier and economical. It is this cost effectiveness and the ease of use that has made GPS tracking systems widely accepted.

What is GPS?

Before understanding how a GPS tracking system works, let’s find out what is GPS. GPS or Global positioning systems is a satellite based technology that helps to track precise location of vehicles, person or other assets and also to provide data at regular intervals. A GPS tracking system can collect data in the asset’s environment and relay the same to a remote server, where the data can be further analyzed. GPS coupled with an RFID tag can be very useful. An RFID uses radio frequency of short range to relay data.

Now, let’s see how it works.

            As mentioned before, GPS is a satellite based technology which uses a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network. It uses a microwave signal which is sent to the GPS device. It gives provision for both real-time and historical data recording. This is made possible by the 27 GPS satellites orbiting the earth, in a time span of 12 hours. Of these 27 satellites 24 are currently operational and the rest 3 are reserved for when the others fail.

The device carrying a GPS system comprises of a GPS module which receives the signals and is also responsible for calculating the co-ordinates. Based on function, GPS trackers can be of three types – Data logger, Data pusher or Data puller.

Data logger: It is basically used to log the position of a device at regular intervals. It uses an internal memory to store data.  It also comes with a memory card slot or internal flash memory and USB ports. The data from the device can only be moved to a computer for further analysis once data recording is complete as it can only be used for logging purposes.

Data Pusher:The GPS system which schools and fleet companies use these days belongs to the category of data pushers. Besides this, it can also be used for asset tracking and personal tracking. A data pusher records data like speed, altitude etc. and pushes them to a server where the further analysis of these data can be done.

When used for tracking school buses, text messages are sent to a mobile phone that has a GPS tracking app installed, in the event of school bus arrival or the student boarding the bus, via SMS or GPRS. It can also transmit location and telemetry input data or when an event takes place like a door open/close or geo-fence border crossing or engine ON/OFF.

Data puller: In this a remote system sends an SMS to get information from a GPS device. It is similar to a data pusher but the difference is that the data from the GPS system is sent only when it is requested by the remote server. It requires internet and GPSD only occasionally. These systems are used in situations where a constant source of energy is unavailable.

Why use GPS?

  • Not only does it allow data recording and transmission, but it does this in real-time. It is highly accurate and gives a precise location of your assets.
  • Buses follow pre-defined optimized routes set by school authorities, which reduces fuel consumption and also travel time. Hence, it is becoming more popular with schools and fleet companies.
  • It has helped to reduce pollution since the buses take the shortest routes possible and are well maintained.
  • Helps to monitor the school bus driver’s driving pattern.

RFID is another technology, which along with GPS improves asset or personal tracking. The radio frequency it sends out can be used to transmit information using the GPS system. Student ID cards using RFID’s embedded on them can be used while entering or exiting buses. The information thus generated can be sent to parents via a GPS connection therefore informing the parents whether the student has boarded the bus or not.

Parents Happy With the Installation of GPS in School Buses

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Parents won’t always be free to take their child to school and take them back to home. Therefore, they have to depend on school buses to send their children to school. Almost all the schools now provide this transportation facility; either bus or some other vehicles. But all parents are concerned with the safety of their children. How can you ensure the safety of your child in their way to school? Global Positioning System (GPS) will help you to ensure the security.

Soon, the Government will make it mandatory for all school managements to install global positioning system (GPS) in school transport vehicles and parents are quite happy with this decision. Many schools already have GPS systems with tracking and monitoring system with equal involvement of parents and management.

With the increase in number of assault cases against children in school hours, parents are much worried about their safety. With the installation of GPS tracking system in the school buses, parents and school authorities can be sure of the travel route of the students and they will be informed in case any untoward incident takes place.

Advantages of GPS Tracking System

• Real- time information
Undoubtedly, one of the most advantageous features of GPS Tracking System is real-time information that one received about the location of the school bus. It helps you to know where the buses are, monitor pick up and drop off. You will be informed if any bus goes in a wrong route or if there is any unscheduled stop or delay.

• Student safety
Get notified if a student gets into a wrong bus or steps out at a wrong station. Even if the student misses his/her station, the parent will be informed. The exact location of the child can be identified with RFID tags attached to the devices.

• Monitoring the speed, managing the route and scheduling
If the vehicle is moving at a high speed, you will be informed and you can warn the school authorities to control it to avoid accidents. The authority can rely upon RFID school management software. The software can do routing and scheduling automatically. In that way, time and energy needed for rescheduling and re-routing can be saved.

• A solid record
It is possible for the school authorities to record all the activities and route of the school bus using the GPS tracking system.

What is there to worry?

The number of children abducted on their way to school and to home is increasing rapidly. Majority of the kidnapped children were found dead or had been missing. This is a dangerous situation. You cannot always have your children by your side. So finding a reliable solution to this is a necessity.
Edsys’ School bus Tracking System is a reliable solution to tackle this problem effectively. This will make parents really happy because it is so easy to use and syncs with the Parent Portal.

Once installed in your smart device having internet connection Parent Portal gives the following information:

• The travel history of their child at any given time
• A confirmation whether their children has reached school or home
• Monitor speed of school bus
• Time duration at each stop
• The reasons of delay such as break down, traffic jams, natural hazards etc.

Notifications can be enabled as per needs. For example, few minutes before the bus reaches in the morning, when the student boards the bus, when the student misses the bus or when the student reaches home etc.
The installation of GPS tracking systems with RFID software will surely reduce the number of crimes and attacks against students. Even if a child is abducted, it makes it easy for the authority to find the missing child with minimum time. Since the safety of the child is the major concern, the installation of a GPS tracker will make the parents really happy.