Artificial Intelligence in School Bus – A Comprehensive Guide

You will agree with the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the catchphrase which is attracting the attention of people operating in different spheres. Now, AI is also making its strong presence felt in the field of school transportation.

You might be wondering the role of AI in this territory concerning the pickup and dropping of school students at their designated stops.

For every one of you to make the most of the state-of-the-art technology aptly coined with the AI title, here is an all-in-one guide. Reading this will help you understand the numerous ways in which AI can simplify the school bus fleet operations.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence, true to its name is a technology that is meant to simplify the lives of humans in more ways than you can imagine. It is a technique by which you can allow your routine operations to be controlled by AI-supported computers.

To sum it all, AI allows machines to think and act on their own, just as human do. Human intelligence takes the form of instructions that are given to these machines. They will then be transformed into artificially intelligent systems that can act on their own.

If you are curious to know about the different ways in which AI-powered systems operate, it will take you by surprise that such machines can plan, learn, demonstrate reasoning abilities, solve problems, show up various perceptions and provide creative solutions.

Not leaving the various demands of school transportation behind, TrackSchoolBus makes the most of AI features to provide a host of benefits to the stakeholders.  Let us now move on to understand the various ways in which TrackSchoolBus relies on AI in supporting the various needs of school buses.

What are its main features?

What do you expect from a school bus transportation system which is powered by Artificial Intelligence? You will expect it to seamlessly provide all the solutions to various concerns of school transportation alongside strengthening the security of school students.

And AI does exactly the same. It is through an in-built AI technology that TrackSchoolBus automates the three most important subjects concerning school transportation.

They are: Auto Allocation, Auto Optimization and Auto Routing.

Let us now examine all these 3 features in detail.

  1. Auto Allocation:

True to its name, auto allocation is an AI-powered feature that helps fleet managers allocate vehicles on different school routes. AI steps in by providing the much-needed data point which is the optimum capacity of every school bus route. There may be some routes which demand a couple of trips and there may be others which are less populated. In such cases, an auto allocation enables transport managers to optimally allocate a particular bus to a particular school bus route.

  1. Auto Optimization:

Moving on to the next AI feature that helps school districts is about the preparedness to initiate a sudden change in route. This feature serves two basic necessities. One being the route optimization and the other is the pickup optimization.

Speaking of route optimization, it is through this feature that fleet managers can effortlessly manage and juggle with multiple pickup points that should be covered in a single bus route. In the event a student needs to be picked up somewhere between two pickup points, a provision can be made. Route optimization also helps the school bus to take the shortest route to a destination.

Moving on to pick up optimization, you will be in a comfortable position to come up with an exact pickup point for a student that is in line with the historical data and the assigned points.

AI helps fleet managers rise to the occasion of a change in the pickup point so that they can make timely changes to the school bus route. That means, it is through AI that school bus managers can optimize their routes taking into account a sudden change in the pickup point while the bus is in motion.

  1. Auto Routing:

TrackSchoolBus relies on a smart Auto Routing algorithm that enables fleet managers to come up with the most cost and time-effective route. Here, the existing data points consisting of drop and pickup points that are generated by AI serve as pointers to alter a particular school bus route.

What are its advantages?

For you to understand the benefits of AI to the field of school transportation, you need to give a closer look at the three automated features, individually.

Advantages of Auto Allocation Feature

  1.  AI will help fleet managers to assign the correct pickup point which is established on the basis of the current residential address of students.
  2. If any change in the route, auto allocation helps transport managers to redo the auto routing plan while effectively performing all the activities of auto routing.
  3. All thanks to Artificial Intelligence, you now have a system that takes care of all the school bus routes, pickup points and vehicle assignments. You need to simply provide pertinent details concerning the trip and residential address and AI does its job, automatically performing all the above activities.  
  4. Both parents and school bus drivers will be informed about the pickup point of students as location indicates on Google Maps.
  5. AI simplifies the job of a transport manager allowing him to chalk out a route in a jiffy. He does not have to worry about the number of pickup points or the strength of students. AI does all the spade work necessary and suggests an optimal route which saves a lot of time and cost.
  6. As an attractive incentive to prospective schools, TrackSchoolBus offers free auto allocation trials. Depending on their satisfaction levels, schools can opt for this time-saving and efficient AI-powered auto allocation feature.

Advantages of Auto Optimization Feature:

  1. You just need two data points to implement the auto optimization feature and they are the starting point and the ending point. Due to this feature, school bus routes are optimized automatically and are AI-inbuilt.
  2. It is through this AI-powered feature that fleet managers can continuously and diligently monitor any change in pickup points. They will get all the help needed to assign pickup points by relying on the actual location of the student.
  3. You can also immediately get information about the best possible road that is free from traffic jams. Through this auto optimization feature, transport managers can not only reduce the travel time but also bring down fuel bills to a considerable extent. 
  4. If any relocation, you can effortlessly update the pickup point that will be intimated to everyone concerned.
  5. With this, fuel and fleet maintenance bills can be reduced. In turn, you can also reduce the wear and tear of your fleet when you avoid the instances of unnecessary travel, covering long distances.

Advantages of Auto Routing Feature

  1. This help transport managers to decide which route to take, which trip to start and which vehicle will meet the capacity requirements of a particular route.
  2. Fleet managers can perform regular checks to assess the efficiency of their current school bus routes.
  3. It is through this AI-powered feature that you can optimize many elements of school transportation including durability of the vehicle, usage of vehicle on a daily basis along with running time and the total distance covered per day.
  4. Since this feature takes the vehicle details as an important data point, you can match your requirements based on the number of students at a particular pickup point, the total seating capacity of a school bus and the shift that a particular driver is filling in for.
  5. In addition to cut down the costs to run the school bus fleet, AI helps to save the vehicle running hours through optimized vehicle assignments.

How will AI change the management of school buses?

It is indeed a very difficult task for transport managers to come up with the most befitting route for a school bus trip. However, they need not fret as they can now make the most of modern technological advancements coming in the form of Artificial Intelligence. Modern technology now steps in to provide the much-needed support to transport managers to effectively manage the school bus fleets.

Let us now check out the various ways in which AI helps transport managers to deliver their responsibilities in the most efficient manner.

AI Solves School Bus Routing Issues

AI is now being considered the most viable option to address many concerns revolving around school bus routing. When AI comes into the picture, a host of user-friendly and affordable apps are available to all the stakeholders concerned about the safety and convenience of students. With AI by your side, school bus tracking apps loaded with modern features including auto routing, auto optimization and auto allocation can be put to use.

Let us look at these 3 features which have a major role in the effective management of school buses.

Auto Routing Helps to Operate an Optimized School Bus Route at All Times

By now you have understood the advantages you can derive out of TrackSchoolBus’ auto routing feature. This feature collates pertinent information concerning school bus routes, pickup and drop points, student profiles from historical transportation records, vehicle assignments and seating capacities of school buses. Taking all these important data points into consideration, the auto routing feature automatically suggests an optimized route supported by other details linked to vehicle assignments and trips.

Having an eye fixed on these parameters will automatically put you in complete control over the running hours of every school bus and the fuel and vehicle maintenance cost that is incurred on every vehicle.

To sum it all, below is the rundown of the various ways in which auto routing helps in the management of school bus fleets.

  • Come up with the most appropriate school bus route for every trip
  • Cut down the vehicle running time, in turn leading to the fall in operating costs of school buses
  • Regular checks on the effectiveness of every school bus route can be performed
  • School bus operators can effortlessly chalk out optimized routes and school bus trips considering data points like pickup point density, the bus seating capacity and the school timings

Auto Allocation – Another AI-Powered Offering of TrackSchoolBus

To activate the AI-powered auto allocation feature, you need to collate student information which comes in the form of vehicle information and their designated pickup and drop point details. Here are the evident ways in which auto allocation helps transport managers perform their duties in the most efficient manner.

  • Transport managers can effectively complete all the techniques concerning auto routing
  • They can select the pickup point by considering the residential addresses of students
  • AI steps in to display the pickup point of every student as a location on the Google Maps
  • School bus operators can optimize the pickup point by referencing it with the historical data that is stored on the system

Auto Optimization Enables the Optimum Utilization of School Buses

Meant to address two important sub-processes, auto optimization helps transport managers come up with: a) an optimized route b) an optimized pickup point. Collectively, this feature enables school bus operators to optimize the utilization of school bus in the following ways:

  • Suggests the most befitting and efficient route, thereby saving the drivers’ time and efforts
  • By plying on an effective route, you will be in a strong position to cut down vehicle maintenance costs and the running time of school buses
  • It help to reduce fuel consumption
  • Apart from preventing the haphazard movement of school buses, the auto optimization feature improves the durability of your fleet
  • While AI suggests a road with less traffic, it will also come up with the shortest route which cuts down the vehicle running time
  • The efficiency of pickup points can be improved by coordinating the efforts of school bus operators and transportation authorities
  • Along with a facility to update and alter pickup points, AI helps in the modification of school bus routes matching the seating capacity of school buses
  • A relocation can be addressed by the re-center facility, a feature that allows you to immediately alter and update the pickup point
  • School bus operators can effortlessly change the pickup point by taking the reference of the actual location
  • They can also make the necessary changes to the school bus route depending on how much students can be accommodated.

Conclusion

As a takeaway thought, AI through its effective features paves the way for an effective management of school bus fleet. Not only it helps school bus operators to come up with cost-effective and shorter bus routes, it will also improve the goodwill of every school.

Hence signing up for the AI-powered school bus transportation services of TrackSchoolBus will be an as an intelligent move for every school.

Schools which subscribe to these automated school bus management and tracking services are bound to take pride in their efforts to employ advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence.

How TrackSchoolBus System Allocates School Bus Routes

It will not be an overstatement to quote that technology has become a torchbearer offering a host of convenient features, simplifying the lives of its users. A couple of such technological innovations that deserve a special mention are the school bus tracking system offered by TrackSchoolBus.

Aiming to not only offer transparency with every school bus ride, this system and the tracking apps integrated with it bestow a great deal of convenience to all the stakeholders; school bus drivers, school van operators and parents included.

It is through these tracking apps helps school administrators to ensure that they are plying their vehicles according to the desired capacity levels for every bus route.

This blog sheds light on numerous ways in which TrackSchoolBus System helps in auto allocating school bus routes.

  1. The Smart Allocation Algorithm of TrackSchoolBus Tracking System

If you look into all the ways in which the TrackSchoolBus System lends a helping hand to school bus operators, you will be convinced that it is indeed a smart means to operate school buses and routes in complete control.

If you are a trasnport manager, then you can rely on this facility to plan school bus routes within minutes, in line with the number of pick-up points and their respective densities. That means, every school bus route is allotted in line with the capacity and pick-up point requirements.

  1. Historical Data – The Primary Source of Information

Looking into the parents’ registration forms, school bus operators, with the help of Parent App integrated with TrackSchoolBus System will be in a strong position to assign pick-up according to the residential addresses of respective students.

Allowing you to conduct the auto routing procedures, it helps you to alter route in the event of a sudden relocation.

You will be able to take the help of Google Maps to identify the exact pick-up location of every student; residential address of the student.

6 School Bus Auto Routing Features from TrackSchoolBus
  1. Unleash the Power of Control Through Automation

The power of automation can never be undermined, especially concerning the matters of control and efficiency. This is a fact that goes well with the TrackSchoolBus System that it automatically assists you to create vehicle assignments and school bus routes.

Banking on the trip and address details of every student, the TrackSchoolBus System handholds all school transport managers to exercise complete control over every school bus route. In the event of a sudden relocation, the system through its smart notifications via app shows the changed pick-up points.

The app comes with a printout facility that can provide pertinent handouts. These printouts can be used as reference points for the existing school bus transportation system.

What’s In Store for You?

You can avail free auto allocation trails that can be availed by schools which have subscribed or are planning to subscribe to the TrackSchoolBus System.

Tagged is a centralized and user-friendly interface, the TrackSchoolBus System is independent of any sort of hardware specifications. Offering you a host of unique value-added features, it is through this system that you can enjoy the flexibility of quoting for the facilities according to your needs.

To top it all, you have the additional benefit coming in the form of affordability. That means, with the reasonably-priced TrackSchoolBus System you will be in a position to operate your school bus fleet in the most efficient manner.

And once you become a TrackSchoolBus System subscriber, you can make the most of the advanced auto allocation feature and more.

Top 15 School Bus Tracking Apps in 2022

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

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

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

1. Track School Bus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Buswhere

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

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

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

3. Treker

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

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

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

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

4. Here Comes The Bus

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

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

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

5. Tripspark Education

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

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

6. Ubica Bus

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

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

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

7. School Bus Tracker

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

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

8. Trace School Bus

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

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

9. Bus Tracking System from Applane

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

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

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

10. Smart-School-Bus-Tracking from ADCC

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

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

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

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

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

11. MyBusVue

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

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

12. Transfinder

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

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

13. Seon

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

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

14. Verstrans My Stop

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

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

15. SafeStop

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

How TrackSchoolBus App Optimizes School Bus Routes

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

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

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

  1. Auto Routing

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

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

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

  1. Route Optimization

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

  1. Pick-Up Point Optimization

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

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

Pick-Up Points Are the Primary Source of Information

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

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

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

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

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

Top 10 School Bus Route Auto Optimization Features from TrackSchoolBus

Optimizing School Bus Routes Offers a Plethora of Benefits

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

What about the wear and tear of the school buses?

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

So, what are you waiting for?

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

Which is the Best School Bus Tracking App for Parents

A child spends more than 15 years of his life in school, he gains knowledge, learns how to communicate, develop friendships and prepares himself to face the toughest of exams after school.

It is a place which is a center of excellence and learning and creates a meaningful impact on the life of a student. For all these reasons and several others, schools play a vital role in the life of students and their parents.

Therefore it becomes crucial for the school management to create an ecosystem where the child is offered a safe environment and chances of any unfortunate accident are minimal.

Why TrackSchoolBus is the Best App for School Bus Tracking

To ensure the safety of students when they leave their homes, bus tracking app has become a necessity. It is a boon for parents and the school authorities as well.

While the app enables school administration to offer safe and reliable transit of students from their homes to school, it provides complete peace of mind to parents.

There are many school bus tracking apps available, and although mostly same, they differ regarding features, ease of use and cost.

However, proper research and reviews of those who have already used proves beneficial to school administration when they search for the most suitable app for their school.

TrackSchoolBus is a bespoke app that is loaded with features and is easy to understand and use. It ensures complete safety of students while they commute between school and their homes.

The most significant benefit that it offers is it reduces parental anxiety and establishes their trust on school management.

The school management too finds it easy to keep track of bus routes, bus-time, driver’s performance and any deviation in the whole bus transportation system.

Features You Need to Know

TrackSchoolBus app is equipped with the following features which give it a unique place among all other apps available in the store.

For School Management:

•    User-friendly dashboard and app experience

•    A centralized software to manage all transportation processes of school

•    Can be integrated with any hardware, therefore, streamlining the entire school transportation

•    Download reports for analysis and improvements

•    Can be customized for individual specific use

•  Face-recognition, RFID cards or MIFARE RFID cards enables marking of school bus attendance

•    Features like Auto-routing, auto-allocation, and auto-optimization

For the Parents:

•    The user-friendly and straightforward App experience

•    Easy to download and track buses, their spots and time

•    History feature to bring into notice any delay or misconduct by the driver

•    SMS alert features to notify parents

•    Two-factor attendance

Here's a video that explains Two Factor Attendance in detail. 

Advantages:

For the school management:

•    Lesser dependence on the manual transportation system

•    Less paperwork as all reports can be generated through the app

•    Real-time GPS empowers student tracking anytime from anywhere

•    Instant notifications and alerts in case of emergency or delay

•    Cost effective yet a very reliable app for tracking buses

•    Lower fuel cost

•    Greater control over technology

•    All stakeholders including school bus transport manager, driver, parents, helper/attendant can get it customized as per their individual need

For the parents:

•    Receive instant notifications and alerts on their mobile

•    Complete control of their child since the time he leaves home

•    Better communication with the bus transport manager

Benefits You Will Gain

For the school management:

•    Streamline school bus routing and scheduling

•    Handle notorious students with ease

•    Offers efficient transportation services to parents and generate trust of parents

•    Keep drivers focused on the road, therefore, reducing chances of any unfortunate incidence

•    Provide valuable information on time through school bus tracker App

For the parents:

•    Enables additional safety of their children

•    Offers complete peace of mind and mental relaxation

•    More trust in school management

•    Monitor their child’s presence or absence in the bus

•    Monitor child’s behavior in the bus

•    Instant notification in case the bus is getting delayed

•    Monitor driver’s performance and speed with which he is driving

Final Thoughts

TrackSchoolBus app is, therefore, the best app for the parents and the school authorities. The best part is it makes parents happy and relaxed, and they do not consider it as an additional burden.

Instead, they regard it as a tool that empowers them to monitor their child’s safety when he travels between home and school. Similarly, it is not an additional expense for the school management too.

Instead, it helps them offer better services to the parents. It not only makes them temples of learning but also makes them a place where parents can send their child with complete trust.

15 Popular TrackSchoolBus Blogs of 2017

Au revoir 2017, and before wrapping up the year 2017. The year was splendid for Trackschoolbus, you will have noticed the blogs, infographics, and variety of images in the site. Let’s have a glimpse of the 15 popular Trackschoolbus blogs in the year 2017.

 

10 Important Road Safety Rules to Teach Your Children

The blog as the title suggests narrates the 10 essential road safety rules that can be taught to your children. Of course, you will certainly value your child’s safety above everything. The rules are designed to safeguard your school kids when they are unaccompanied. Hence, you rely on safety rules.

Nevertheless, the simplicity in language, and straightforward approach popularized the blog among the audience. On the contrary, when you analyze the blog in a critical perspective, you can view that each rule is followed by the image, and these images evidently reinforce the meaning of each rule.

30 Essential Road Safety Rules in India

Every country possesses a set of safety rules, which is apt for their infrastructure and road conditions. The blog assists you to ascertain an awareness of the 30 essential road safety rules that should be compulsorily followed in India.

In this modern world, people prefer the blogs over the documents, internet over newspapers, and smartphones instead of hardbound books. As a result, through our blog, you will be offered an opportunity to obtain the rules that ensure the safety of beloved ones. This can be the reason for the popularity of this blog.

Road Safety Tips that can Avoid Accidents and Save Your Life

When you consider the rising number of vehicles on the road, you will be able to realize the amount of risk hidden on the road transportation. People are searching for the resources that safeguard themselves and their beloved ones from road related accidents, and this blog serves this purpose.

Regrettably, kids are the vulnerable ones to road related hazards and it is your responsibility to ensure their safety. The blog lists 9 tips that will enable you to defend accidents and save your valuable lives.

Safety Issues of School Bus Rides and Their Solutions

A multitude of issues will be confronted while sending your beloved kid to the school bus. Although, the school bus ride is said to be the safest means of transportation for school kids,  issues can also occur unexpectedly. Readers will have found the blog informative as it enlists the dominant issues of school bus rides and solutions to overcome those issues.

In this blog, we focus on all the possible issues and the ways to instantly recover it. At the same time, the blog is enlightening, inspiring, and in order to arouse the reader’s  interest and enhance their experience, the GIPHY is added. 

How Well Do You Know about School Bus Dimensions

The School bus is still the preferred mode of transportation for school bus students. Apart from school bus manufacturers,  nobody is aware of the specification related to school bus dimensions. Having awareness of school bus dimensions is an added advantage. The blog accordingly mentions the various bus types, its measurements, seat capacity, dimensions, etc.

Moreover, the blog is enriched with accurate data, and the readers found it reliable and beneficial. On the other hand, those who are searching for the suitable school bus can refer the blog and purchase the right one, according to their preference.

A Complete Guide to Ensure Road Safety in India

Road safety is a relevant issue and in order to ensure safety, authorities constitute safety rules, and conduct safety programs. Indian roads are pathetically constructed and hence safety rules are essential to safeguard citizens.

Literally, the blog serves as a complete guide to ensure road safety in India comprising essentials for driving on Indian roads, rules for two-wheelers, rules for four-wheelers, common faults that hinders road safety, the general road safety signals, and reasons for causing road related hazards.

Importance of School Bus Safety Tips

School bus safety practices are given prime importance above everything. Safety tips intend to enhance the student safety in the school bus. In this blog,  different sections are generated for drivers, children, and parents. Apart from that, the blog render the details on relevant school bus laws.

With the rising number of vehicles on the road, the school bus journey became challenging and risky. Therefore, school bus safety tips are the only precaution to overcome the fear, anxiety, and unnecessary tension of elders. The details included in the blog is convincing, specific, and enlightening, which resulted in its popularity among readers.

5 Simple Ways India can Improve Road Safety

Road accidents are one of the leading reasons for deaths in India. The driver often confronts difficulty in driving vehicles on the dreadful Indian roads, especially during rainy seasons. As a result, ensuring road safety on Indian roads is never a simple task.

The blog as the title suggests 5 ways by which India can augment road safety. However, the solutions mentioned in the blog are reasonable, simple, and precise. Consequently, readers accepted the blog as solutions are feasible and can be applied to ensure the safety of Indian citizens.

15 Cool School Bus Games

A school bus journey can be boring and tiresome for students. Hence, students produce noise, commit bullying, destroy school bus properties, needlessly wander in the school bus, and distract school bus drivers to amuse themselves. In order to prevent these instances, you can involve them in various activities.

Meanwhile, organizing games can be an excellent way to engage students. Games refresh the students’ minds, mitigate their boredom, and assist you to reduce the student’s unacceptable behavior on the school bus. The blog refers 15 interesting school bus games that hold students engaged, without causing a disturbance to drivers.

11 Strategies for Dealing with School Bus Discipline Issues

As a consequence, school bus discipline is a concern for school bus transportation. As a matter of fact, discipline inside a school bus affect the credibility and reputation of the school. Henceforth, maintaining a suitable behavior among students will be essential task.

In order to establish the school bus discipline issues efficiently, 11 strategies are elaborated in the blog, which provides an immense assistance to school bus transportation officials. Furthermore, the blog also demonstrates the influence of modern technology in ensuring school bus discipline.

7 Reasons School Bus Drivers Play a Vital Role in Student Safety

School bus drivers have a dominant role in ensuring student safety as the only authority that accompanies students in school bus transportation is the drivers. The driver will serve as a guide to students whenever they cross the road after descending the school bus.

In the mean time, a majority of parents forgets the relevance of school bus drivers in ensuring the safety of their kids. Hence, this blog asserts 7 reasons that insist the parents to realize the pertinence of  school bus drivers in ensuring student safety.

Road Safety Tips for Different Types of Road Users

Road safety is an essential concept for all the Indian citizens. There are different range of road users and you need to follow a different set of road safety tips for ensuring their safety. One of the solutions is to provide an awareness to road users, which reduce the rising number of accidents. Apart from that solution, the blog also depicts the vital road safety tips for each road users.

The blog is enriched with details, concise, and accurate. For this reason, readers accepted the blog gleefully.

How Important is the School Bus Driver

School bus drivers  have a compelling role in ensuring the safety of school transportation services. At times, school bus drivers have been ignored without recognizing their value. This blog reflects the job description of school bus drivers, skills and responsibility of a driver, responsibility undertaken by schools, and the reason why the drivers are given such a priority.

Of course, you will be able to recognize the worth of appointing an exceptional school bus driver and their role in ensuring the student safety.

11 Awesome Technologies Used in Modern School Buses

Obsolescence cannot be afforded even though it is a school bus. Modern school buses undergone an immense transformation both in design and construction. In addition, you can witness the installation of a multitude of technological devices in the school buses. All these technologies enable you to ensure advanced safety for school bus students. 

In fact, a majority of reputed schools already implemented GPS school bus tracking systems in order to ensure student safety. In spite of this solution, the blog also comprises other technologies that can be implemented to enhance school bus safety.

9 Qualities of a Great School Bus Transportation System

School bus transportation is the safest mode of transportation for school students. In the meantime, there are certain essential qualities by which you could associate to an “exceptional school transportation system”.  No doubt, you will be familiar with a couple of them, by judging the popularity of the blog, you can recognize the curiosity level of the readers to be aware of the 9 essential qualities in school transportation services.

101 Reasons to Choose TrackSchoolBus

Trackschoolbus is one of the leading ventures by Edsys and provider of school educational system. Consequently, with this venture, you will be able to address school bus safety issues related to parents and school authorities. Moreover, by using the Trackschoolbus apps, you can manage various safety issues in regard to school transportation and ensure a safe school bus journey to and from school.

Here follows the reasons why Trackschoolbus is the best choice for you. Lets' check it out:

1. Provide real-time data regarding the school bus location by using RFID and GPS technology

2. Obtain instant alerts through SMS, Android push notifications, iOS notifications, etc.

3. Analyze the school bus driver performance using trackers

4. Parents are notified regarding the school bus delays, unscheduled bus stops, over speeding, emergencies, etc.

5. Attain reports on travel speed, distance, travel history, etc.

6. Save energy and time by efficient utilization of the route management feature, and bus stop scheduling

7. Effective management of school bus fleets

8. Recognise better and efficient routes via driver console

9. Reduce fuel consumption of the school bus by avoiding unnecessary trips

10. Sort issues such as bus breakdowns, student issues inside the school bus, respond to emergencies, etc. quickly

11. Create a superior, economical, and safer school bus trip for the students

12. Manage students, parents, and school transportation authorities together

13. Handle safety concerns easily via school bus tracking software

14. Perceive travel history of the school bus via the tracking apps

15. Enable parents as well as school authorities to ensure whether a school bus child reached home safely or not

16. Monitor the school bus speed

17. Check out the time duration at each bus stops

18. Track issues such as traffic jams, natural mishaps, school bus breakdowns, etc.

19. Avoid unnecessary fuel wastage due to excessive vehicle idling, inappropriate routes, etc.

20. Easy route planning

21. Locate your child via GPS trackers and RFID tags

22. Re-routing and Rescheduling facility

23. School authorities can monitor school bus even though it is on the road

24. Supervise the activities of each school bus and estimate the working hours of a school bus driver

25. Highly accurate and error-free records

26. No issue of being lost in the school bus trip

27. Reduced expense as GPS is cost-effective

28. Take school bus attendance accurately

29. Provide real-time notifications whenever the child boards or descend from the bus

30. Powerful and durable due to the utilization of industry standard materials in casing the components and PCBs

31. Devoid of quality issues as we do not use China made devices

32. Easy installation (as it is a single piece of hardware) and maintenance (high quality hardware that requires minimum maintenance)

33. Compatible with different vehicle types

34. Portable design as its compact dimension of devices make sure that devices occupy minimal space only

35. Unique tracking device as both RFID reader and GPS technology is combined into a single device

36. Provide expert assistance anytime from anywhere

37. Know the repair status by login to the web portal

38. Restrict the movement of a school bus via Geo-fencing feature

39. Video surveillance with special hardware

40. Online payment system (available in Android and iOS platforms) for bus fares and cashless sales

41. No need of separate hardware for tracking

42. Drivers are able to get directions throughout the school bus trip

43. Drivers can view the image and contact details of students in the next destination

44. Obtain important announcements and messages via apps

45. While confirming the school bus route, it will be moved to the trip history

46. View the trip details whenever one desires

47. Provide peace of mind to parents and school transportation authorities

48. Parents can view the route via map feature

49. Ability to download report in the formats such as doc, PDF, or whatever format as per the user's preference

50. Assign roles for users such as transport managers, parents, point of sales personnel, teachers, etc.

51. School bus attendance marked via facial recognition of students

52. Route optimization feature enables the driver and school transportation authorities to choose the most efficient route for the trip

53. Gather information for preparing reports and with the import feature, data entry process becomes easy

54. On a single screen, transport managers can view the vehicle details, trip details, and tracking details

55. Historical vehicle movement can be tracked via advanced playback system

56. Control the movement speed and can be moved forward or backwards

57. Create routes and trip based on seating capacity, pick up point density, etc.

58. Based on the unplanned trip auto routing feature, the system will eventually collect the trip details, route details, etc. once the vehicle gets started. Thereby, convert unplanned trip to scheduled trip

59. With the trip merger feature, school authorities can merge multiple shifts to a single one

60. Students can use ID for the purpose of purchase. Parents can recharge the payment cards online (Cashless system)

61. Parents get instant notification once the children purchase from the canteen or stores

62. Ability to choose the best hardware as per the customers' requirements

63. Separate apps for school bus attendant, transport managers, parents, and drivers

64. No need to install a separate app for siblings

65. Less complication in updating the new pick up point

66. Students can apply leave via the app without contacting school management or school bus driver

67. Drivers as well as school authorities can have a good rapport with each other

68. Instant trip management

69. Provide birthday announcements instantly

70. Usage of cloud messaging service for apps

71. Generate various MIS reports

72. Application accessed via the web as well as smart phone

73. Know the real-time status of a school bus (parked, moving, etc.)

74. Scheduled route can be viewed by parents and they realise whenever there is a change in the usual routes

75. Recentre facility enables the user to update the exact pick up point and drop location of students

76. Using the manifest feature, pick up details, route diagram showing pickup location, the students who are present on the school bus, etc. can be recognized

77. Stay vigilant and take appropriate decision for improving student safety

78. Obtain live-cam feed of students inside the school bus

79. User-friendly apps, and easy customization

80. Adaptation of the latest technology

81. Efficient billing and invoice management

82. New users can be created by administrators

83. Speed limits can be updated beforehand

84. Able to establish a long term relationship with the clients

85. Have skilled and experienced developers

86. Constant implementation of quality control techniques

87. Drivers are able to possess multi-tasking capability

88. Recognise unsafe driving instantly

89. Play important announcement via bus audio system

90. Sort the driver shortage by efficiently managing them via apps

91. Historical data feature have the list of completed trips, resigned drivers, instant trips, completed scheduled trips

92. Details from the system can be utilized for safe driver ranking

93. Facility to choose the type of notifications that is to be received and the language for notification

94. Import data either via direct entry or through API integration

95. Store SIM card details and retrieve it whenever necessary

96. Modify logo and has full freedom to manage their own accounts

97. The trip will be marked complete only when all the students get off the school bus

98. Students who are on leave will be notified via the application

99. Less distraction and drivers can monitor students without even leaving their cabin

100. Able to choose the shortest trip from the app

101. Time-saving, convenient and safe transportation

8 Reasons to Choose School Bus Tracking System

 

School bus tracking systems using a GPS device has become one of the most sought after technologies by present day schools. The improvement in safety and security, which has been the highlight of such systems, is what led to its global acceptance.

A school bus tracking system from TrackSchoolBus gives you an upper hand when it comes to keeping your children safe. It even makes the documentation process easy and transparent. But the reasons to choose a GPS school bus tracking system from TrackSchoolBus are far more than simple documentation. Let’s take a look at them.

Must Read:

 What do school Bus Tracking Systems Track?

1. Web Accessible Student Details   

With TrackSchoolBus, you get a web portal were you could access the details of the students, relating to his/her academics and school behaviour. This brings together teachers and parents. Teachers can share various aspects of students’ performance at school. Parents can log into these portals using unique ID and avail information regarding their children, that too in an instant.

Advantages to parents

  • It helps parents to get the travel history of their kids
  • It informs parents if their kids have reached their school
  • Also, it gives parents the capability to monitor speed
  • Parents can monitor the time taken by buses at each stops

Advantages to schools

  • Helps to manage the school bus fleet with better efficiency.
  • Helps to reduce fuel wastage by avoiding excessive idling and inefficient route.
  • Helps to plan routes early. This can be done in real-time which makes management of emergency situations easy.

2. Know About Kids, on the Go

The ParentApp is similar to the parent portal in a lot of respects, but without the need of a desktop or a laptop. It can be used to monitor children from remote locations. Parents can check out the performance of their wards just with the help of a hand held mobile device. Be it on a bus or a train, access student information anywhere anytime with GPS tracking system from TrackSchoolBus. The tracking is done in real-time and hence parents get notifications regularly. It also gives provision to track bus on a map using a hand held device.

3. Real-time Tracking

As said before, GPS tracking systems from TrackSchoolBus employs asset tracking in real-time. It makes use of RFID and GPS for this purpose. Even the otherwise tedious tasks such as re-routing and re-scheduling are made easy, thereby helping to make quick changes in real-time. Some situations may require the use of real-time tracking, especially when it comes to monitoring the speed of the bus.

4. Communication Centre

Teachers and parents play vital roles for the proper growth of a child as a student. Hence it is necessary that a proper mode of communication exists between parents and teachers. Parent-teacher meetings offer an ideal platform for such interactions. But the disadvantage of such meetings is that they are less frequent. The TrackSchoolBus communication centre helps us with this.

Parents can have a regular peek into children’s academics, thereby enhancing their academic performance while also resulting in better classroom behaviour.

Communication centre is available in both mobile phones and web, with easy access to your child’s day to day activities. Teachers can also make suggestions and give feedbacks about the student’s performance. Previous feedbacks are recorded in the communication history and latest updates are shown as notifications in the communication centre. It also gives provision to send mails of communication between teachers and parents. It also has a live chat facility for direct communication between teachers and parents.

5. Notification Centre

One of the best parts of this school bus tracking software is the real-time or active notification facility. It might not be possible for parents to always be with their wards, due to work related or some other emergencies. The active notification facility checks up on the students and reports the events of his/her day to day routine to parents, with minimum delay.

Active notifications are sent on both the mobile application as well as a web interface. If parents lack access to a mobile device, he or she can check for notifications on parent portal.

Parents can get notification

  • 10 minutes before the bus arrives at the predefined stop.
  • Once the student boards the school bus or if the he doesn’t.
  • In case a bus stops for an unusually long time at any point.
  • If the bus stops at a unchartered bus-stop.
  • When the bus crosses a speed limit.

You May Also Like: 

How School Bus Tracking Apps Can Help Parents

6. Industry Leading Hardware

Normally a GPS tracking device comprises of two different components. One of them includes the tracking device which sends out the location signals to the satellite and another one for reading RFID tags. Whereas we use a sleeker design which includes both these components together. This makes it a more portable and takes up lesser space. The device is physically strong and durable due because of the use of industry grade materials which is used in the casings, PCB’s and the components. This makes it easy to transport the equipment when compared to the GPS trackers of the past

7. Easy Installation and Maintenance

Our tracking device is unique where both RFID reader and GPS technologies are merged into one device. Being a single piece of hardware, installation and maintenance are relatively easy. A minimum maintenance is ensured because of the high quality of hardware used. Once an issue is reported we will provide quick repairs and you would be able to know the status of repair once you login to the web portal.

8. Environment friendly

The GPS device from track school bus makes your fleet, environment friendly. Through optimization of routes and monitoring hard breaking and acceleration, the menace of pollution can be kept under control.

14 Most Read TrackSchoolBus Blogs of 2016

 

2016 has been an eventful year here at trackschoolbus as we strived hard to create child road safety awareness among the masses. People from around the globe were interested and their interest in reading our blog was proof of this. 

Below is a list of blogs that held the interest of our readers through the year. 

1. 10 Important Road Safety Rules to Teach Your Children – One of the most popular blogs in the year 2016, this blog talks about the essential road safety rules for children. Road safety is an emerging issue as the number of vehicles on the road keep on increasing every day. Students represent the future of a nation and hence rules should be taught to them. This blog tries to impart valuable information to ensure student safety education

2. Top 10 School Bus Companies – Maybe it is the curiosity to know which bus company is actually the best or it might be the surprise that there are actually companies that specialize in making school buses. Either ways, this was one of the most read blogs the past year. The popularity of this blog might also indicate that a lot of people are interested in 'branded school buses'. 

3. 10 Cool School Bus Games – Its no surprise this blog became popular. Bus games are interesting not just to students, but also to transport managers and drivers. The games do help in keeping the students engaged and distracts them from involving in other activities. School authorities were certainly busy trying to find methods by which school bus journey would become entertaining for kids.

4. 12 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About GPSGPS systems have slowly but steadily stamped its influence over various fields of everyday life. This blog has been a long time favourite of our readers. It was originally written in early 2015. A significant number of visitors still arrive every day to read it. The interesting title certainly helps.

5. 20 Must-know School Bus Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers – School bus drivers are responsible for safely transporting students to school. But unfortunately, they don't get their due often. From the popularity of the blog, it is clear that people want to know as much as possible about the safety guidelines for school bus drivers.

6. 10 Important Points on Student Road Safety and Suggestion for Improvements – Most students are unaware about road safety and it may be the reason why the blog got such popularity. A number of accidents happen not on the bus but while on the road. The blog discusses the most important aspects of road safety and even offers some suggestions to improve road safety.

7. 25 School Bus Safety Tips For Kids – A child's safety is given highest priority by parents and school authorities. This blog offered school bus safety tips for students, parents, and other vehicle users safe around school buses. It is in fact a must read if you know a kid.

8. How Well Do You Know about School Bus Dimensions? – Indeed school bus dimensions have an important role to play if you are planning to start a school bus business. Proper dimensions helps ensure safety to students during a crash or other accidents. People may be unaware of the appropriate school bus dimensions recommended for student safety. This blog gives an idea about the required school bus dimensions. 

9. Scope of RFID School Bus Tracking Systems in Security Measures at Schools – RFID school bus tracking system gives peace of mind to parents as well as school authorities. RFID school bus tracking is approved by many schools to ensure better student safety and the popularity of the blog shows readers' interest in knowing the scope of this innovative technology.

10.  Safety Issues of School Bus Rides and their Solutions – Even though school bus is said to be one of the safest transportation for school students, there may be several issues associated with a school bus ride. It is a good idea to know these issues and take proper measures against it for ensuring better student safety. 

11.  6 Awesome Technologies Used in Modern School Buses – Technology is progressing everyday and it enhances the quality of people's lives.  Each year school buses get  new technologies for better student safety. It is evident from the blog popularity that people are obviously curious about awesome technologies that can be implemented in modern school buses.

12.  Importance of School Bus Safety Tips –  Millions of children transport to school via yellow school buses. Children are the future and their safety is our responsibilty. This blog includes certain school bus safety tips for drivers, parents, and children and why they are actually important. 

13.  How Important is the School Bus Driver? –  School bus driving is a matter of perfection and care. And the goodwill of an institution lies in the hands of a school bus driver. There are many responsibilities for school bus drivers, and the school authorities should ensure that their school bus drivers never try to violate rules. 

14.  7 Qualities of a Great School Bus Transportation System – Let's face it. Not all school bus transportation are the same. Some of the transportations offered are shabby, and others come with advanced features. But what qualities should the perfect school bus transportation system have to be awesome?