LoginPlanning the Perfect Rollout: Secrets for Successful Software, Hardware Upgrades
Many school transportation departments throughout the U.S. are currently engaged in software and hardware upgrades—from exploration to implementation—with goals to make the process as smooth as possible while reaping top-level returns on that investment.
Habersham County Schools in Clarkesville, Georgia transports some 4,000 of its approximately 7,000 students throughout the district’s 350 square miles. Stephanie Walker, director of transportation for the district, noted Habersham is in the final stage of a complete bus radio replacement, which entails all new equipment and installation.
“This upgrade was a result of our 911 emergency services upgrading their radio system, and we wanted to remain on the same system as we have always been,” she said. “This project has been a long process, and we are excited to see our radio coverage increase significantly throughout our school district.
“This has always been a safety concern because our existing coverage included portions of our district that had little or no coverage due to terrain and older equipment,” she continued. “We are thankful to be on the same radio network as our emergency services as it relates to safety and monitoring by our emergency management services.”
Walker noted the district is currently considering new software for routing to replace its existing program. “With this replacement, we are considering the addition of student tracking, parent app and live GPS,” she said. “We have evaluated several options and are moving forward with recommendations soon. I believe the additions of student tracking and live GPS will bolster our continuing efforts to maintain high levels of safety for our students.”
Meanwhile, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District in Rosenberg, Texas, which serves approximately 48,000 students, with an average of a little more than 22,000 students transported daily by school bus. Lamar CISD is also the home of the 2026 AASA Superintendent of the Year Roosevelt Nivens.
“Providing safe, reliable transportation at this scale requires a strong operational foundation supported by technology, communication and collaboration,” said Michelle Summers, the assistant director of transportation at the district’s Rosenberg location.
Regarding software and hardware updates, Summers noted the district currently utilizes student monitoring technology that allows students to scan on and off the bus. “This provides parents with visibility into where their student is and adds an additional layer of safety and accountability,” she added.
The district’s school buses also are equipped with tablets, enabling drivers to operate their routes in a hands-free environment, eliminating the need to handle paper route sheets while driving. “Additionally, we have a parent app that allows families to track their child’s bus in real time and view student scan activity,” said Summers. “Together, these tools enhance communication, situational awareness and overall safety for students, drivers and families.” Newport News Public Schools in Virginia recently completed the RFP process to purchase updated routing software.
“We are migrating to a new field trip software as our current software by App Garden is being absorbed by Pathwise,” said Sharon L. Moore, transportation operations manager for the district that transports 19,000 of its district’s 25,500 students via school bus. “There are plans to have our student referral process become digital. We are currently exploring different software to assist us in this goal.”
Addressing challenges and lessons learned, Moore noted it can be challenging during the RFP process to identify software that encompasses all district wish-list items.
“There must be concessions made by both sides to come to the point of making a purchasing decision,” she added. “In the past, we have had to understand that proposals put forth by vendors need to be looked at as a used car sales approach, where everything looks shiny and new. But when we get to implementation, that is where the dings and dents come to light and there is more work than anticipated to get the program up and running for the district.”
That has made district staff aware that they need to ask more in-depth questions during the proposal phase to ensure the product being presented will be adequate to meet its needs, she added.
“If we can weed out the programs that would not be able to do what we need them to do during the RFP process, it saves so much more time and energy during the implementation phase,” said Moore. “We had a situation where we had gotten to the implementation training for a major product and had to back out because it simply would not have worked for our district,” she added. “We found that had we asked more in-depth questions during the process, we could have saved both us and the vendor months of work.”
Walker said one of her biggest challenges is finding the best time to perform equipment replacement and/or installation of new software, including training of all staff and
verification of data transfer.
“We are just now reaching the equipment replacement portion of the new bus radio system and are scheduled as soon as we end our normal school year, for which I am thankful,” she continued. “The timing of the radio equipment will allow for a quicker, seamless installation. However, we were prepared to coordinate the best rotation possible if it were to occur during school days.”
Walker added that any upgrades to the routing software and the new addition of the student verification and parent app will likely occur during the next school year. “Part of our current discussions are planning for this to happen and how we feel is the best approach for the transition if we are able to move forward as we hope,” she noted.
Summers noted the challenges associated with implementation occurred prior to her start with the district. She was informed the process was “very rocky during the first few years.”
“As a district, we worked closely with Tyler Technologies to identify errors within the system and received much needed training. As a result of those efforts, the opening of the 2025–2026 school year was very smooth, showing significant improvement,” she continued,
adding some technology challenges remain, especially related to connectivity and RFID issues. “However, we have strong working relationships with Tyler Technologies and CI Solutions, our student badge provider.
Because of these partnerships, we are typically able to address issues before they become larger problems.” Addressing what a successful implementation looks like, Summers said that it can be challenging, as transportation has many moving parts. “Nothing will ever work perfectly 100 percent of the time,” she pointed out. “However, transportation must operate as close to 100 percent as possible because we have zero room for error when it comes to student safety.”
Summers noted a successful implementation includes strong support from district leadership, clear and consistent communication, healthy and responsive relationships with vendors, and systems that reduce stress rather than add to it.
“When these elements are in place, it creates a smoother, less stressful school year for everyone involved,” she said. Moore agreed a successful implementation should encompass a smooth transition from selection to implementation.
“There needs to be a strong implementation plan with a clear training schedule for all users,” she said. “Each user role and responsibility needs to be clearly defined and the training tailored for each user group needs.” There needs to be a realistic timeline between purchase, training and implementation when it goes live, Moore said.
“There may be a need to run dual programs for a period to ensure that as many bumps in the road with the new software can be handled without operational disruption because we still have the support of the old software,” she added.
Moore advised other districts to involve end-users in as much of the implementation process as possible to help with buy-in and comfort level with the new technology, so that when the software does go live, all users feel comfortable using the program.
To ensure a successful implementation, Moore said she makes all attempts to prepare for any scenario during an upgrade or installation of equipment and software. “I want to see the process as seamless as possible,” she shared. “However, I try to have plans B, C and D already laid out just in case. A successful implementation will come from preparing and planning not only at the school district level but with the vendor you are working with.”
Moore suggested that school districts looking to do upgrades should spend time researching and developing the right questions to ask. “Know what features you are looking for, even if some of them seem too outrageous,” she said. “Not all of the pie-in-the-sky features will be available or possible, but you may be surprised that some will be.
“These features will probably not be the shiny new car look that you see in the showroom but could be the hidden under the hood features that makes the software the right fit for your division,” she continued. Summers concurred that the best possible outcome is derived through research.
“Compare and contrast solutions, and seek direct feedback from your transportation team,” she said. “Ask what is working, what is not and what the software or program needs to accomplish. Every district has unique needs, and it is important to address those needs intentionally.
“It is also critical to take your time and avoid rushing implementation simply because of cost. Rushed implementations often result in greater costs later. Phasing in upgrades allows staff time to adapt and increase longterm success.”
Ensure the transportation team understands the why behind the upgrade and is willing to work with the new system, Summers said, adding buy-in from the people using the technology every day is essential.
“Prepare, prepare, prepare,” Walker noted. “Prepare for every possible situation and timing of installation or upgrades. Think about how that will affect the school day, or if it is during the summer, how will you prepare your staff when they return to new equipment or software?”
Prepare for ample training with staff, including the possibility of needing to do additional training based on the outcome of the initial training period, she added.
Logistics play a big part of planning for implementation, Walker pointed out. “Adding implementation and installation during a school day will take much longer and require some distinct phasing in, whether it be by school location, a specific department such as general education or special needs, and a truly thoughtful plan that walks through the school day [that] will serve you best,” she said. “It is very important to make sure your staff is aware of the changes and understand the plan and their role in such plans.”
Summer concluded that technology should support operations, not complicate.“With thoughtful planning, strong communication and realistic expectations, districts can implement solutions that truly improve safety and efficiency,” she said.
The post Planning the Perfect Rollout: Secrets for Successful Software, Hardware Upgrades appeared first on School Transportation News.
Tony Harris brings more than two decades of firsthand experience to his role as Transportation Director at Monongalia County Schools in Morgantown, West Virginia. He spent 18 years as a school bus driver in Preston County before moving into administration, navigating mountain roads, narrow lanes, and harsh winter conditions before transitioning to overseeing the operation. Today he manages more than130 drivers across over 100 routes, providing daily transportation for roughly 9,500 students across both urban Morgantown and the rural reaches of the county.
With more than 25 years in marketing and 15+ years in logistics, Rachel has helped companies drive significant growth faster than industry norms. At Zonar, she leads marketing and demand generation.
Tim Ammon has spent more than 25 years supporting transportation and fleet operations, working with more than 500 organizations across three countries. His work focuses on identifying opportunities to improve operational performance through process improvements, technology adoption, and personnel practices, consistently helping organizations bridge the gap between desired and actual performance.
Claire Bergman currently serves as the McKinney-Vento Coordinator for the Sun Prairie Area School District, where she is dedicated to removing barriers to education for students experiencing housing instability. With a deep passion for policy reform and systems-level change, she focuses on strengthening districtwide support frameworks to ensure equitable outcomes for vulnerable students and their families. Ms. Bergman holds a Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago.
MeChale’ Johnson is the Director of Pupil Transportation and Fleet Management for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). For the past four years, she has overseen a fleet of 124 school buses and more than 85 passenger vehicles, ensuring the safe and reliable transportation of students to and from school each day. Her operation also provides specialized transportation services for students with unique needs through partnerships with contracted public carrier vendors. Prior to joining ACPS, Ms. Johnson served as the Director of Transportation for Falls Church City Public Schools. She possesses more than 15 years of experience in transportation management, beginning her career at the University of Maryland (UMD), where she supervised transportation services that supported university students commuting to campus from surrounding counties and local communities. She also spent several years in public mass transit leadership with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Ms. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Greg Dutton is a Senior Transportation Analyst at HopSkipDrive with nearly three decades of experience spanning transportation operations and technology leadership. Greg brings a uniquely informed perspective to his role — having first engaged with HopSkipDrive on the client side as Director of Transportation at Renton School District in Washington State, he has a deep understanding of the daily struggles and tough decisions facing school transportation professionals, including issues related to the national school bus driver shortage. In that role, Greg led all aspects of the district’s transportation department — from personnel management and route planning to budget administration, safety, and fleet operations. Prior to that, Greg held the role of Assistant Director of Transportation, overseeing daily operations, accident investigations, and coordination with law enforcement and community stakeholders. He holds an MBA in Telecommunications Management from Alaska Pacific University, a BA in Telecommunications from Texas Tech University, and an AA in Mass Communications from Amarillo College.
