Technology experts explained how AI can help school bus drivers spot students in blind zones, prevent collisions and improve safety, without replacing driver judgment.

AI could give school bus drivers an extra set of eyes when students are most vulnerable: Boarding, exiting and crossing near the school bus, according to a Thursday webinar sponsored by Brigade Electronics. The company’s representatives discussed how AI-powered cameras can recognize pedestrians, cyclists and other hazards, then alert drivers before an incident occurs.

CEO Corey Heniser said traditional cameras provide visibility, but AI adds the ability to recognize people and issue active warnings.

“It can identify the human form and what we call it as human form recognition,” he explained. “That will identify individuals, pedestrians, as well as small students around a vehicle and allow you to take evasive action where needed.”

Protecting Students in Blind Zones

Steve Wenger, Brigade’s OEM business development manager, said school buses present significant visibility challenges because of their size and the number of students moving around them.

Wenger explained that AI-enabled, 360-degree camera systems can monitor blind spots and identify people approaching or moving alongside a bus. He added that the technology can support driver awareness during loading and unloading.

“Artificial intelligence is a human-taught technology,” Wenger said, explaining that developers train systems to recognize hazards and determine when to alert operators.

Brigade’s presentation highlighted a camera system with full 360-degree visibility and AI-powered pedestrian detection. Another application adapts technology originally developed to protect workers behind waste trucks to help monitor students around school buses, according to the slide deck.

Wenger emphasized that AI should complement established safety practices.

“Artificial intelligence is not necessarily replacing judgment or experience or the many trainings that an operator goes through,” he said, adding that instead, it can provide earlier warnings and better information when drivers need to make critical decisions.

Helping School Bus Drivers Prevent Crashes

Jeff Schweitzer, Brigade’s national sales manager, said AI offers particular value to districts experiencing driver turnover and increasingly complicated traffic conditions.

“Today’s drivers need more support [now] than ever,” he said.

Schweitzer explained that AI cameras can monitor high-risk areas and notify drivers while they still have time to respond. He contrasted that capability with traditional video systems, which primarily document incidents afterward.

“Prevention is more valuable than recording,” he noted.

Wenger also covered AI dashcams that can warn drivers about potential collisions, unsafe following distances and lane departures. Driver-facing cameras can identify fatigue, distraction and handheld-device use, while connected systems allow transportation departments to review events and provide targeted coaching.

Schweitzer said those capabilities can help newer drivers develop situational awareness.

“Experience definitely cannot be built overnight,” he noted.

Turning Safety Data Into Action

Heniser said districts could eventually combine AI camera information with telematics to identify near misses, recognize recurring hazards and tailor driver coaching for school bus drivers with more close calls.

Brigade’s slide deck also presented injury and fatality trends from 2013 through 2022. Heniser pointed to a general decline in injuries over the period, but he said fatalities remained comparatively steady outside the pandemic-related dip in 2020. He cited those trends while explaining the potential benefits of more proactive safety technology.

Heniser said districts can add AI camera systems to existing buses through aftermarket installations, while manufacturers may increasingly offer the technology on new vehicles.

Wenger cautioned that AI recognition remains imperfect and can produce false positives, but said timely warnings still offer safety benefits.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s extremely accurate,” he said.

Wenger also clarified that automated vehicle functions, such as braking, would require integration at the manufacturer level rather than a simple camera retrofit.

Starting With School District Safety Needs

Schweitzer encouraged transportation leaders to frame AI as a tool for protecting students, drivers and communities rather than employee surveillance.

“It’s not the big brother side of it,” he said.

Heniser advised districts to identify their most common safety challenges before selecting technology, whether those involve loading zones, blind spots or driver behavior.

“Really, it’s up to the fleet managers, fleet operators, drivers to identify where their most common problems are,” he concluded.

Heniser also emphasized that AI’s role in student transportation should remain focused on helping drivers create safer conditions, rather than replacing their judgement or student interaction.

“The goal overall is to create a safer environment while operating vehicles,” he summarized.

Watch the webinar on demand.

Written with the assistance of AI and a live session transcript.

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The cyclotron lab creates atoms called radionuclides that can help clinicians diagnose and treat different types of cancers as well as image different diseases

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Fraser Industries announced the sale Wednesday of its Superior shipyard to Wildcat Defense, part of Miami-based Wildcat Equity Partners, in a $350 million investment as part of plans to modernize the nation’s shipbuilding industry and industrial defense.

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WARRENVILLE, Ill. – Summit School Services has introduced Catalyst, its connected, flexible approach to safe, reliable student transportation that combines proven technology, real-time data, transportation expertise, consistent fleet standards, and accountability into one integrated solution. Through the utilization of Catalyst’s technology stack, district partners and families can expect an elevated level of service and transportation experience that is more visible, informed, and proactive – providing an amplified level of confidence and peace of mind every school day.

Catalyst is Summit’s answer to defining a new, transformative chapter in student transportation, one that reduces unreliability and uncertainty and connects its advanced, smart technology to its teams, districts, and parents/guardians for service they can count on and trust. The creation of Catalyst is also a symbol of Summit’s century-long commitment to safe, dependable student transportation and a strong demonstration of its determination in setting higher standards for safety and service.

“Delivering safe, reliable transportation to the districts and families we serve is, and will always be, our priority,” said Tim Wertner, CEO, Summit School Services. “Catalyst opens a world of opportunities that further supports safety and reliability. It changes student transportation by delivering more visibility, elevated safety, and better technology for school districts, families, and the teams serving our students, so that everyone involved can have a shared peace of mind and assurance that students are in the best, capable hands and on safe, dependable buses. Through Catalyst, we are truly setting a new standard in the way districts and families can trust and rely on student transportation and transforming how successfully our teams operate. It’s revolutionary, and it has been really inspiring to see all the hard work my teams have put into bringing Catalyst to life.”

As part of its connected approach, Catalyst powers each technology within its system to share information and communicate seamlessly, in real-time, across its operations and into the hands of not only our team members, but also the districts and families we serve, enabling greater efficiency, effectiveness, and proactivity. Districts can also integrate Catalyst’s technology solutions into their existing platforms, giving them the flexibility to customize technology solutions to their district’s needs.

In depth, for districts, families, and our transportation teams, Catalyst’s technology stack provides:

Advanced, Proactive Safety

• State-of-the-art smart dash cameras to inform drivers in real-time of potential risks, adding an extra layer of protection for not only our students, but also pedestrians and fellow motorists.
• Driving behavior monitoring to allow for greater, proactive coaching opportunities, which means driving patterns and habits can be anticipated and addressed early on – fostering safer driving behaviors.

Elevated, Timely Visibility

• Mobile bus tracking and notifications for timely updates on route changes and near real-time bus locations that are communicated consistently to parents, districts, and transportation teams to provide immediate peace of mind and transparency.
• Real-time visibility into enroute buses and direct access to on-board footage to allow for clearer communication, clarity, and prompt accountability when districts and local teams need it most.

Smarter, Efficient Performance

• Vehicle telematics to identify emerging maintenance care needs in advance – minimizing disruption risks and ensuring efficient vehicle performance.
• Route optimization powered by real-time GPS and geofencing and automated scheduling to maximize route efficiency and performance.

“What Summit has is a collection of best-in-class systems for operations, maintenance, safety, and scheduling,” said Adam Silbernagel, Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Summit School Services. “And what Catalyst does is bring all of those systems together to operate in a way that makes each and every ride more visible so that school districts can focus on safely getting their kids to and from school, and parents can wake up in the morning and not have to wonder if or when their student’s bus will arrive. Student transportation should work consistently, safely, reliably, and without disruptions to those who count on it, and that’s exactly what Catalyst delivers.”

To learn more about Catalyst, follow Summit School Service’s LinkedIn page and also visit Summit School Service’s website, which features a video series about Catalyst, highlighting its benefits, capabilities, and a few customer testimonials.

About Summit School Services

Summit School Services sets the standard for safe, reliable student transportation across North America. As the parent organization to trusted local operators including Durham School Services, Stock Transportation and Petermann Bus, Summit supports over 5,500 schools. Powered by Catalyst, a connected technology ecosystem, and guided by five core values: Safety, Care, Transparency, Community, and Culture, Summit delivers student transportation that works quietly, consistently, and without disruption.

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Over the last year, Rina Ghose, a data science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has attempted to look across Wisconsin to find out how this disruption is affecting the state’s workforce.

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In Wisconsin Rapids and other communities, data center debates are a local political priority. But researchers say they’re not a top issue.

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Wisconsin regulators will conduct a full statewide review of the environmental impacts of data center development under a legal deal with environmental groups.

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National School Bus Safety Week each October is another opportunity to remind motorists about the tremendous responsibility we all share around school buses and school children.

Stop for the red lights. Obey the stop arm. Slow down in school zones. Watch for children at bus stops and when crossing streets. We know the messages. But knowing what to do matters only if we are paying enough attention to recognize when we need to do it.

That is especially relevant this month. We examine the rapidly advancing collision-avoidance technology reaching school buses. Automatic braking, lane-related warnings, connected vehicle technology, cameras and other systems are increasingly capable of recognizing hazards, alerting drivers and, in some cases, reacting faster than a human can.

Similar technology is commonplace in our personal vehicles. My car can warn me if I drift from my lane or get too close to another vehicle. Other vehicles can automatically brake when their systems detect an impending collision.

All of that is remarkable and welcome. We also need to do more to avoid collisions the
old-fashioned, human way: Pay attention.

Working remotely has changed some of my own habits. Without a traditional commute to and from an office, I find myself conducting more conversations with work associates while driving to appointments, picking up the kids or running errands. Even before remote work became commonplace, I frequently spoke with school transportation professionals during their morning or afternoon commutes.

It feels productive. Why waste 20 or 30 minutes in the car when we can knock out a conversation? Because our attention has limits, that’s why.

Earlier this year at STN EXPO East, speaker Bret Brooks spoke about the difference between being careless and caring less. Being careless means failing to give something the attention it deserves. Caring less can be intentional. Sometimes we need to give less attention to things that aren’t as important at a particular moment so we can devote more attention to what is.

Behind the wheel is a great place to put that into practice. That work call might be important. The meeting might be approaching. The conversation might save some time later. But none of it is more important than what is happening outside the windshield.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but we can’t wait until then to practice mindfulness. Distracted driving needs to be top of mind every month, week, day, hour, minute and second of the year, especially in school zones and wherever school buses are loading and unloading children.

A Governors Highway Safety Association survey STN reported on last month found that 46 percent of parents whose children ride school buses said their child had experienced a close call involving dangerous driving near a school bus or in a school zone. Across all surveyed parents, 36 percent reported such an experience involving their own child. Distracted driving and speeding were among the dangerous behaviors reported.

Those numbers demand our attention. Certainly, if we take a call while driving, hands-free should be the minimum. Don’t hold the phone. And there is absolutely no justification for reading or sending texts, checking email or scrolling while you are operating a vehicle.

But hands-free does not mean distraction-free. A conversation can occupy our thoughts. So can drowsiness, passengers, food, navigation systems, vehicle controls or simply mentally working through the next deadline or problem. Even other traffic on the road.

Meanwhile, a school bus may be stopping ahead. A child may be approaching a crosswalk. Traffic may suddenly slow. Vehicle-to-everything technology promises to alert motorists when they come upon a school bus stop. The technology is impressive but still in it’s infancy, as it is only available in a figurative handful of vehicles. It will take decades for all vehicles on the road to communicate with each other and road infrastructure.

One of the most important observations this month comes from Rosalyn Vann-Jackson of Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma. She notes that the safest technology isn’t necessarily technology that removes the human from the equation. It’s technology that helps the human make a safer decision sooner.

Let’s continue developing and adopting technology that gives motorists and school transportation operators another layer of protection on the road. But we cannot surrender our own first line of collision avoidance in the process.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the October 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Science writer Mary Roach chronicles her escapades through modern regenerative medicine in her latest book, “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy.”

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise plans to spend $75 million over the next five years to expand operations in Chippewa Falls and bring 75 new jobs to the area, Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday.

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Microsoft is planning to build fewer data centers at its sprawling complex in Mount Pleasant.

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On October 13, 2026, Farm Foundation hosted “Farming in the Age of AI,” a virtual Forum exploring how emerging artificial intelligence technologies were being applied in agriculture. The conversation examined where AI was delivering measurable value, where adoption remained challenging, and how these tools might shape the future of farm management.

The Forum featured:

• Dan Maycock, Co-Founder, Dataplai
• Tim Marquis, Senior Product Manager, Precision Ag Analytics, John Deere
• Alex Echols, Program Strategist, Agriculture, Campbell Foundation
• John Dawes, Executive Director and Co-Founder, The Commons.

Participants discussed AI’s opportunities and limitations, along with the policy, workforce, and data considerations influencing its integration into U.S. agriculture. The discussion explored what was needed to turn technological advances into practical value for producers and the broader food system.

Missed the Forum? Watch the recording and explore the presentation slides.

The post Farming in the Age of AI: Recording Now Available appeared first on Farm Foundation.

Between driver’s ignoring stop arm cameras, bus drivers unable to see students outside of the bus, and inattentive students, the Kansas State Department of Educated estimates there are over 13,000 injuries in school-bus related incidents involving students, pedestrians, and vehicles.

In this presentation, we will discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly moving from concept to a practical safety tool for student transportation safety. AI-powered safety systems can help detect pedestrians and objects around vehicles, alert drivers to risky behaviors, and trigger real-time responses to specific safety events.

This presentation explores how AI is being used today to improve school bus safety, what technologies are most ready for adoption, and which applications may be further out. Attendees will learn implementation best practices, key considerations for evaluating solutions, and how evolving industry expectations and regulations may shape future fleet safety decisions.

Brought to you by Brigade Electronics

REGISTER BELOW:

Presenters:

Corey Heniser
CEO
Brigade Electronics

Corey Heniser is CEO of Brigade Electronics, Inc., bringing 30 years of experience focused on vehicle safety for on-road and off-road applications. His career began with municipal fleet technologies for safer winter road maintenance, then expanded into hydraulic braking systems and radar-based collision avoidance for major OEMs and international distributors. In 2009, Brigade invited Corey to help grow its North American business. Now in his 16th year with Brigade, he continues to introduce safety technologies for commercial fleets while contributing to ANSI standards, collaborating with OSHA, and supporting Vision Zero and Together for Safer Roads initiatives.

Jeff Schweitzer
National Sales Manager
Brigade Electronics

Jeff Schweitzer is a sales and business development leader with more than a decade of experience driving growth for Brigade Electronics Inc. As National Sales Manager, he leads U.S. sales teams, develops national accounts, and supports forecasting, budgeting, and quota planning. His work has expanded Brigade’s presence across the United States and Mexico while strengthening relationships with distributors, OEMs, body builders, and fleet operators. Jeff has helped grow Brigade’s vehicle safety solutions, including radar, alarms, camera systems, proximity sensors, and recorders. He brings multi-industry experience and a customer-focused approach to building strategic relationships and supporting commercial vehicle safety nationwide.

Steven Wenger
OEM Business Development Manager
Brigade Electronics Group Plc

Steven Wenger is a business development and engineering leader with extensive experience delivering technology solutions for OEMs, commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleets, and upfitters. He currently serves as OEM Business Development Manager at Brigade Electronics Group Plc, where he builds strategic partnerships and helps customers identify practical solutions for the commercial vehicle market.

Drawing on a background in project engineering, direct sales, strategic partnerships, and fleet applications, Steven connects technical capabilities with real-world customer needs. His work is focused on developing strong relationships and scalable solutions that support safer, smarter, and more seamlessly integrated vehicles.

The post (Free Webinar) Understanding AI’s Role in Improving Student Transportation Safety appeared first on School Transportation News.

Leon County Schools shared how stronger Medicaid reimbursement, better ridership documentation and teamwork across departments can help districts recover the cost of transporting students with disabilities.

Karen Thomas, Medicaid coordinator at Leon County Schools in Florida, shared how her district secured a higher reimbursement rate through collaboration among transportation, finance and Medicaid staff during a Thursday webinar sponsored by Zonar.

Leon County receives about $18 per eligible ride, compared to approximately $2.50 in Florida’s larger Volusia County Schools, Thomas said.

“If you know one Medicaid program, you know one Medicaid program,” she explained, emphasizing that reimbursement rules and rates vary widely.

Thomas said Leon County pursued a district-specific rate rather than relying on the reimbursement amount established when Florida’s program began in the late 1990s. The process took three school years of coordinating information among departments before the superintendent brought everyone together.

“It was not a super simple process, but it paid off tremendously,” she said.

Finding the Funding

Tim Ammon, consultant and owner of Ammon Consulting Group, said transportation directors need to understand their state’s funding formula before identifying additional reimbursement opportunities.

“We’ve got a whole variety of expectations that are different state to state,” he explained.

A September survey conducted by Zonar and School Transportation News found that 72 percent of transportation professionals did not know how much their districts recovered annually through disability transportation funding programs. Zonar Chief Revenue Officer Rob Consoli shared during the webinar that only 47 percent of the survey respondents reported using Medicaid reimbursements, despite 58 percent knowing they are available.

“There are six sources that districts can pull from today. That includes the IDEA funds, state transportation funding, vocational rehabilitation, Medicaid reimbursement, and the McKinney-Vento [Homeless Assistance] Act funds which are not well known but are available – and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Program,” Consoli explained. “Districts rarely tap the full stack, and funding most often goes unclaimed on Medicaid.”

Ammon said the complexity can overwhelm transportation departments already managing staff shortages and daily operations.

“It’s really hard for transportation folks to try to navigate this on their own,” he said.

His recommendation was straightforward: Find a district or state Medicaid specialist who understands the requirements.

“And honestly, my expert opinion would be, find somebody like Karen,” Ammon said.

The Paperwork Problem

Thomas illustrated the documentation burden with her own summer routine, since Leon County still records specialized transportation ridership on paper logs.

“I actually physically get in my car and drive over to the bus barn, and I pick up boxes, legal boxes,” she quipped. “We see a lot of coffee stains and shoe print marks and things like that.”

She then matches those records with students’ individualized education programs, Medicaid eligibility and documented medical aids to determine which rides qualify for reimbursement.

The Zonar-STN survey found that 48 percent of respondents similarly relied on paper ridership logs, while 13 percent did not document daily ridership at all.

Thomas stressed that accurate documentation matters even when states change their reimbursement methods.

“At the end of the day, you’re still going to need that ridership data to back up that claim,” she said.

Ammon noted that electronic ridership tracking can support multiple funding opportunities, particularly in states where transportation aid depends on student ridership.

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Turning Reimbursement Into Services

Thomas said Leon County dedicates its Medicaid reimbursement revenue to student health services, including school nurses. Additional funding could allow the district to hire a licensed practical nurse or vocational nurse instead of a clinic aide. It could also free-up other district funds for transportation needs, such as child safety restraint systems.

The panel also emphasized that reimbursement requires more than recording a school bus ride. Depending on applicable rules, claims must connect Medicaid eligibility, IEP requirements, medical services or equipment, and appropriate vehicle adaptations.

Consoli presented Zonar’s Z Pass digital ridership system as a way for transportation, special education and finance departments to share records.

Ammon encouraged districts to begin by determining whether they qualify for reimbursement and identifying the information needed to support a claim.

“I think the first thing that we would want to try to fix is awareness,” he said.

Watch the webinar on demand.

The TSD Conference and Trade Show brings together transportation professionals from around the country to learn and discuss the latest in transportation for students with special needs. Register online now.

Written with the assistance of AI and a live session transcript.

The post Florida District Tackles School Transportation Funding Gaps appeared first on School Transportation News.

The Anahuac Independent School District board approved a $159,150 in funding for purchasing and installing video cameras on existing school buses after a pickup truck nearly struck a 9-year-old girl approaching her bus in Chambers County, Texas, reported KFDM News.

Angela Nelson told local news reporters that her daughter, Lorigan, was preparing to board her school bus outside her home Sept. 18, when a pickup truck passed the stopped bus.

Video Nelson shared with local news shows Lorigan looking both ways before approaching the bus, which had its stop arm extended and red lights flashing. The girl spotted the pickup and moved away just before it passed, reportedly missing her by inches.

Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said investigators had identified and spoken with the motorist, who could face a reckless driving charge, a Class B misdemeanor.

Angela Nelson said the county attorney indicated that additional video and other evidence would be gathered and that the case could be presented to a grand jury.

Nelson also provided investigators with footage from a camera outside her home. That recording reportedly shows the school bus coming into view with its lights flashing several seconds before the pickup passes.

Texas law requires motorists approaching in either direction to stop for a school bus loading or unloading students, when its required visual signals are activated. Drivers may proceed when the bus moves, its driver signals them to proceed, or the signals stop.

Anahuac Superintendent David Walker told local reporters that the district currently has no cameras on its buses. He presented information to trustees who approved the new bus purchase and additional camera equipment.

The district was reportedly considering systems with approximately five interior cameras and two exterior cameras per bus. Walker is reviewing vendors, costs and potential funding sources, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Supplemental Environmental Projects program.

Written with the assistance of AI.

Related: Wisconsin Teen Injured After Being Struck by Pickup While Boarding School Bus
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Related: Two Students Struck After High School Student Illegally Passes School Bus
Related: Kentucky Motorist Arrested After Illegal Passing School Bus, Hitting Child

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The Draconids occur annually, peaking in October. The meteors appear to be flying out of the head of the Draco the Dragon constellation — which is how they got their name. Chad Jocius, managing director of the Heide Observatory in Kenosha, said stargazers can still make their bedtimes while watching this meteor shower.

The post The Draconid meteor shower, a celestial event that respects bedtimes, will peak Oct. 8 appeared first on WPR.

Epic Systems revealed last month that it used an advanced artificial intelligence tool to find security weaknesses that could have allowed undetectable access to patient health data. Epic maintains health records for more than 325 million patients around the world.

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Oracle is planning to buy power that We Energies is purchasing from Wisconsin’s only active nuclear plant in a deal that the two say will save utility customers $300 million in fuel costs.

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University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of physics Francis Halzen won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for his efforts to demystify a rare group of neutrinos, tiny cosmic particles that researchers believe offer clues to how the universe evolved.

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DeSoto County Schools transportation staff shared how moving from paper timesheets to digital payroll and dispatch cut processing time, improved accuracy and freed up employees for other work.

For one of Mississippi’s largest school transportation operations, modernizing payroll started with a basic problem: Too much time went into chasing paper.

DeSoto County Schools operates about 500 buses across 476 square miles, managing 1,344 routes each day with 366 drivers and 72 transportation aides. About 20,000 of the district’s approximately 34,000 total students are registered for transportation.

Yet until a few years ago, transportation employees still recorded their time with paper and pencil.

“We’re the largest school district in the state of Mississippi, right? And we had been operating with paper and pencil for the longest,” said Director of Transportation Levi Williams during a Thursday webinar sponsored by Bytecurve. “We’re going to have to come to the 21st century.”

The district eventually implemented Bytecurve by Transit Technologies for payroll, timekeeping and dispatch. Williams said the change “has revolutionized everything that we’ve done with payroll so far.”

From Several Days to One

The district’s payroll specialist, Conerly Burrell, experienced the outdated system firsthand. School bus drivers spread throughout the large district had to physically submit timesheets, leaving Burrell to track down missing paperwork and decipher handwritten entries before payroll could even begin.

“I was having to call them if they forgot or hunt some down to get their paperwork, and then that puts me behind,” she recalled.

Now, Burrell verifies clock-ins and clock-outs digitally and focuses on records that require attention.

“Now it takes me a day, maybe, to do payroll, to get what I need done to send in. It used to take me several days,” she said. “The time has helped so much because I can take care of other duties, also, and it has been a time saver, big time.”

Payroll Meets Daily Operations

Jonathan Agenten, director of sales for Bytecurve, explained that the system uses an exception-based process. Rather than requiring payroll staff to review every entry, it flags records that need closer attention.

“Our system has been designed to again be efficient and only focus on things that require you to dig a little deeper.” Agenten said.

He noted that transportation payroll can become particularly complicated because employees may complete different assignments with different pay rates and rules during the same day, such a regular bus routes compared to field or activity trips. He confirmed that Bytecurve ties timekeeping to the specific work assigned rather than treating every clocked hour the same.“

Bytecurve is a task-based timekeeping system, not a time-based,” he explained. “People are clocking into the work, and the system knows what that means.”

The change extends beyond payroll. Dispatchers can assign substitute drivers digitally, while route and pay information remains attached to the work rather than relying on staff memory.

“It has saved so much time for us,” Williams said. “Remembering the routes, what we pay for that particular route, we don’t have to do that anymore.”

Burrell said task codes also allow the department to account for work outside a regular route, such as midday assignments or extra duties.

“It’s made my life much easier,” she confirmed.

Saving Time & Money

Agenten’s presentation illustrated the potential impact of even small-time savings. A sample calculation based on 100 buses operating 180 school days estimated that saving five minutes per route could equal 1,500 hours annually and about $30,000 at a $20 hourly rate.

DeSoto County’s own experience produced similar efficiencies. Williams estimated the district saves at least $20,000 to $25,000 annually in staff time previously spent collecting, reviewing and processing timesheets.

The efficiencies also allowed the transportation department to reassign one of its two payroll positions rather than eliminate the job.

“We don’t want anyone losing their jobs,” Williams established. “It gave us an opportunity to reallocate that position to somewhere else in our department.”

Drivers Embrace the Change

Getting hundreds of employees to abandon paper didn’t happen overnight. Williams said DeSoto County took a phase approach to implementing the technology, and he acknowledged that he initially approached the transition cautiously.

“We didn’t get 100-percent buy-in from all of our drivers,” he said. “But you know, right now, our drivers don’t want to go back to paper.”

Burrell helped push the department across the finish line. Williams recalled her insisting that if the district went digital, it shouldn’t continue maintaining two systems at once.

Drivers and aides can now clock in and out using bus tablets or the ByteCurve DriveOn mobile app, which also provides messaging and notifications.

“They do love the app,” Burrell said, noting that drivers can check whether they remembered to clock out without returning to their bus.

She added she can also message one driver, selected employees or the entire group through the system.

Watch the webinar on demand.

Written with the assistance of AI and a live session transcript.

The post Mississippi District Streamlines School Bus Payroll, Operations appeared first on School Transportation News.