When the 2025 school year approached, leaders at Bismarck Public Schools in North Dakota knew they were heading into unfamiliar territory, a local television station reported.

Like districts across the country, Bismarck was grappling with a severe shortage of school bus drivers. Routes were harder to staff, schedules were tighter, and margins for error were shrinking by the day. Something had to change if buses were going to keep rolling—and students were going to get to school safely and on time.

The district made a bold decision: implement a two tier bus system with staggered bell schedules. Elementary and secondary students would ride at different times, allowing each driver to cover more ground and easing the immediate staffing crunch, KX News, a CBS affiliate, reported.

Operationally, the move worked. But almost overnight, a new set of challenges emerged.

Routes became more complex. Timing windows narrowed. Parents had more questions—and fewer easy answers. Calls to the transportation office increased as families struggled to understand where buses were, when they would arrive, and what had changed.

Transportation leaders realized quickly that solving the staffing problem had exposed a communication problem.

Parents didn’t just need reassurance—they needed real time visibility. Drivers needed help navigating increasingly complicated routes. And staff needed a better way to manage information in an environment where every delay was magnified.

That’s when Bismarck turned to Transfinder.

To support the new transportation model, Bismarck Public Schools deployed an integrated technology approach built around the driver app Wayfinder and parent app Stopfinder. Each district bus was equipped with a tablet running Wayfinder, giving drivers reliable, turn by turn navigation—especially critical as routes shifted and expanded. At the same time, Stopfinder connected that live bus data directly to families through a secure parent app.

For parents, the difference was immediate. They could see exactly where a bus was, receive notifications if it was delayed, and get alerts when it entered their customized geofence. For the transportation team, the payoff came in the form of fewer phone calls, better situational awareness, and a noticeable uptick in trust during a period of major change.

Still, Bismarck didn’t treat the rollout as a finish line.

While district owned buses performed smoothly, some contracted buses operated by Harlow’s Bus Service were using older onboard technology, creating occasional inconsistencies. Rather than accept uneven performance, the district took a long view.

For the upcoming school year, Harlow’s buses will also run Wayfinder, bringing the entire fleet—district and contractor—onto a single Transfinder platform.

Transportation Supervisor Jason Schafer describes the shift as a turning point.

“Next year, Harlow’s buses will have something very similar to what we have on our BPS buses,” Schafer told a local television station. “Instead of a third party communicating with the app, they’ll have Wayfinder right on here (the bus). … The reliability of the app on Harlow’s general education side should really be flawless.”

For Schafer, the contrast was already clear. “We’ve had no issues at all with our BPS buses this year,” he added.

As the technology matured, so did the district’s understanding of adoption. About 30 percent of families had activated Stopfinder—a solid start given the scope of operational change happening simultaneously. The remaining challenge wasn’t the platform itself, but helping families fully use it.

Bismarck is pairing its technology investment with stronger parent education to ensure families get the full benefit of real time communication and safety features.

Looking back, what began as a staffing crisis became an opportunity.

Bismarck Public Schools maintained service despite driver shortages, successfully supported a complex two tier schedule, and replaced uncertainty with transparency for families. By unifying fleet technology and focusing on communication, the district turned a headline worthy challenge into a long term operational win.

Bismarck’s story is one many districts will recognize—and one that proves transportation technology isn’t just about routes and buses. It’s about delivering clarity when uncertainty is unavoidable, and confidence when communities need it most.

To learn more about Transfinder’s suite of award-winning solutions, from routing to fleet maintenance, call 800-373-3609 or email solutions@transfinder.com.

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