A more than $200 million federal loan could help complete construction on a medical isotope manufacturing facility in Janesville that will eventually support about 150 full-time jobs.
The post $263M federal loan to help bring medical isotope manufacturing to Janesville appeared first on WPR.
Students nationwide are scanning their way on and off school buses at an increasing pace, as school districts realize student identification cards improve transparency for parents on the whereabouts of their children.
But ID cards once used solely for transportation, or more accurately in a silo apart from other school district and community uses, are going the way of the Dodo.
Miles Cole, chief strategy officer for RFID card provider CI Solutions, noted universal ID cards and developing community partners is a “big-league move for metro districts,” which “turns the student ID into a mobility plus access credential, not just a school badge.
“When a student ID works for school and for city services, you remove friction from the two biggest ‘non-classroom’ barriers to learning—getting places and accessing resources,” he continued.
In Columbus, Ohio, high school students can use the district-issued Student Success Card to ride the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) through its Educational Pass Program and also access Columbus Metropolitan Library.
Machelle Kline, the chief student services officer for Columbus City Schools department of student services, noted the district issues each ninth through 12th grade student a free COTA pass each school year, good 24/7 without weekend restrictions. The district pays COTA $13.50 per student per semester.
“Our Student Success Card also allows them to check out books at the Columbus Metropolitan Library and is in pilot mode to scan on our school buses,” Kline said. “The card also allows our youngest learners and those with disabilities to scan onto a computer. It acts as a student ID.”
Kline said the district is conducting an indepth analysis with COTA to see if it can eliminate ninth through 12th grade transportation as it is not required in Ohio.
In the Salt Lake City School District, district employees, students, and a parent or guardian from each student household can receive a free Utah Transit Authority (UTA) pass for unlimited access to buses, TRAX, UTA On Demand and S-Line.
Such passes are a “direct lever on attendance and student engagement,” Cole said. “Transportation access is one of the most practical, immediate levers districts can pull to improve attendance, tutoring participation, internships, after-school programs, and family engagement.”
Cole noted a universal ID improves equity “without making parents jump through hoops. A universal ID that works for lunch, library, login, transit can be a major equity upgrade because it reduces requirements like separate transit applications, separate library card sign-ups, multiple credentials/password resets, and reliance on a parent’s phone, credit card, and time to set things up.”
Related: April 2026
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Ken Martinez, Salt Lake City’s transportation director, explained the school district implemented Zum technologies and student ID cards into the school bus fleet. “We are in the process of getting this one card to be used for tapping on and off the school bus,” he shared. “[The] same function on UTA utilizing their bus, TRAX [electric train] and on-demand services. The same card will be used for accessing the school library and student lunches.”
He added that this streamlined approach will help students keep track of their student ID card.
“When it is just their bus pass, they did not seem to care if they got damaged or lost and did not mind waiting to order a replacement,” he continued. “When the same card determines all the activities, including the ones they truly want to use, their level of concern will highly increase.”
Martinez said the goal is to fully implement the ID cards for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.
The post Student ID Cards Present a Host of Transportation, Educational Opportunities appeared first on School Transportation News.
Findlay City Schools (OH) has faced its share of challenges in the past couple of years, from funding cuts to the tune of $6 million, key personnel departures in transportation and the ongoing driver shortage.
Superintendent Andy Hatton knew transportation would be one of the hardest areas to touch—and one of the most visible.
“We had to announce $6 million in cuts,” Dr. Hatton said. “Out of a budget of about $60 million to $65 million.”
Those reductions included roughly $820,000 from transportation alone, which led to significant alterations and hard choices.
“We eliminated high school busing,” he explained. “We went to a two-mile walk radius for all students, which is the state’s minimum requirement.”
For many superintendents, this would have been a crisis to survive. For Hatton, superintendent at the district for just under three years, it became a leadership test: How to protect families, support drivers, and still keep the system functional with fewer resources.
Findlay is a community of about 40,000 people located in the northwest of Columbus, about 40 miles south of Toledo. Its claim to fame is Marathon Petroleum, which traces its origins to the late 1880s, resulting in Findlay being a boomtown. Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: MPC) is still headquartered in Findlay today.
Findlay City Schools has 5,000 students attending two primary schools, three intermediate schools, two middle schools, and the high school. Also on the central office campus is the Career Center which serves 14 school districts across four counties.
As the district was learning of the funding shortfall it was facing, Hatton was also learning that the transportation department had a solution it wasn’t fully using: Routefinder PLUS.
“What we discovered was we were not leveraging this really powerful, amazing tool to help us route our district efficiently,” he said. “We found out that we had not updated our maps in 10 years.”
Hatton and Kelly Cheney, Findlay’s director of communications, are quoted saying in The Courier story how Transfinder’s solutions would play a role in helping the transportation navigate the challenges and get back on course. Cheney noted, before Transfinder, “our transportation department was hand-routing every single student who rode the bus, manually inputting the information for each student and then tweaking it as the year went on … again manually,” according to coverage in the local newspaper, The Courier. “Adjustments were not able to be made quickly for special circumstances, like construction, for example, so buses were delayed.”
Cheney said Transfinder’s technology was playing a key role in not just modernizing its transportation operation but solving critical issues and supporting drivers.
“This program will allow us to immediately message parents of any and all buses as soon as it is needed,” Cheney told The Courier. “Substitute drivers will have turn-by-turn directions to follow as they drive a new route, and student stop information will be updated daily.”
Hatton, in an interview with Transfinder following that meeting, said there were other challenges the transportation department was facing, such as losing key transportation staff.
“In early June, we realized we lost our router,” Hatton said. “She had been routing our district for like a decade.”
The combination of funding cuts, staff turnover, and a driver shortage could have pushed the department into chaos. But Hatton reframed the challenge as an opportunity to update the operation and increase efficiency.
“We had literally stacks of 500 pages of paper all over tables all summer long,” he said. “And then ‘sort of’ using Transfinder.” The district rebuilt its routing process inside Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS routing software, cleaned up rider data, and upgraded GPS so routes were no longer guesswork.
He also reorganized leadership needs in the transportation department. Rather than refilling a high-cost director role, Hatton created a transportation manager position with deep system expertise.
“We decided not to replace our director of transportation position,” he said. “We went with a transportation manager and she’s been amazing.”
For Hatton, this wasn’t just about efficiency—it was about accountability to the community.
“We feel this responsibility to live up to the expectations that the community has with a high level of service,” he said. “One of the things that the Board of Education then put together for us was a set of goals that they would like to see implemented. I’m calling it our Path to Progress as we rebuild our district.”
How did Transfinder play a key role in meeting those goals? Continue reading the rest of the story below.
Hatton doesn’t want just a “bird’s eye view” of transportation but wants to see how things are really working. Last year, he said, “I jumped on a bus on the second to last day of school. It was Miss Tammy’s bus and she was showing me how she used the tablet.”
Hatton said the driver app installed on the tablet combined with the parent app Stopfinder has done wonders for the transportation operation.
“She’s one of those drivers who has incredible relationships with her kids,” Hatton said. “That was the first time I really got to see it and some of the potential that we have behind it.”
Transfinder technology and the support provided became a way to stabilize operations under pressure.
“When we had a really rough start to the year, we had this amazing client success manager who jumped on calls with us at the ready – like daily,” Hatton said. “He showed us little shortcuts and tweaks… and that will solve this issue.”
He said as the district looked route by route, often challenging a driver’s perspective of the best way to drive a route, efficiencies surfaced immediately.
For example, Hatton said, on Day 1 the driver would travel his or her usual route. “And then Day 2 we’d say, let’s run this route exactly the way Transfinder’s mapped it out.” The result?
“It actually saves three minutes here, two minutes there, a minute there,” Hatton said. “And then they (the drivers) start to believe, ‘Wow! This is actually going to be better!’”
Communication also changed for the better. Instead of broad, districtwide alerts, tools now allow precise updates.
“Almost instant communication is expected,” Hatton said. “If we’re not communicating with our families within five to 10 minutes of something happening on that bus… that’s just not acceptable in this day and age.”
Hatton’s approach resonates with other district leaders because it blends realism with vision. He does not promise quick fixes.
“I anticipate efficiencies in our routing,” he said. “I anticipate efficiencies with not having to hire as many drivers because I think we’re going to have fewer bus stops and we’re going to be much more efficient with our routes. … I think we’re going to see savings in the efficiencies of the routing.”
But he also ties technology to human impact.
“The power of what Transfinder can bring allows that driver to focus on the road,” Hatton said. “Take their anxiety and stress down and build those relationships with kids.”
For superintendents and business managers watching state dollars shrink, Hatton’s lesson is clear: leadership is not just about absorbing cuts—it is about using the right tools and people to keep services intact.
“We’re really proud of that,” he said.
In Findlay, funding cuts forced change. Leadership—and smart use of technology—made stability possible.
Hatton’s goal is to restore the service his community received prior to the funding cuts. He is approaching that goal methodically. Certain checkpoints have to be met before making major changes, such as increasing the number of drivers to cover routes.
“We’re just looking forward to maximizing the technology,” he said. Then, referencing the movie The Matrix, he added: “Never send a human to do a machine’s job. But also, never send a machine to do a human’s job. I firmly believe that even though we need to leverage AI and prepare children for their future, the classroom teacher is never going to be replaced and I think should never be replaced. The same with the bus driver. I think that relationship is so important.”
Transfinder technology is at the intersection.
“I think the power of what Transfinder and the resources it can bring to bear allows the driver to focus on the road, take their anxiety and stress down and build those relationships with kids,” Hatton said. “And then in terms of the parents, they feel safer. They can look at their phones and see exactly where the bus is.”
To learn more, visit transfinder.com/solutions, call 800-373-3609 or email solutions@transfinder.com.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The post Leadership Under Pressure appeared first on School Transportation News.
According to our recent survey, 75% of student transportation teams cite driver shortages are the top operational bottleneck. Budget constraints and rising operational costs weren’t far behind.
This white paper outlines 12 practical, proven ways to improve efficiency, control expenses, strengthen compliance, and protect student riders.
Learn how to stretch your transportation budget with strategies that could pay for themselves in a year.
Download the complimentary white paper to access all 12 strategies.
Fill out the form below and then check your email for the white paper download link.
The post (Free White Paper) 12 Ways to Do More Without Blowing Your Fleet’s Budget appeared first on School Transportation News.
Transportation directors are responsible for one of the most complex and important operations in a school district. Every morning, hundreds of vehicles need to be tracked, dozens of alerts need to be reviewed, and any incident that happened the day before needs to be investigated and documented. If your team is doing most of that work manually, you’re not alone. But you may be spending more time managing data than acting on it.
Modern fleet management technology is changing what’s possible for school transportation operations. Especially platforms, like VisionCloud, that combine AI-powered analytics with integrated video and telematics. Here’s a look at three areas where the right tools can give your team meaningful time back, while also raising the safety bar.
When an incident is reported, one of the first things an administrator needs is video. In many operations, that means manually retrieving and searching through separate server and device archives, toggling between different playback modes, and scrolling through hours of footage to find the relevant clip.
Advanced video management systems eliminate that hunt. A unified playback interface combines server-stored and device-stored footage in a single view, with color-coded timelines that immediately show where alarm events, high-definition clips, and standard footage are located. Smart date search calendars and searching by location display video availability at a glance, and screenshot preview navigation lets staff scan footage quickly without downloading full clips. What used to take 30 minutes can now take three.
Most operations generate far more safety data than any director has time to analyze. AI-powered event detection changes that. Rather than waiting for a complaint or a serious incident, systems that automatically detect and upload driver behavior give administrators a real-time picture of risk across the fleet.
Pairing an intelligent video management system with advanced AI hardware helps drivers respond to risks in real time while giving transportation directors the insight needed to improve training and reduce incidents. Solutions like the SafeDrive-AI 2 windshield DVR combine a road-facing ADAS camera with a 1080p driver-facing lens, using AI to detect lane departure, collision risks, fatigue, and distraction while issuing real-time alerts. When integrated with a platform like VisionCloud, these events are automatically uploaded and surfaced for review, providing immediate, actionable visibility without manual effort.
AI safety analysis modules go further by identifying patterns across the fleet: the most frequently triggered alarm types, the highest-risk vehicles, and the drivers who would benefit most from coaching. You’re not just collecting safety data, now you’re acting on it.
Operational reporting is essential, but manually generating reports on driver mileage, vehicle idling, fuel consumption, fleet health, and driver attendance takes time that most transportation offices don’t have to spare.
Platforms with customized scheduled report delivery can push the right data to the right people automatically. Paired with a comprehensive dashboard that surfaces fleet-wide KPIs and rolling trend data at a glance, the result is a department that stays informed without being buried in data pulls.
When a transportation team spends less time on administrative tasks, they spend more time on what matters: making sure students get to school and back home safely. AI-powered fleet management platforms aren’t just productivity tools, they are safety infrastructure.
As fleets grow and staffing pressures continue, the operations best positioned to deliver consistent, safe service will be the ones that have built smarter systems that work as hard as the people running them.
Choosing the right technology can transform how your organization operates. Download Safety Vision’s free VisionCloud platform comparison report for a detailed, feature-by-feature guide built for transportation directors.
The post Using AI to Reclaim Time & Improve Safety appeared first on School Transportation News.
Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), in Missouri, significantly improved their student experience and academic readiness by overhauling its transportation system, focusing on four crucial areas: student achievement, modern technology, driver experience, and stakeholder feedback. This transformation addressed long‑standing reliability issues and introduced technology‑driven, safety‑focused solutions that strengthened daily school operations and supported better student outcomes.
KCPS, which serves more than 15,000 students across a geographically diverse region and a complex service model—including neighborhood schools, magnet schools, overflow schools, and grandfathered ridership guidelines requiring cross-district travel—had faced decades-long challenges with student transportation.
The district struggled with uncovered routes, severe driver shortages, limited data visibility, rising operational costs, and growing frustration from families due to unreliable service and outdated routing systems.
By partnering with a technology-driven transportation provider and implementing a modern, data-enabled approach, KCPS achieved significant improvements in reliability, safety, and communication. Within one year, the district deployed modern technology, addressed major driver shortages, improved on-time performance, and strengthened community trust through greater transparency and consistent service.
KCPS’s transportation system was struggling to meet the needs of students and families. Key issues included:
One year prior to a bid process, the district began collecting data and engaging all stakeholders for feedback to identify priorities and areas of concern related to transportation. Input was gathered from parents, teachers, building administrators, support staff, special education, students-in-transition, student support staff, central office administrators, bus drivers, transportation staff, athletics, community partners, and board members.
By November, the district launched a comprehensive bid process focused on solving its greatest operational gaps:
The goal was simple: Identify and implement a technology-led, data-driven solution with measurable outcomes to create a safe, reliable, modern transportation system that bolsters student achievement.
By March, the district had identified a transportation partner and co-created an implementation strategy with clear timelines and key milestones. This was organized in three phases:
Phase 1: Planning & Data Audit
Phase 2: Technology Rollout
Phase 3: Optimization & Continuous Improvement
Stakeholders Feedback
The modernization directly improved student experience:
Transportation became a lever for access, strengthening students’ ability to fully participate in all program activities and significantly improving the overall student experience while meeting and/or exceeding district goals.
“Zum’s proven track record, along with its enhanced communication and equity-focused decision making, has greatly benefited our students, families, and drivers. In Kansas City, we appreciate their commitment to safety, efficiency, transparency, and student-centered, technology-led, and data-driven approach. It has been a game-changer for KCPS and our community.”
Dr. Jennifer Collier
Superintendent
Kansas City Public Schools
Learn more at www.ridezum.com.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The post Challenging the Status Quo: How Kansas City Public Schools Paved the Way for Modern Student Mobility appeared first on School Transportation News.
CONCORD, N.C. – An STN EXPO East panel of student transporters shared how utilizing Transfinder’s technology suite has made their school bus operations safer and more efficient.
Edgar Franco, assistant transportation director for Modesto City Schools in California, stated that technology has assisted with internal digitization, timeliness and streamlining communication between schools and the transportation department.
Christopher Faust, transportation director for Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District #9 in Illinois, noted that a district does not need to use Transfinder’s entire product suite since the Routefinder Plus routing software alone is powerful and convenient to also rapidly send parents relevant messages, as an example.
Kathleen Guarini, transportation coordinator for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, and Elizabeth Cannata, supervisor of transportation for Haverhill Public Schools in Massachusetts, both agreed that a tech portal also eases the difficulties of driver shortages and substitutions. Guarini advised rolling out a tech stack slowly, so staff does not get overwhelmed and become averse to future integrations.
“In an emergency situation, you need fast access to the data at your fingertips, and that’s what having an all-in-one platform is going to allow you to do,” stated panel facilitator and Transfinder Sales Engineer Shea Marstaller.
Cannata utilizes student RFID cards, which she said have been able to prevent lost-child debacles involving police and helicopters.
To help parents adopt the Stopfinder parent app, Franco advised “building a community, getting it out there and showing them [its] value.”
Guarini said Stopfinder has “been hugely impactful” especially during the first few weeks of school startup. She noted her eight dispatchers were spared having to field calls from parents of the 60,000-strong student population.
She also shared how the driver app Wayfinder provides directions via tablets which is much safer than drivers “searching for a piece of paper or dropping it, tucking it under [their] thigh while [they’re] trying to make the turns, so [they] can use two hands on the wheel.”
Cannata noted a key performance indicator of the software is that it can show gaps in driver schedules, so one who is free can pick up a student who missed the bus and get them to school.
Guarini said that Transfinder’s team was able to find additional efficiencies when her district went from a three-tiered bell system to a five-tiered bell system. Additionally, she said she uses Formfinder for a special needs application that has saved her staff the workload of transferring 400 columns of data nightly for 3,000 students.
Franco stressed the importance of bringing in clean data to avoid messy problems down the road.
Cannata added that the technology assists with special needs routes.
“We have to separate who requires specialized transportation and what that specialized transportation is — be it a wheelchair, a 1-to-1 monitor, and anything like that,” she explained. “We have to have that inside of our end of year report and I’m able to simply filter, edit and I can get it within minutes. Pull my end of year report. It’s saved me from hours of going through each route individually to check.”
Rick Walterscheid, who spent 25 years as a transportation director and is now a sales executive with Transfinder, said using ServiceFinder in his district operations gave him actionable data for bus repairs and replacement cycles.
“What this enabled me to do was to put evidence into what I already knew because I kept the records,” he stated.
Related: Technology Webinar Takes Detailed Dive into School Bus Efficiency
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Since school bus drivers on the roads everyday may have suggestions on route improvements, Franco said he layers planned routes and bus GPS data to compare them and determine if there is a way to optimize that route. Digitization has helped simplify things when drivers bring in notes on how their routes could be better, Guarini concurred.
With older drivers who may be hesitant to adopt new tech, Cannata advised providing copious training and having tech-savvy drivers assist if possible.
Franco agreed that identifying and empowering tech-forward leaders among drivers and technicians is crucial. He also confirmed that Transfinder’s tablet system is easy and intuitive for those less tech-friendly drivers.
While Transfinder offers multiple products, Faust advised student transporters to “take what works for you.”
“I love all of the features that Transfinder offers, but I feel like you need to identify which are the most important, which are the immediate needs for your division and start chipping away as you can manage,” agreed Guarini.
Faust said he looks forward to AI integrations which can save time by answering conversationally spoken questions rather than requiring staff to manually seek out information.
Franco praised Servicefinder’s assistance in keeping track of white fleet vehicles that need repairs and getting that information to technicians in a timely manner.
“We’re all being asked to do more with less, right?” Marstaller commented.
“Being in a small district, we have to be as efficient as possible,” Faust agreed.
“Everybody’s afraid to change from what you know,” Guarini said. “The benefit of doing that, though, gives you a fresh mindset.”
Cannata and Franco praised the clear and streamlined customer service Transfinder provides.
“Instantly, like within like an hour – not even, sometimes – it’s instantly quick, but we have an answer. We got it fixed,” Cannata declared.
“We all feel supported by Transfinder with anything we need help with,” Guarini confirmed.
Faust noted that having one vendor for the whole tech stack makes troubleshooting much easier.
All four panelists said they used the Transfinder Community feature through which their peers and fellow users help them better utilize the technology.
The post How Technology Powers Daily Student Transportation Operations appeared first on School Transportation News.
AI technology is developing so fast, experts say advances are becoming hard to measure. Recognizing this, the Universities of Wisconsin has launched a free series of videos for people who need a starting point.
The post AI is growing. Universities of Wisconsin wants to help you understand it. appeared first on WPR.
A webinar sponsored by Zonar saw Katrina Falk, director of transportation routing and training compliance at Madison Consolidated Schools in Indiana, share tools and tips that help her maximize student safety and school bus routing efficiency.
Falk, also a certified pupil transportation specialist through the National Association for Pupil Transportation and frequent speaker at events organized by School Transportation News, Transfinder and Zonar, said Thursday technology provides accountability and efficiency opportunities for managers dealing with ever-rising fuel costs, which have increased to over $5 per gallon for diesel in her area.
When it comes to evaluating planned versus actual routes, she said she uses Zonar maps and reports to carry out route reviews or high-level audits in mid-August and during spring break.
“We do a quick shakedown to make sure everything is going to work properly when school is in session again,” she commented.
She explained that she works with route sheets turned in by drivers, updated student housing or eligibility information, and special education or related accommodations. Her audit keeps safety as the bottom line by confirming safe and appropriate bus stop locations, verifying that students end up where they need to be, and ensuring drivers comply with state and local laws.
She shared the benefits of updated, accurate route sheets, including reduced operational costs, fuel savings, route consolidations or reduction, accurate information on parent apps and therefore happier parents, and improved driver adherence.
Quality data received means quality decisions made, not “garbage in, garbage out,” Falk quipped. She explained that decisions the transportation department makes rely heavily on information flowed in by parents and schools, such as enrollment information and authorized bus stop locations.
She noted that small data entry errors can create large operational and money-wasting problems, such as a bus repeatedly going miles out of the way on a country road to pick up a student who is not there because they moved. Accurate, timely updates about new enrollments, withdrawals, or schedule changes are essential, she said.
Related: From First Day to Fine-Tuning: Webinar Gives School Bus Routing Tips
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Falk reviewed two scenarios of school bus drivers deciding to deviate from planned routes for seemingly innocuous reasons that created major safety concerns. In one case, a time-saving change canceled planned right-hand curbside stops which forced students to cross an unsafe curved road with a history of speeding and stop-arm violations.
The other scenario was a driver adding an unauthorized shortcut, which backed the bus down obstructed roads and an uncontrolled intersection. A bigger issue was the driver habitually running late on her morning run and attempting to make up time by making these on-the-spot decisions.
“This is an accident waiting to happen,” Falk pointed out.
A third situation involved incorrect geocoded locations keeping students from showing up on the routing software, preventing almost 1,000 students from being routed correctly. Suitably utilizing technology and manually reviewing it to catch glitches prevents issues from snowballing, Falk stated.
Bryant Maxey, product marketing manager for Zonar, reviewed triggers such as opened doors or stop-arm deployments that capture data points managers can later review, comparing where the bus really went to where it was supposed to go.
Alerts can also be captured for illegal passing incidents, but Falk added that proving stop-arm violations requires data showing bus performed the stop procedures correctly.
Falk advised transportation supervisors to regularly check their incoming data and request updated information or suggestions from drivers.
“Your local knowledge cannot be replaced with technology,” she declared.
Leave the office, take the wheel of a bus, or watch your routes in real-time, she encouraged.
“Make deliberate, decisive changes backed by data and your local knowledge,” Falk said. “All of these pieces have to be there for the puzzle to work.”
Concluded Maxey: “At the end of the day, we’re all trying to be the most efficient and optimized we can be.”
The post “An Accident Waiting to Happen”: Transportation Director Gives Routing Advice appeared first on School Transportation News.
Port Washington officials are limiting construction hours at the massive data center campus being built in the city following complaints from residents who live near the site.
The post Port Washington limits construction hours for data center project after complaints appeared first on WPR.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., -Zūm, a leader in student mobility, today announced unaudited 2025 financial highlights, reflecting sustained growth at scale as the company expands in the $50 billion student mobility market, the largest segment of the mass mobility industry, and one of the last segments still underserved by AI and cloud technology. While the industry has historically been defined by fragmented, analog transportation services, Zum is pioneering a mobility experience that is replacing traditional approaches to operating yellow buses with a modern, fully integrated mass mobility ecosystem.
2025 Financial Highlights:
Revenue of $333 million, up 35% year-over-year.
Four-year revenue CAGR of greater than 40%.
Over $2 billion in Total Contract Value (TCV).
Adjusted EBITDA1 breakeven and steadily improving contribution margin.
“Every weekday, 26 million American students ride the school bus — three times more passengers than U.S. airlines carry — making it the largest mass transportation system in the country and one of the last to undergo technological transformation,” said Ritu Narayan, Zum Founder and CEO. “For too long, families have faced morning anxiety, wondering if the bus will arrive, if it is safe, and when their kids will get home. We are redefining mobility by moving far beyond legacy models to create a connected, intelligent system for the communities we serve. In student transportation, that means replacing legacy infrastructure with a dynamic, technology-enabled platform — transforming what was once a standalone service into a responsive ecosystem that anticipates and adapts to the needs of districts and families.”
Durable Business Model Driving Scalable Growth
Across the United States, forward-thinking school districts have moved away from the status quo and adopted Zum as their transportation provider. In these districts, Zum has transformed their transportation systems into state-of-the-art operations characterized by enhanced visibility, improved safety standards, real-time data that provides full transparency, and measurable performance outcomes.
Today Zum serves more than 4,000 schools across 15 states, including major districts such as Branford (CT), Kansas City (MO), Los Angeles (CA), Oakland (CA), Omaha (NE), Roanoke City (VA), San Francisco (CA), and Seattle (WA). Zum’s business model is built on structural advantages to drive predictable, profitable growth:
Long-term contracted revenue: 5-10 year agreements with school districts, delivering predictable cash flow, with an established track record of improving profitability.
Exceptional retention: Strong customer loyalty, with growing revenue as existing customers expand their utilization of Zum services.
“Our strong unit economics and long-term contracted revenue demonstrate the scalability of our platform,” said Daniel Berenbaum, Zum’s Chief Financial Officer. “We achieved Adjusted EBITDA breakeven while growing revenue 35% year-over-year, validating our disciplined approach to expansion. Student mobility is one of the last major undigitized sectors, representing a $50 billion segment of the mass mobility industry. While legacy competitors manage physical assets, Zum is deploying a modern, scalable system driven by technology, operational excellence, and safety – using real-time data to connect people, vehicles, and the energy grid, delivering better outcomes for all.”
AI-Powered Technology Driving Reliability and Safety
Zum uses AI and advanced technologies to ensure drivers take the most efficient, logical routes, a significant departure from traditional routing methods that have been used for decades. The system is designed specifically for the unique requirements of student mobility, from complex routing algorithms that account for tiered bell schedules and custom needs, to safety protocols that meet and exceed both bus company and ride-share standards. Zum’s platform also includes mobile apps and web dashboards for students, parents, drivers, dispatchers, and school administrators, enabling enhanced visibility, greater trust, streamlined communication, and incident-tracking capabilities, all powered by real-time data in a single integrated platform.
Modernizing Infrastructure and Powering the Grid
Zum’s electrification strategy represents yet another step in modernization, turning an underutilized asset into an energy resource to power the grid. Zum’s groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology transforms school bus parking yards into virtual power plants, storing and distributing energy to support grid resilience. Zum made history in the 2024–25 school year by deploying the nation’s first fully electric school bus fleet in the Oakland Unified School District in California, and recently announced plans to launch a fully electric fleet with V2G capabilities for Branford Public Schools in Connecticut beginning in the 2026–27 school year.
Delivering Measurable Impact at Scale
Zum’s impact is measurable and significant:
Reliability: On average, 98% on-time performance.
Cost Savings: San Francisco Unified has cut annual transportation costs by up to 10% using Zum’s technology-driven platform to optimize routes, fleet utilization, and daily operations. That budget flexibility can enable districts to reinvest directly in classroom priorities such as instructional resources, staffing, and student support, strengthening both academic outcomes and long-term sustainability.
Transformational Customer Impact: With Zum, school districts use up to 25% fewer assets by utilizing a multi-size vehicle fleet, spend up to 20% less time through optimized routes, and report 30% higher asset utilization throughout each day.
Efficiency: Through intelligent routing, Oakland Unified has cut one‑hour or longer commutes from 70% to under 10%, and San Francisco Unified has reduced average bus stop time from 3 minutes to just 8 seconds.
Student Experience: Parents have rated Zum with a 4.9 out of 5-star rating in student experience across 1.5 million reviews.
Attendance: After partnering with Zum, Kansas City Public Schools saw an 89% increase in ridership driven by improved reliability and reduced transportation-related absences in secondary schools from 25% to 5.6% during the 2024–25 school year.
Growth: Safely completed 68.5 million student rides in 2025, up 120% over 2024.
About Zum:
Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with a fully integrated platform that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum is designed to deliver a predictable, safe, and seamless experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,000 schools across 15 states rely on Zum’s advanced platform, with customers now deploying its groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology to modernize vehicles and strengthen grid resilience. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, and SoftBank. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.
The post Zum Achieves Record Revenue in 2025, Scaling Rapidly in the Largest Mass Mobility Market appeared first on School Transportation News.
NEW YORK — BusRight, the leading all-in-one student transportation technology platform, today announced it has raised more than $30 million in the company’s latest funding round led by Volition Capital.
Founded by CEO Keith Corso and Chief Product Officer (CPO) Phillip Dunn, former CIO of the sixth-largest school district in the country, BusRight ensures every student can safely and reliably access their education. The company’s technology solves transportation leaders’ most critical challenges: a crippling school bus driver shortage, overwhelming parent demands, and increasing route complexity. The platform brings driver navigation, routing, student ridership visibility, parent communication, and live GPS tracking into one unified platform. As a result, transportation leaders can build routes in 60 seconds, track buses in real-time, and communicate with parents in a single click.
The $900 billion K-12 education system is enabled by 13,000 transportation leaders who transport more than 20 million students to and from school every day. Many school bus fleets start each morning short 15-30% of drivers, forcing last-minute route cancellations, triggering a flood of parent phone calls, missed pickups, and even more pressure on an already stretched driver workforce. In an industry underserved by technology, most bus drivers are still handed paper route sheets, transportation leaders spend their days behind the wheel instead of leading, and office teams work 12 plus hour days to keep buses moving.
BusRight is uniquely positioned to address these challenges and usher our nation’s largest mass transit system into the modern era. Now nearly 1 million parents, drivers, dispatchers, business managers, and superintendents across 36 states rely on BusRight to help rebuild trust in one of the most foundational sectors of our society: public education.
“BusRight has saved us $989,000 in the first year,” said Gregory Mott, superintendent of schools for the Poughkeepsie City School District. “I can’t think of another tool in the district that has had such a profound impact on student safety, while also strengthening the financial position of the school.”
“Student transportation teams have been underrecognized and underinvested for far too long,” said Keith Corso, co-founder & CEO of BusRight. “We’re proud to partner with Volition Capital, a team that shares the belief that transportation directors, routers, dispatchers, and drivers are the backbone of public education, and they deserve the recognition, investment, and support to match the significance of the work they do every single day.”
Funding from the latest round will enable BusRight to continue to invest in its state-of-the-art platform, launching new products and services to meet the unique needs of the nation’s student transportation operators. Platform enhancements include the first 24/7 AI-powered student transportation agent, precision hyper-local mapping intelligence, and NFC-based child safety features.
“My experience in school systems showed me how rapidly education was changing and how urgently it needed better tools,” said Phillip Dunn, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer. “BusRight exists to unlock public infrastructure with the same ease and impact we expect from modern consumer technology.”
In connection with this financing, Tomy Han, partner at Volition Capital, will join BusRight’s Board of Directors.
“BusRight is building a category-defining platform in a market that is both massive and mission-critical,” said Tomy Han, partner at Volition Capital. “The team has demonstrated exceptional execution, strong customer adoption, and a product that is deeply embedded in daily transportation operations. We’re excited to partner with BusRight as they scale a durable, market-leading business.”
BusRight’s momentum comes amid rapid change in student transportation, driven by evolving regulations, new funding for technology adoption, and increasing demand for K-12 safety, real-time visibility, and operational excellence.
About BusRight
BusRight, the leading all-in-one student transportation technology platform, solves the most mission-critical challenges in K–12 education: transporting students to and from school safely, reliably, and efficiently. Headquartered in New York, NY, BusRight partners with communities across the US to bring innovative solutions to the nation’s public education system. Learn more at https://busright.com.
About Volition Capital
Volition Capital is a Boston-based growth equity firm that principally invests in high-growth, founder-owned companies across the software, Internet, and consumer sectors. Founded in 2010, Volition has over $1.7 billion in assets under management and has invested in and/or provided sub-advisory advice to more than 60 companies in the United States and Canada. The firm selectively partners with founders to help them achieve their fullest aspirations for their businesses. For more information, visit http://www.volitioncapital.com.
The post BusRight Raises $30M to Power the Largest Mass Transit System appeared first on School Transportation News.
School transportation departments navigate constrained budgets, staffing challenges and rapidly evolving technology that rely on procurement tools: Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Bids (RFB) and pilot programs.
Using those tools properly yields optimal results. RFIs help districts—particularly large ones—understand market capabilities before committing to specifications.
RFPs allow districts to evaluate solutions based on expertise, implementation plans and long-term value utilizing a scale or scoring system for multiple companies offering similar products or services. Factors include sustainability, customer support and training. RFBs are critical for standardized purchases, ensuring transparency, fairness and fiscal accountability through objective competition. Bid specs yielding the most results consider the operational needs and what problem needs resolution.
Industry consultant Alexandra Robinson noted an RFI is a fact-finding process to ask questions, research the product and conduct demonstrations. These findings result in writing the RFP or RFB. The proof is in the real-world pilot test of the solution.
A School Transportation News reader survey last year indicated 32 percent of transportation directors and supervisors engage in pilot programs. Thirty-five percent said they submit an RFI prior to submitting an RFP. Software provider Transfinder noted it participated in 217 percent more RFPs in 2025 than in 2024.
Ashley Jones, assistant director of special projects for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) transportation department in North Carolina, noted challenges faced in preparing for an RFP process include the hurdle of balancing the wish list of operations and maintenance with budget restraints.
“We also struggle with ensuring what we buy today won’t be obsolete in two to three years,” she added. CMS released an RFP in December for transportation telematics service and hardware, to improve upon GPS tracking, driver behavior metrics and on-time arrival rates. The district formed an RFP team including transportation operations, IT team members and finance. “This prevents us from buying a software solution we can’t support or maintain,” Jones said.
CMS utilizes a weighted scoring rubric that considers pricing, experience, specific vendor offerings, and references. It holds a pre-bid meeting internally but not publicly for potential companies placing a bid, Jones noted.
“This is included in the bid and part of our scope of work,” she added. “Vendors can ask additional questions during the process if needed.”
The decision to bid is based on several review meetings involving the CMS internal transportation team to determine basic needs and potential operational gaps.
“Before drafting the scope of work, the team collaborated to categorize requirements into fundamental needs versus additional capabilities,” said Jones. “Key drivers identified for this included the benefit of an accurate telematics platform including the essential need for accurate reports for bus arrivals, the desire to improve transparency between parents and school transportation, and the requirement for advanced diagnostic tools to streamline workflow for the maintenance team.”
When developing specifications, it is crucial to ensure a district is requesting technology that is current and open to competition, Jones noted.
“Specifications must be developed from market research, pilot program opportunities and the internal transportation team,” she added.
A standardized amount of bonding and insurance is required of all vendors. Onsite maintenance is handled through an internal team for oversite. The bid winner produces a maintenance and return merchandise authorization plan.
Jones noted each vendor has different parameters regarding their product warranties. This information is included in the grading rubric and considered during bid awards. To ensure system effectiveness, the RFP includes a mandatory continuation plan.
“We require the selected vendor to assign a dedicated, full-time employee to oversee the entire initial rollout,” Jones said. “The dedicated support must continue for an additional six months to facilitate continuous training for staff and immediately address software or hardware issues that may occur in the rollout period.”
Daniel Kang, Los Angeles Unified School District transportation director, noted a source selection committee was established in the district’s most recent RFP for upgraded GPS, tablets and camera systems.
The committee of subject matter experts from dispatch, technology, fleet, and the deputy director interviewed those who already utilize the top three scoring systems.
“Having direct conversations with fellow school districts allowed for honest feedback,” noted Kang. Key questions addressed the system’s highlights, outstanding concerns, whether the district would purchase the product again, and lessons learned.
When Austin (Texas) ISD put out an RFP in 2017 for stop-arm camera technology, it included a request for a six-month pilot program “to see how they would perform—the technology, reporting system, our interaction with our police department,” said Kris Hafezizadeh, Austin ISD executive director of transportation and vehicle services.
Austin ISD used the previous solution until last April, at which point district officials released another RFP to review other existing technologies, vendors and opportunities, using similar specs from the first RFP.
Hafezizadeh assembled a panel including transportation, law enforcement and legal representation to observe a presentation by top vendors, awarding the contract after school board approval to BusPatrol effective last May 1.
Hafezizadeh noted the district’s procurement office handles much of the RFP details: Writing the correct specs, considering the technology involved, and others involved in the process.
The district’s panel viewed proposals using Bonfire procurement technology, a cloud-based platform offering online solicitation, submission contract evaluation and management, and vendor performance. Hafezizadeh said RFP priorities were customer service, quality and responsiveness followed by financial and technical aspects.
“If you’re dealing with a district [of] our size, we are not awarding something to a company that may not know anything about [the issue] and are still trying to get the experience,” he said.
The contract stipulates Austin ISD gets 65 percent of each $300 citation, and BusPatrol gets 35 percent. “With the stop-arm cameras, we want the highest revenue shared with us, and the best technology and process as possible,” Hafezizadeh said.
Equipment, installation implementation and maintenance is no cost to the district, said Hafezizadeh, adding funds from the citations are used to pay police officers for time they invest in approving or disqualifying violations as well as the appeal judge the district hires to hear monthly appeals.
Hafezizadeh noted support requires attending community and PTA meetings and discussions with local and state legislators. The Austin ISD web page outlines the stop-arm law and consequences when motorists are cited.
In creating specs, Hafezizadeh said he wants a turnkey operation, including maintenance. Also, key are the implementation timeline and training bus drivers on the technology.
The RFP also addresses district and vendor responsibilities regarding financial matters, bonding and insurance. The process includes what kind of insurance the company needs to have to be qualified to send its proposal. When a video camera is not working properly, BusPatrol is tasked with sending a maintenance team to check on its status and make repairs. Hafezizadeh serves as project manager. A district police chief serves as a direct contact for violations, hearings or legal issues.
In its contract, BusPatrol indicated what it will take care of in the case of a collision, such as if a camera is hit and damaged.
“They replace it,” Hefezizadeh said. “The equipment belongs to them.”
As part of a continuation plan, he meets with BusPatrol bi-weekly to review previous months’ reports and discuss topics such as providing more community educational opportunities.
Ohio Pilot Programs Target Improved Reliability, Efficiency
As student transportation professionals across the country grapple a host of challenges, two pilot programs in Ohio seek insights into how to improve access, reliability and cost-effectiveness in pupil transportation.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) said the pilot programs aim to inform future strategies and guide the development of comprehensive solutions to address ongoing absenteeism, high transportation costs, outdated student rosters, noncompliance with individualized education programs (IEP), and reliability and efficiency.
Established under the 135th General Assembly’s House bills 33 and 250, the programs are designed to explore alternative transportation methods and address inefficiencies in the current system. ODE established the pilots for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center (MCESC). They launched the pilots for the 2024-2025 school year. In a program summary, ODEW said both organizations are tasked with identifying students facing transportation difficulties, arranging approved vehicles for eligible students, and ensuring compliance with transportation requirements for students with disabilities as outlined in their IEPs.
ODEW funds the programs by deducting the statewide average cost per student—$1,214.29 for fiscal year 2025—from participating districts’ state transportation payments. Additionally, the educational service centers received federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant funds to support transportation expenditures.
The MCESC pilot program, branded as Ride Smart Ohio, focuses on using alternative vehicles with a capacity of nine passengers or fewer, according to ODEW.
The program not only provides transportation for students but also creates flexible income opportunities for teachers, staff and community members. Ride Smart Ohio utilizes advanced software from Trust-Ed to ensure a secure and user-friendly system, empowering school staff to play an active role in transportation efforts.
In fiscal year 2025, MCESC received over $493,000 in funding for the pilot program. For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the program will receive $250,000 annually to continue its operations.
As of November, Ride Smart Ohio entered service contracts with six districts, including West Carrollton, Mad River, Valley View, Northmont, Oakwood Schools, and Dayton Public Schools. Seven active drivers currently provide daily transportation for 13 students, including seven who attend Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services.
The program has prioritized safety and compliance, completing 100 percent of vehicle inspections and driver physicals before the school year began. Updated driver training modules have been implemented to align with state rules. Looking ahead, Ride Smart Ohio plans to recruit and onboard new drivers, enhance data reporting, schedule refresher training, and review fleet management before winter maintenance.
The ESCCO pilot program, which concluded last June, focused on providing transportation for Columbus City Schools. During its operation, 23 drivers transported 60 to 65 students to three community schools. The program received over $5 million in funding for fiscal year 2025.
ODEW highlighted key findings in September. It found that participating students saw improved attendance, averaging 13 more days in school compared to the previous year. Non-school bus transportation using smaller vehicles proved effective and reliable, but the cost of third-party contractors was significantly higher—more than five times the amount received through state transportation funding.
Additionally, outdated and inaccurate student roster information from schools created delays and extra work. Despite these challenges, families and community school participants expressed high satisfaction with the program state funding model.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
Related: Building a Successful RFP
Related: Student Transportation Veteran Provides Tips for School Bus Technology RFPs
Related: Leading the Modernization of Student Transportation
Related: (Recorded Webinar) Evaluating School Bus Technology RFPs and Suppliers
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For months the city of Port Washington has been allowing round-the-clock construction on a new data center during weekdays. Those living nearby are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lights, noises, traffic, emissions and dust being produced at all hours.
The post Frustration grows over 24-hour data center construction in Port Washington appeared first on WPR.
Tiny shards of plastic called microplastics are all over the environment and even inside human bodies. Researchers have found a type of bioengineered algae that can clean up these pesky particles.
The post Algae is a ‘little vacuum’ for microplastics. Midwest scientists think it could clean up the problem appeared first on WPR.
Does your team know exactly where each school bus goes every day? The gap between planned routes and real-world activity often reveals inefficiencies, detours, unapproved stop changes, and safety risks that quietly add up over time. Before you know it, operational efficiency and reliability aren’t what they were.
In this webinar, Katrina Falk, who oversees Transportation Routing and Training Compliance at Madison Consolidated Schools, shares how her district used their fleet data and routing software to conduct route audits, comparing planned versus actual performance. Through real-world examples, hear how they turned those insights into measurable improvements to optimize operations, reduce risk, and improve routing accuracy without adding to their workload.
Katrina will also share the route audit process she refined as a director and router, using real scenarios that illustrate how actual versus planned insights helped them address challenges nearly every operation faces: ongoing driver shortages, budget constraints, administrative demands to streamline, and the need for greater fleet visibility. You’ll walk away with a practical framework for conducting route audits, as well as insights into how real-world fleet visibility supports accurate routing, reduced risk, and operational accountability.
Learn how fleet data can reveal efficiencies, improve safety, and support more effective decision-making. Bring your questions and share your experiences during an interactive conversation about improving routing processes districtwide.
Brought to you by Zonar
REGISTER BELOW:
Presenters:
Katrina Falk
Transportation Routing and Training Compliance
Madison Consolidated Schools
Katrina has worked within the Pupil Transportation Industry for 25 years, having started as a School Bus Driver at 18-years-old. As a previous Zonar Gold All Star Award Winner, she has a keen interest in Routing, Fleet Management, Fleet Optimization, and Telematics.
She was previously Director of Transportation for Fayette County Schools (IN) and Shelby Eastern Schools (IN) and is now fulfilling a newly-created role at Madison Consolidated Schools (IN) that concentrates solely on Routing and Training Compliance.
She has professional certifications as a Certified Pupil Transportation Specialist, Certified Supervisor of Pupil Transportation, and Transfinder Routefinder Pro and PLUS Certification.
Bryant Maxey
Product Marketing Manager
Zonar
Bryant Maxey has been with the Zonar team for over 9 years and currently serves as the Product Marketing Manager, where he currently leads various go-to-market strategies and product launches at Zonar. Bryant started his career in the customer support department, where he was the Tier III escalation for Zonar’s tablet solutions. He has also performed many onsite and virtual training courses to Zonar’s customer base.
The post (Free Webinar) Route Reality Check: Turning Planned into Actual Efficiencies appeared first on School Transportation News.
At 6:42 a.m., a parent refreshes an app on their phone for the third time in two minutes,
watching a small bus icon inch—or not—across a digital map. In school districts across the
country, that moment has become part of the daily routine.
When they work, they build trust. When they don’t, the breakdown is immediate, public and loud. School bus tracking apps, once marketed as a simple way to reduce anxiety and improve communication, continue as a high-visibility link between transportation departments and families.
Growing Pains
While many schools across the country are quite satisfied, some have had problems.
Osceola School District in Florida launched an app at the start of the school year. By January, the district was forced to notify families that the app was not functioning properly. The school district is still trying to work out its glitches.
Prince George’s County Public Schools, which operates roughly 1,000 bus routes daily in Maryland outside of the nation’s capital, adopted a mobile app to give parents real-time tracking and schedule alerts. Persistent reliability issues and mounting parent complaints
prompted the district to abandon the platform and migrate to a new app instead.
Tech Hiccups Aside, Bus Tracking Apps Experience Growing Use and User Satisfaction
Despite technical hiccups, data-integration challenges and the pressure of public scrutiny, school bus tracking apps have become common implementations in pupil transportation.
The Houston County School District in Perry, Georgia has used CalAmp technology for its school bus fleet since 2019 to much satisfaction. The district has 265 school buses that transport approximately 16,000 students twice a day on 180 bus routes. Houston County
initially partnered with CalAmp to utilize the core technology of GPS fleet tracking, comparative analysis, time and attendance, navigation, and engine diagnostics. After its initial installation, the school district added the Here Comes the Bus parent app.
“The fleet tracking system is a world above our previous product and gives us the ability to know instantly the location of a bus, its speed, its status on the route, as well as a history of the buses’ activity,” explained Tom Walmer, Houston County’s director of transportation.
“The tracking system as well as the dispatch monitor module allows staff to have real-time data available to ensure buses are on their routes which stops have been completed, which stops may have been missed, and enhances our ability to address emergency situations as they arise. The navigation capability makes the job of a bus driver much easier and safer. No more need for inexperienced drivers or substitute drivers to fumble with route sheets or printed directions because it is all on the tablet, giving them directions and stop location notifications. Comparative analysis and engine diagnostics are essential tools for supervisors and staff to monitor performance and eliminate issues that we may not have known about otherwise.”
Houston County Schools is not the only district in Georgia to have had success with CalAmp. Trey Stow, the director of transportation operations for Fulton County Schools serving the Atlanta metropolitan area, said over 89,000 users within the school district also use CalAmp Here Comes the Bus app. Stow says the app “works well and is heavily relied upon.”
The experiences of Houston County and Fulton Country are catching on for many other school districts as usage of bus tracking apps continues to grow.
“We are up to 1.7 million active users,” Adam Ortlieb, senior product marketing manager at CalAmp, said. “Parents expect this capability for improved student safety and more efficient use of their time. School districts are aligned on those priorities. Plus, both transportation staff and parents benefit heavily from efficiency gains.”
Integration is Key
Lam Nguyen-Bull is the chief experience officer at Edulog and leads the company’s advisory services team. Edulog claims it is the original school bus routing software company and has been providing routing and planning software solutions to districts across North America since 1977. Nguyen-Bull said a key attribute to success is integration with other software and applications such as routing and GPS systems as well as scanning systems that register students boarding the bus.
“The reality is that many parents currently track their kids via their cell phones,” she said. “The key is that a useful student ridership application has to be completely integrated with the routing system to provide information that is specific to the student’s trips to and from school. The app needs to let parents know when the bus is planned to arrive at the stop and then give the parents a heads up when the bus is nearby. Then, as the student boards the bus, the ridership piece kicks in. The student scans on with an RFID card, maybe a bar code, or the driver “boards” the student on a mobile data terminal (tablet) application. Parents are notified in the app that the student has boarded the bus. Similarly, the parents are notified when the student exits the bus. This might happen a couple of times each morning if the student transfers buses during their trip to school.”
Once implemented and adopted, it’s important for schools to monitor the utility of new apps and features, as well as their effectiveness.
Houston County School District pays attention to the data metrics readily available as subscribers to the CalAmp applications.
“We currently have approximately 15,536 stakeholders utilizing the HCTB app notifications,” said Walmer. “That number is an indication of the success of the roll out. When my staff takes parent calls about bus stop locations and times, it is our practice to ask if the parent utilizes the app. The majority of the time, the answer is yes and includes positive comments. If they do not use the app, it is our practice to bring it to their attention and encourage them to download the app. A testament to the popularity of the app is away from work while in the community. Whether at church, the grocery store or such, when a person finds out that we work at the school district transportation department, people give unsolicited feedback about how much they love the app.”
Stow with Fulton County Schools said app usage indicates when there might be an issue like a school bus driver forgetting to log into a route.
“The phone calls tend to increase in measure and expose an issue,” he said. “CalAmp provides excellent customer service with their team and always resolves any issues quickly which helps us provide the best service possible.”
App Features ‘Wish List’ Continues to Grow
While bus tracking apps are progressing along a curve of early integration, there are many features that users and app producers wish to see.
“We are currently in the process of implementing an existing feature of the Cal-Amp technology and Here Comes the Bus: Student ridership scans,” said Walmer. “We piloted the ridership scans in May of 2025 and had new hardware installed on all of our buses over the summer. We did a soft roll out of the scans at the beginning of this school year and will have full implementation later this month. This is another excellent feature that enhances student safety. Transportation department and school staff have the ability to see from their computers what students are on any given bus in real time, or search for an individual student to see what bus a student is on. It also allows us to see where and when a student boarded or exited a bus. This enhances our drivers’ ability to be successful by notifying them when a student scans whether they are an eligible rider or not, and whether they are the assigned bus or not. It will also notify the driver when a student scans to exit the bus at a stop other than their assigned one.”
Transfinder is another producer of apps for pupil transportation. “Based on what Transfinder is hearing from our clients as well as from the industry at large, a common wish list of items include predictive ETA adjustments [and] not just real-time location, but responsive to outside forces such as traffic, localized emergency alerts, notifications specific to route disruptions due to weather, accidents, or school closures with recommended alternatives,” said spokesman Rick D’Errico.
He continued, “If alerts are tailored to just those impacted, the likelihood of parents not silencing their alerts is increased, and language [translation] for multilingual support.”
Edulog’s Nguyen-Bull said gaps are in daily operations. “Try as we might, we have not come up with a card that can’t be lost or misplaced,” she said. “That’s why it is so beneficial to have a Plan B, for example, an interface that allows a bus driver to mark that a student has boarded the vehicle. Districts find out that this becomes an onerous task for drivers if it gets out of hand. That is, if Plan B is invoked too much. Some districts charge families for replacement cards, but that approach has its shortcomings, too.”
Ortlieb of CalAmp added the company is releasing more advanced safety, security and efficiency features. “For example,” he explained, “giving districts the option to prevent bus location details from appearing on a map until the vehicle enters the radius specified by the district. Single sign-on for the parent app is a very well-received new enhancement. It offers simplified, secure parent access, and allows districts to systematically manage passwords and deprovision users who should no longer have access.”
Bus Tracking Apps Are Becoming Standard
As school transportation continues its steady adoption of digital technologies, bus tracking apps are no longer experimental add-ons. They are now core service expectations. The experiences of districts highlighted show both sides of that reality: Early frustrations when systems falter, and measurable gains in efficiency, safety, and parent confidence
when technology is implemented thoughtfully and supported consistently.
The most successful deployments share common traits—tight integration with routing and dispatch systems, strong vendor support, clear communication with families, and ongoing measurement of adoption and performance.
Just as important, districts are learning that technology alone is not enough. Daily operational discipline, driver training, and contingency planning remain critical to success.
As features evolve from basic location tracking to predictive ETAs, ridership verification, and targeted alerts, the value proposition will only grow. For transportation leaders,
the takeaway is clear: Bus tracking apps, when executed well, reduce uncertainty, strengthen trust, and transform how districts connect with the families they serve turning a once anxious morning ritual into a more predictable, transparent start to the school day.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
Related: School Bus Tracking Apps Ease Pain Points for Everyone
Related: Georgia School District Implements Student Tracking App
Related: School Bus Adaptive Technology: Safer Rides, Stronger Teams, Better Access
Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?
The post Where Is the Bus? appeared first on School Transportation News.
School bus transportation plays a crucial role in getting children to and from school safely every day. However, ensuring the safety and efficiency of this process requires more than just well-maintained buses and reliable routes.
Effective and streamlined communication between bus drivers, parents, school administrators, and transportation departments is essential for keeping a secure and efficient transportation system.
Here’s why communication is so critical and how it can be improved for the benefit of students, parents, and school communities.
Ensuring Safety
The safety of children is the top priority in school bus transportation. From the moment a child boards the bus until they safely arrive at school or home, clear communication is needed to address any potential issues that arise during the ride.
Real-Time Updates: Bus routes are sometimes subject to delays due to traffic, weather conditions, or mechanical issues. A streamlined communication system allows parents, school administrators, and transportation departments to be informed in real-time about delays or changes. By using communication tools such as two-way radios, apps, GPS systems, and automated messages, parents can track their child’s bus and adjust their schedule accordingly.
Emergency Communication: In case of accidents or emergencies, clear communication channels ensure that the right people are alerted quickly. Bus drivers can contact the school or emergency services, and parents can be notified at once to ensure a timely response.
Incident Reporting: A streamlined system enables prompt reporting of issues such as bullying, inappropriate behavior, or unsafe driving. When parents and school staff can easily communicate with the transportation team, it leads to faster resolutions and keeps the environment on the bus safe for everyone.
Improving Efficiency
School bus systems are large and complex, serving hundreds or even thousands of students each day. For this operation to run smoothly, it’s crucial to coordinate effectively between different parties.
Route Optimization: Communication allows transportation departments to adjust bus routes in real time based on factors like student attendance, road conditions, or changes in traffic patterns. This helps to prevent delays and ensures that buses are running on schedule.
Driver Support and Training: Streamlined communication ensures that bus drivers are well-informed about route changes, student needs, and any unique requirements for children (such as allergies or medical conditions). It also helps ensure that drivers receive continuous training updates and support from their supervisors, which improves overall service quality.
Preventing Overcrowding: With clear communication between transportation departments and schools, it’s easier to monitor bus capacity and adjust schedules accordingly. Overcrowded buses are a safety hazard, and by tracking attendance and bus usage, schools can prevent this issue and improve student comfort and safety.
Leveraging Technology for Better Communication
In today’s digital age, technology can play a huge role in improving communication in school bus transportation.
Automated Messaging Systems: Automated calls or text messages to parents can alert them of route changes, delays, or incidents involving their child’s bus. This minimizes confusion and ensures that parents are always in the loop.
Transportation Two-Way Radios Over Cellular, GPS and Tracking: With the ease of use of Push-to-Talk Over Cellular Radios (PoC), schools can check the progress of buses throughout the day, providing real-time data on location and estimated arrival times. This reduces the likelihood of missed pickups or drop-offs and improves overall time management for bus routes. School-Radio can do just that for school communication from transportation to administration.
Aaron Mannan Director of Project Management B&G Transportation, Inc. M&M Tours, Inc. says of their integration of the School-Radio PoC system: “Coming from a background in 9-1-1 communications to School Transportation, there are many differences, but the needs are very much just as important. We were frustrated with outdated aging radio equipment, and even worse, couldn’t find anyone to work on our system to keep us running. But then we were introduced to School Radio. Clarity is what they are all about. Our dispatch can handle communications from anywhere on the planet, our drivers are kept aware of safety sensitive information, and we know where our fleet is at all times”
Streamlined communication in school bus transportation is essential for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and overall success of the system. By using technology, improving parent-school relations, and enhancing real-time communication, school districts can create a safer and more efficient transportation environment for all students. The benefits of a well-coordinated transportation system extend beyond simply getting students from point A to point B—it helps build trust, ensures safety, and fosters a more connected school community.
By prioritizing communication at every step of the process, we can help keep our children safe and our school systems running smoothly. For more information on how School-Radio can optimize your communication, visit www.school-radio.com.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The post The Importance of Streamlined Communication in School Bus Transportation for Safety and Efficiency appeared first on School Transportation News.
When school districts talk about closing buildings, redistricting and changing routes, transportation is often expected to “just make it work.” For Clara Bisaillon, transportation supervisor at Scotia Glenville CSD in upstate New York, that was no longer acceptable without better tools in place.
“There’s a difference between want and need,” Clara said. “And getting everybody else to understand that… those tablets, the Wayfinder tablets, are really a need.”
Her urgency came from what she sees coming next year: school closures, major route changes, and drivers being sent into unfamiliar territory.
“If I don’t get them up and running and make sure that we have our system set, we’re in the water next year when we make those changes of closing an elementary school and throwing my drivers into areas they’ve not been,” she said. “They don’t know those kiddos yet, they don’t know those areas.”
For Clara, this isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about protecting her people. “The one thing I want to do is give my staff tools to make sure that those challenges are minimized as much as possible,” she said.
She knows how close many drivers already are to the breaking point. “We ask a lot of our drivers,” Clara explained. “We’re adding extra routes to cover for their co-workers… and just people who are frustrated with student behavior. Those are the things that really tip the scale for those drivers to say this isn’t worth it anymore.”
That’s why she changed her message to district leadership. This was no longer a “nice to have.”
“It’s the only tool that I can offer my staff to kind of make them… feel like it’s going to be OK,” she said. “We’re going to be in uncertain environments and uncertain times with uncertain kids, but these are the tools that I’m going to provide you.”
The start of a new year always come with some jitters, she said. “We’re going to minimize that with these tablets.”
What finally sealed the decision was data. After testing Wayfinder for two weeks, Clara saw its impact. “The stats that get provided, the ridership, the times, the updating, the stops, the drivers being able to give me feedback on the routes—what was working, what wasn’t working—that two-week time frame gave me so much fighting power,” she said. “That really sealed the deal.”
For transportation leaders waiting on the sidelines, Clara had a warning: delays may cost more than time. With chip shortages and districts adopting tablets at once, supply is tightening. If people hold on their decision and wait on their decisions, they might find themselves not being able to get up and running, she said.
And the mindset has shifted across the industry. “A lot of us are saying now that it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Clara said. “This has definitely shifted in our mindset.”
Ultimately, her argument came back to value—of the drivers and the operation. “It’s an extra tool not only for your driver for working, but you want them to feel valued,” she said. “It’s going to make my drivers know that they are valued even more.”
For school transportation leaders facing route upheaval, staffing shortages and rising scrutiny, Clara’s message is clear: waiting carries its own risk. “You gotta fight for every little tool that you give,” she said. “You gotta be willing to fight for them.”
To learn more about how Transfinder technology can help your operation navigating challenges, email solutions@transfinder.com, visit transfinder.com/solutions or call 800-373-3609.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The post “It’s Not a Luxury Anymore—It’s a Necessity.” appeared first on School Transportation News.
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