For school transportation leaders, the pressure to deliver safe, reliable service—while managing staffing shortages, parent expectations, and operational complexity—has never been greater.

Van Buren Public Schools in Michigan faced all of these challenges across a geographically diverse district spanning rural roads, subdivisions and commercial areas. What followed was a rapid, full-scale transformation powered by Transfinder solutions.

“We have a very diverse type of area in a very diverse district, with a little over 4,500 students in the study body that we transport,” said Elizabeth Banks, Van Buren Public School’s director of transportation.

From Fragmented Systems to a Unified Platform with ‘Over-the-Top Customer Service’

Before Transfinder, the district relied on outdated tools that slowed operations and limited visibility. Routing changes required external support, and inefficiencies compounded during peak planning periods.

“The functionality was horrible,” Banks said. “It took a long time to get anything done.”

After evaluating nine vendors for the better part of a year, the district chose Transfinder for its comprehensive platform—integrating routing, driver navigation, maintenance, and parent communication into one ecosystem.

“It was all together,” she said. “It wasn’t like we would have to go to this company to get this piece and this company to get that piece.”

There was another reason the Van Buren Public School District chose Transfinder technology: “The ease of use,” she said.

Topping it off was the support team behind the solutions, one that returns calls swiftly. “The customer service aspect was a big draw as well.”

The other vendors the district looked at, she said, “weren’t as responsive. We’ve never had that problem with Transfinder. Matter of fact, your (Transfinder’s) customer service has been over-the-top helpful. We have a call back within a couple of hours. It’s not like we’re waiting days.”

In fact, she raved, “I love your staff. I love everybody at Transfinder that we’ve talked to, all of our trainers that we’ve dealt with. They’re just amazing, amazing people.”

Combine it all, the functionality, the all-in-one approach and customer support to back it, and the choice was clear.

“The determination was easy to make once we had our data,” Banks said.

Today, Van Buren has Transfinder’s award-winning suite of solutions, including Routefinder PLUS, parent app Stopfinder, driver app Wayfinder, fleet maintenance tool Servicefinder, and Viewfinder, which provides staff access to monitor the day-to-day operations of the transportation department.

Improving Safety with Wayfinder and Real-Time Visibility

Driver confidence and student safety improved immediately with Wayfinder, Transfinder’s in-vehicle navigation solution.

Instead of relying on paper route sheets, drivers now benefit from turn-by-turn directions and precise stop guidance.

“I’m grateful that we’re able to utilize the tablet and the turn-by-turn direction,” she said. “It makes it safer for the students. It makes it safer for our staff out on the road. It makes them more confident and comfortable doing a route that they may not know because of the turn-by-turn directions.

This is especially critical in a district with varying terrain and unfamiliar routes for substitute drivers. By guiding drivers exactly where they need to go and where to stop, Wayfinder reduces errors that can compromise student safety.

Strengthening Parent Communication with Stopfinder

A major pain point for the district was the volume of parent calls during peak hours—especially around missed buses, delays, and daily uncertainties.

“With the driver shortage, oftentimes our office staff were short as well because we’re covering routes,” Banks said. During the busiest times the office was fielding calls from parents with a reduced staff while other team members were out on the road.

Stopfinder changed that by opening up two-way messaging.

The rollout of Stopfinder transformed that dynamic. Initially piloted with special needs routes, the app quickly expanded district-wide, reaching approximately 75 percent parent adoption.

“We really pushed it in our messaging and then parents started talking to each other,” Banks explained.

Stopfinder enabled:

• Real-time bus updates and delay notifications
• Two-way communication between parents and transportation staff
• Automated alerts that put information directly in parents’ hands

“It’s saving time because we’re not having to field phone calls,” Banks said.

More importantly, it shifted the relationship with families.

“I think that they feel more in control now because they can set up that alert to tell them if the bus is running earlier, if the bus is running late,” she said. “it’s putting more control in their court.”

Driving Operational Efficiency Across the Department

Everything starts with the Routefinder PLUS platform. The safest and most efficient routes are created in PLUS, which is read by Wayfinder and then communicated out via Stopfinder.

With Routefinder PLUS, staff gained the ability to make real-time map edits and routing adjustments internally—eliminating delays that sometimes took months.

“Being able to do these ourselves, we were never able to do those ourselves in our own system,” Banks said. “We had to reach out to (the vendor) and put in a ticket for them to make an adjustment on the map and a lot of times those addresses were not put in the correct place.”

That’s all changed with PLUS.

“The biggest thing I’ve noticed with this program is that we are able to easily get in there, make the map edit because we know what it looks like and it saves time. It definitely saves time,” she said.

It’s a changing landscape, literally, this is critically important.

“Especially with new builds, new construction, it’s just amazing that we can just get in there and do it,” Banks said. “I don’t have to wait.

The impact was immediate, measurable and personal. Banks recalled talking with her router and remembering routinely putting in 12-hour days during the summer in preparation for the fall opening.

“Usually come August we’re here 12 hours a day trying to get all the kids routed,” she said. “This year, we’re done. We actually get to take Friday off before the holiday weekend. Wow, look at us go!”

Data-Driven Maintenance and Better Decision-Making

Because safety starts in the garage, by using Servicefinder, Banks and her team now track maintenance data and identifies patterns across its fleet.

This visibility supports smarter, data-driven decisions—helping prevent breakdowns and ensuring safer, more reliable vehicles for students.

A True Transformation

In just one year, Van Buren Public Schools moved from fragmented systems to a fully integrated transportation operation—improving safety, communication, and efficiency across the board.

When asked if Transfinder transformed the transportation department, Banks didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, 100 percent, unequivocally.”

And she’s not shy about sharing it with other transportation leaders. Banks said supervisors will often ask, “Is there something better? What do you use? And I always tell them Transfinder, that’s what we use. Don’t judge a book by its cover, she warned.

“I looked into several of these other companies and they may have looked good on the surface but there was nothing behind the pages in the book,” she said. “We turned the pages. It was empty.”

Key Takeaways for Transportation Leaders:

• Safety improves when drivers have real-time guidance and accurate routing tools
• Parent communication reduces operational strain and builds trust
• Integrated platforms eliminate inefficiencies and streamline workflows
• Data visibility supports better decisions across routing and maintenance
• Strong vendor support is critical to long-term success

To learn more about Transfinder’s transformational tools and service, 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 Michigan District Transforms Transportation Safety, Efficiency, and Communication with Transfinder appeared first on School Transportation News.

Zūm’s AI-Powered System Is Addressing Pain Points and Driving Measurable Results for School Districts Nationwide

According to new research conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, 54% of parents report their child has expressed worry or concern about using school transportation. This anxiety – caused by uncertainty, delays, and disruption in getting to and from school – doesn’t end when students arrive; it shows up in the classroom and makes learning harder. It ripples through families and school communities every single day. Based on missed school days and late bus arrivals alone, legacy systems create approximately 55 billion lost instructional minutes per year, or roughly $15 billion in wasted educational spending.

The research identifies a widespread but under-recognized problem, which Zum calls the “Transportation Anxiety Crisis.” This anxiety can show up in the classroom, making it harder for students to learn in the classroom.

Zum is transforming student mobility nationwide — and easing transportation anxiety — through its fully integrated Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) system that connects people, vehicles, and operations in real time, creating reliable, transparent and efficient transportation for families and schools.

“Before Zum, we had no real-time visibility,” says Kim Raney, Executive Director of Transportation, Procurement, & Warehouse – Business Operations for Oakland Unified School District (CA). “Parents would call asking where the bus was, and by the time we got an answer, the child was already home. Now everyone sees the same information and the anxiety just disappears.”

Addressing Transportation Anxiety

Zum CMX is a first-of-its-kind, AI-powered system that is enabling transportation operations to move from disconnection and anxiety to measurable improvements in reliability, transparency, and efficiency for students and districts nationwide.

Adopted in 17 states, Zūm CMX now provides a unified, connected system across more than 4,500 schools, enhancing the overall student experience for each stakeholder — students, parents, school, districts, drivers and operators.

Making a Difference in School Districts Coast-to-Coast

Zūm CMX is being adopted by major districts from coast-to-coast, including Omaha Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and San Francisco Unified.

Unlike traditional systems that rely on disconnected vendors and manual processes, Zūm CMX is an AI-driven system that integrates apps and dashboards, platform capabilities, operations, people, and physical infrastructure. Zūm CMX seamlessly orchestrates routing, dispatch, workforce management, safety systems, and stakeholder communications within a single operating model to deliver delightful mobility experiences to all stakeholders.

Improving the Lives of Students and Families – One District at a Time

Zūm CMX is benefitting students, parents, schools, drivers and operators in measurable ways:

The results in Kansas City Public Schools are stunning:

• One year after being implemented, Zūm CMX has driven an 89% increase in ridership
• Transportation-related absences went from 25% to 5.6%
• Student attendance increased by 2.5% and extracurricular competitive access by 150+%
• Graduation rate hit a decades-high of 88.6%

A Proven Approach to Student Mobility

Zūm CMX is improving access to education while helping districts save money. It is ensuring students arrive at school safely and on time so they are ready to learn — while keeping parents and schools connected at every turn.

Learn more about how Zūm CMX is delivering modern transportation solutions to thousands of schools nationwide at www.ridezum.com.

The post Introducing Zum Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™): Revolutionizing Student Mobility appeared first on School Transportation News.

While some districts are still waiting for the promise of electric buses to catch up to reality, others are already reaping the benefits of cleaner, more cost-effective school transportation right now.

Across the country, more than 1,000 school districts are turning to propane autogas buses and seeing the benefits firsthand: healthier rides for students, happier drivers behind the wheel, and real cost savings that make a difference in the classroom. From public health experts to veteran drivers and transportation directors, those closest to the issue see how propane autogas is transforming student transportation for the better.

Healthier Rides and Cleaner Communities

For districts looking to make an immediate impact on air quality and student health, propane autogas buses are a smart choice. Compared with diesel, propane autogas reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) by up to 96 percent and virtually eliminates particulate matter (PM). These pollutants contribute to asthma, respiratory issues, and other serious health concerns. By cutting emissions in the neighborhoods, school parking lots, and bus stops where children are most exposed, propane autogas can improve air quality.

Bailey Arnold, director of healthy air solutions for the American Lung Association (ALA), shared on a recent School Transportation News (STN) webinar why acting now, with proven technology like propane autogas, matters more than ever.

“Doing something today is really vital in the fight to combat all these climate change impacts that we’re seeing,” Arnold said. “When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters. So, anything we can do to lower emissions is going to benefit our health.”

In addition to reducing NOx and PM, Arnold emphasized that the cumulative effects of carbon output are significant and avoidable. According to NASA, CO₂ emissions can remain in the atmosphere for 300 to 1,000 years. Arnold also pointed to information from Clean Fuels Alliance America that found that every five years of delay in introducing cleaner options requires reducing 13 times the emissions in the future.

That’s why it’s important to start today. Propane autogas reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by more than 24 percent compared with diesel, and renewable propane cuts that even further, reducing emissions by up to 80 percent depending on the feedstock. That means over a 10-year lifespan, a single renewable propane autogas school bus can cut carbon emissions by 1,600 tons compared with diesel.

“There’s a lot of benefit to using technologies like propane — fuels like propane autogas — to reduce those emissions so that we’re lowering its impact and protecting our lung health,” Arnold said.

Driver-Approved Experience

School bus drivers are on the front lines of student transportation. They know what makes a bus safe, reliable, and comfortable for themselves and for their passengers. And they know how propane autogas buses deliver on those benefits every day.

Drivers across the country consistently report that propane autogas buses provide a smoother ride with stronger acceleration than diesel, which is a major improvement in stop-and-go traffic. The buses are also quieter than diesel, so drivers can better hear activity inside the bus for improved safety.

Most importantly, drivers say they can instantly notice the difference in the smell of a propane autogas bus compared with diesel. With propane autogas, there’s no odor, no fumes, and no more headaches from harmful emissions. It’s why veteran drivers like Dawn Tiemann of Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia firmly believe in the benefit of propane autogas buses.

“There’s no smell, no fumes — nothing for the children to smell,” she said. “It’s so quiet, sometimes I have to ask myself, did I even start the bus?”

For transportation directors, that driver satisfaction can translate into stronger staff retention and more consistent operations, especially at a time when many districts are facing staffing shortages.

Savings That Help the Budget Go Further

Students and drivers aren’t the only ones benefiting from propane autogas buses. Transportation directors are seeing the impact where it matters most: in their budgets. Propane autogas school buses provide the lowest total cost of ownership thanks to reduced fuel and maintenance costs. Most districts report up to 50 percent savings on fuel costs alone compared with diesel. Those savings quickly add up and can be reinvested into other important areas like classrooms, driver pay, or fleet expansion.

Amy Rosa, director of school safety and transportation at Wa-Nee Community School Corporation in Indiana, has seen the value firsthand. Her district operates a mixed fleet that includes 25 propane buses.

“I was excited about buying buses for less money and realizing that the overall cost of ownership was going to be significantly lower,” Rosa shared during the STN webinar.

Those savings aren’t just theoretical. They’ve helped Wa-Nee keep extracurricular travel free for students.

“We offer all of our extracurriculars at no cost to students, so they don’t have to pay for travel,” Rosa said. “Every year we save money so that our kids can continue in sports and music programs with no fees there. That’s our goal. To save money for our students and our taxpayers.”

A Proven Solution That’s Working Today

While some school districts are waiting for the next wave of clean technology to arrive — and delaying significant emissions reductions in the process — others are already leading the way with propane autogas. Across the country, school transportation leaders are proving that a smarter, cleaner fleet doesn’t have to be years away. It can start now.

Explore what propane autogas can do for your district at propane.com.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Why Transportation Directors Are Choosing Propane Over Promises appeared first on School Transportation News.

Shelly had three buses down on a Monday morning.

Two were waiting on parts. One had been sitting in the bay for four days. Her one certified technician was working hard, but too much of that work had nothing to do with fixing buses. He was printing work orders. Writing notes by hand. Checking on parts. Tracking people down. Moving paper from one step to the next.

When the transportation director asked what was slowing the shop down, Shelly didn’t have a clean answer. She knew the buses were down. She knew the team was stretched. What she couldn’t see was where the hours were actually going.

Does that story feel familiar? The technician shortage is real. Every fleet leader knows that. Hiring is hard. Keeping good people is hard. Finding enough time in the day is even harder.

Still, hiring is only part of the challenge.

The rest hides in the blind spots. It hides in the paper trail, the missing status updates, the parts questions, and the work that pulls skilled technicians away from the buses that need them most.

That is why the technician shortage is a data problem, not just a hiring problem.

A short-staffed shop can feel even shorter when the day is packed with manual work. Paperwork slows everything down. Missing information slows it down more. By the time a fleet leader realizes where the delay is, the delay has already done its damage.

That’s the real cost of fleet blind spots. They steal time from the people who can least afford to lose it.

The hours are there. Too many shops just can’t see where they go.

Most school transportation leaders don’t need another reminder that technicians are hard to find. They live that reality every day. What they need is a clearer view of the capacity they already have.

A technician in a paper-based shop does not just repair buses. They wait on work orders. They check for parts. They stop for updates. They write down what they did. They hand off paper. Then they do it again.

That time adds up fast.

The problem here is visibility, not effort. When leaders can’t see where time is being spent, they can’t protect it.

That leaves good people working inside a system that makes every day harder than it should be.

Fleet leaders deserve better than that. So do their teams.

Better visibility gives technicians more time to do the work only they can do.

A technician should be working on buses, not chasing paperwork.

A fleet leader should be able to see what’s open, what’s waiting, and what needs attention next. They shouldn’t have to piece the story together from paper forms, hallway conversations, and scattered systems.

That is where RTA Fleet360 helps.

RTA Fleet360 brings work orders, PM scheduling, labor tracking, parts visibility, and reporting into one clear place. It helps school transportation leaders see what is happening in the shop while the work is happening. That means fewer fleet blind spots, faster answers, and a steadier day for the whole team.

When leaders can see where the hours are going, they can start giving those hours back to the shop.

That changes the pace of the work.

Jobs move faster. Delays are easier to spot. Technicians spend less time on admin drag and more time on the work that keeps buses ready.

Explore Fleet360 for K-12 fleets, or book a meeting with an RTA Fleet Expert to see how better shop visibility can help your team get more from the capacity you already have.

Real fleet leaders are already proving what better systems can do.

At Kern High School District in California, better visibility and tighter control led to a result any fleet leader would notice. Fleet Manager Adrian Corral put it simply: “As soon as we took on RTA … we got our shrink down to about $500.”

Before RTA, the district was dealing with a manual process that took too much time and too much effort to manage. With stronger systems in place, the team gained control, cut waste, and made the operation easier to run from top to bottom.

That matters in a school bus shop.

It means fewer things slipping through the cracks. It means better stewardship of public dollars. It means a leader can speak clearly about what is happening and what is improving.

Read the Kern High School District case study here, then book a meeting with an RTA Fleet Expert to see how those gains could translate to your fleet.

Better visibility helps school transportation leaders make stronger decisions.

A fleet leader shouldn’t feel like they have fleet blinders on.

They should be able to see what work is open, what’s behind schedule, and where the pressure is building. When that visibility is clear, it gets easier to set priorities, explain decisions, and back up the team with real numbers.

That kind of clarity changes the job.

Instead of reacting to every new problem, leaders can get ahead of them. Instead of walking into tough conversations with partial answers, they can walk in with proof. Instead of feeling buried by blind spots, they can lead with a steadier hand.

The next step for school bus fleets that want more control –

School bus fleets don’t need bigger blind spots. They need cleaner information, stronger workflows, sharper planning, and a better way to turn daily effort into measurable progress.

RTA Fleet360 helps make that happen. It brings maintenance, PM, labor tracking, parts visibility, and reporting into one clear place. Transportation directors can see more clearly, parts managers can respond faster, and buses can get back on the road safely. With RTA Fleet360, fleet leaders can lead with confidence.

Explore Fleet360 for K-12 fleets. Book a meeting with an RTA Fleet Expert. See how better shop visibility can help your team get more from the capacity you already have.

The post The Technician Shortage Is a Data Problem, Not Just a Hiring Problem appeared first on School Transportation News.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s when Bismarck turned to Transfinder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post How District Turned a Transportation Crisis into a Communication Win appeared first on School Transportation News.

Ian stood patiently at the crowded bus stop when he noticed a nearby woman glaring at him. Is she mad at me? he wondered. A moment of unease settled in, but because he didn’t recognize her, he brushed it off as mistaken identity. Soon after, his normal morning took a frightening turn.

The woman’s aggression escalated to physical assault, leaving Ian shaken. His split upper lip and swollen cheek caught the driver’s attention as he boarded the bus, and she immediately pressed the panic button.

What happened to Ian? How and why did he sustain injuries? The busy driver missed the event as she approached the stop, so the transportation director had many questions. Within minutes, he had answers.

The Solution

ARMOR Software Suite, an advanced, wireless fleet management tool, and an integrated interior/exterior surveillance system enabled the speedy resolution. Two of the suite’s many features played crucial roles: automated event alerts and automated video downloading. These features could be equally effective at streamlining resolutions for your operation. Read on to learn how.

Automated Event Alerts

Seconds after Ian’s driver pressed the panic button, ARMOR auto-generated an alert and sent it to the transportation director’s cellphone. This alert compelled the director to check ARMOR Live’s high-definition views to assess the situation. The views revealed a distressed, injured Ian, but no other details. How did the director gather relevant information so quickly? He clicked over to ARMOR AutoPilot, an archive for auto-downloaded video clips.

Automated Video Downloads

During setup, the director configured ARMOR to download video clips automatically, minimizing trips to manually pull hard drives. He also directed ARMOR to add three minutes of pre- and post-event video to clips flagged by the panic button. These actions facilitated his review and response to Ian’s situation. Here’s how: The pre-event video captured the actual assault and the woman responsible. He immediately identified her as the mother of the classmate who Ian allegedly bullied.

Thanks to ARMOR’s automated capabilities, the transportation director quickly obtained proof of the assault to share with administration and law enforcement. Even more, ARMOR helped minimize investigation time and stress for his operation.

Would you like to minimize hard drive retrieval for your team? Save hours on event resolution? Provide wireless access to fleet data and video via internet-connected mobile devices? The safety and time-saving benefits could be transformative for your operation.

Solution requires additional hardware and specific cellular service/data plans. Ask for details.

Let us show you all the ways ARMOR can simplify fleet management.

Contact us, call 800.228.9275 or connect with your sales rep today.

For more REI solutions, visit: radioeng.com.

The post Event Resolution at the Speed of Automation appeared first on School Transportation News.

Nathan Bauman first found love, then he found his work passion.

And finally he helped his student transportation department recover roughly $500,000 in funds associated with field trips funded by various departments.

His journey began in 2009, when he was a bus driver at Aldine Independent School District in Texas and his then-girlfriend’s mother was running the field trip department.

She was struggling to integrate a new digital system the district had invested in to streamline the request-and-approval process for field trips. The new system was designed to replace the inefficient process of back-and-forth emailing that required a month’s notice for a typical field trip.

He volunteered to troubleshoot the issue, resolved it with the vendor and was promptly asked to take on more technical tasks as challenges arose across the student transportation department.

“I was naturally strong at solving these problems and was able to help the district a lot more in a technical role that served the entire department than simply as a driver,” he explained. “It’s rewarding to be able to troubleshoot issues that I know help the drivers and the staff run smarter.”

A year later he was promoted into a technical assistant role and he’s been helping the transportation department leverage busHive, the field trip software, ever since.

His work culminated in the efficient recouping of approximately $500,00 every school year from different district departments which rely on the transportation department to shuttle students to and from a diverse set of activities and programs.

“The process to recoup these funds would take an incredible amount of time, energy and focus to complete if it were not for busHive,” Bauman said.

“The fact that it automates so many of the calculations involved in so many different types of unique trips makes it easy for me to work across the district to recoup a significant amount to our department.”

A Texas-Sized Challenge: Capturing Trip Data from Various Funding Sources

Not every field trip is created equal, especially as it relates to funding.

Burnham said about 65 percent of the field trips are normal activities that are already part of the funding schedule for the transportation department, including athletics and inter-district activities.

The remaining 35 percent of the non-fixed route trips are associated with a third-party funding source, often federal or some other academic funding.

These trips carry a significant cost, averaging about $300 – $500 per run.

“There is so much variability and diversity among these trips so it’s not something we can easily crank out in a spreadsheet,” he said. “It takes a lot of focus and expertise to capture all the unique data in a way that makes it easy for us and simple for the other departments.”

In a district with 56,000 students and a transportation department that maintains 474 buses that traveled nearly five million miles last academic year, the costs of these trips add up to significant sums.

Barnham estimates these special field and activity trips total approximately 2,500 per year.

That’s where the district’s investment in the busHive software application pays dividends.

Its ability to automate the request-to-approval-to-driver assignment process without a flurry of back-and-forth emails has silenced the chaotic noise long associated with this process.

The 30-day request is still department policy, but the busHive software allows Barnham and his team to respond rapidly when a one-off last-minute request knocks at their door.

“Most of the district staff are very good about putting their requests in well in advance and it helps us manage and plan, but we’re also able to respond nearly immediately when someone forgets or a true last-minute opportunity presents itself,” he explained.

“We can get a request today and be ready to dispatch a bus tomorrow and not have it disrupt us. busHive makes it easy to route it across all the approvals and get the driver assigned in no time.”

Automating Complex Reimbursements

But the financial side of the equation is where the busHive investment shifts from efficiency accelerator to financial differentiator.

Prior to busHive, the district had to manually calculate the value of each of those 2,500 unique trips and then engage in email requests for reimbursements. The process was slow, tedious and rife with opportunities for clerical or accounting errors to disrupt prompt payments.

“There is so much variability and diversity among these trips so it’s not something we can easily crank out in a spreadsheet,” he said. “It takes a lot of focus and expertise to capture all the unique data in a way that makes it easy for us and simple for the other department.”

Today, busHive automates the calculations, creates an invoice, integrates with a third-party financial management software to make the request and receives the reimbursement.

From request to receipt, the money is often received in about three days.

“Without busHive, this could take weeks of back and forth,” he said. “The calculations alone would be an enormous burden nevermind the reconciliation of the receipts. busHive automates so much of the heavy lifting and creates a smooth system for every person in the process.”

Bauman calculates the funds recouped equate to about $500,000 per school year. Without busHive, it would be nearly impossible to process all the requests required to achieve that recouping.

“Not everyone appreciates so many of the intricacies of special trips and how we pay for them and how the transportation department serves the district,” he said.

“It has made a world of difference to our department and our accounting to have a system that automates nearly every part of the process.”

Learn More and Book a Demo.

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About Transit Technologies

Transit Technologies delivers a best-in-class, technology suite for the K–12 transportation industry—helping school districts and school bus contractors run safer, more efficient, and more transparent operations from end to end.

busHive, a modern solution designed to simplify and streamline field trip and athletic trip management. From request intake and approvals to scheduling, communication, and billing, busHive replaces manual processes with a seamless digital workflow that saves time and reduces errors.

For daily operations, ByteCurve provides powerful tools for dispatch, timekeeping, and payroll. It equips transportation teams with real-time visibility into routes, driver activity, and labor data, ensuring accurate reporting, optimized staffing,—all within a single, fully integrated system.

Safety and visibility are enhanced through Vestige, a comprehensive suite of onboard cameras and telematics. Vestige delivers actionable insights through video capture, GPS tracking, and AI driver behavior monitoring, empowering districts to proactively improve safety, respond quickly to incidents, and build trust with parents and communities.

Rounding out the ecosystem is Faster, a robust vehicle maintenance and asset management platform. Faster helps fleets stay road-ready with preventative maintenance scheduling, work order tracking, inventory control, and lifecycle management—maximizing uptime while reducing operational costs.

Together, these solutions form a unified platform that transforms K–12 transportation—connecting people, processes, and data to drive smarter decisions, safer rides, and more efficient operations.

The post Aldine ISD Uses busHive Technology to Save Big on Field Trips 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.

Turning to an Underutilized Partner: Transfinder

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.

Not Just a Bird’s Eye View but a Windshield View

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.

Key Takeaways from Findlay’s Experience

• Leverage technology fully before cutting service further. Findlay discovered it had powerful tools in place with Transfinder but wasn’t using them to their potential. Updating maps, data, and routing inside the system created immediate efficiencies when funding was reduced.
• Use disruption as a catalyst to modernize. The loss of state funding and key staff forced the district to abandon paper-based processes and rebuild routing digitally, improving accuracy, visibility, and long-term sustainability.
• Pair software with the right people. Leadership restructured transportation staffing around system expertise, ensuring the technology was supported by someone who could actively manage and optimize it.
• Efficiency protects students and drivers. More precise routing reduced unnecessary stops and confusion, helping drivers focus on safety and relationships with students while maintaining service under tighter budgets.
• Strong vendor partnership matters in crisis. Access to hands-on support and problem-solving from the Transfinder team helped stabilize operations quickly during a difficult transition period.

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.

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.

1. Finding Footage Shouldn’t Take Half Your Morning

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.

2. Let AI Reveal the Risks You Don’t Have Time to Detect

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.

3. Reports That Deliver Themselves

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.

Efficiency and Safety Are the Same Goal

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.

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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.

Get your Free Copy HERE. 

The post Using AI to Reclaim Time & Improve Safety appeared first on School Transportation News.

Transforming Student Transportation

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.

Executive Summary & Background

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.

Before modernization:

• The previous contractor operated an aging fleet
• Routing was performed with legacy software that required manual updates
• Communication was limited, with no mobile app for families or administrators
• Driver shortages created daily unpredictability including extremely delayed and frequently cancelled routes

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.

The Challenge

KCPS’s transportation system was struggling to meet the needs of students and families. Key issues included:

• 25% driver shortages: 30 driver shortages (of 120 total drivers needed), representing a 25% driver shortage that was compounded by high driver absences.
• No reliable data tracking: No data management system to monitor on time performance.
• Limited visibility and communication: Families and schools had no real time tracking or capability to contact support or give feedback effectively.
• Instructional time lost: Transportation-related disruptions adversely impacted student time in the classroom.
• Failing audit and compliance: Consistently failed to meet state reporting requirements.
• Aging fleet: An aging fleet—prone to breakdowns and lacking air conditioning and modern technology—contributed to chronic absenteeism, family frustration, staff fatigue, and instability in district funding.

The Transformation

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:

• Transitioning to a technology‑enabled fleet with GPS, safety monitoring, and real‑time data
• Implementing dynamic routing software to optimize routes and reduce ride times
• Introducing a family app for real‑time bus tracking and communication
• Deploying a continuous training and onboarding plan to drivers and monitors
• Establishing a data dashboard for district leaders to monitor performance daily
• Solving the long-standing driver shortage

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.

Implementation Approach

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

• Fully assess staffing levels and fleet needs
• Assess facilities & renovations
• Conduct a full route analysis
• Identify inefficiencies and equity gaps
• Engage families, drivers, and school leaders

Phase 2: Technology Rollout

• Prioritize partnership launch & hiring initiatives
• Integrate technology with SIS system
• Establish cadence of communication with key metrics
• Introduce tech‑enabled buses
• rain staff on new tracking apps & reporting
• Launch the family communication app

Phase 3: Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Weekly performance reviews with transportation partner
• Weekly staff training on bus app tracking and reporting
• Fully engage leadership team on weekly feedback
• 30-day stakeholder feedback on implementation/progress
• Align district practices to transportation guidelines

Results & Impact: Quantitative Outcomes

 

Stakeholders Feedback

• 97% of stakeholders rated overall service as reliable
• 96% of stakeholders rated overall OTP as consistent
• 91% of stakeholders rated modern technology as positive

Student-Centered Outcomes

The modernization directly improved student experience:

• Transportation absences decreased by 86% (from 2024-2025) driven by modern, reliable transportation
• The graduation rate reached a decade high of 88.6%
• Student attendance increased by 2.5% district-wide
• Student extracurricular competitive access increased 150+%

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.

Stakeholder Perspectives: Superintendent

“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.

In today’s rapidly changing fleet management environment, navigating the costs and benefits of fuel types can be increasingly challenging. Evolving regulatory demands and emission standards are creating greater complexity and volatility.

That’s why Thomas is working collaboratively with districts to help them manage their unique transportation challenges by providing an array of fueling options. The launch of the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline expands Thomas Built Buses’ powertrain lineup to include diesel, electric and gasoline, giving districts the flexibility to choose the solution that best fits their operational needs.

The Power of Options

For school transportation directors already managing the demands of daily operations, having the right fuel solution is essential. Thomas gives school districts greater flexibility by providing options designed to fit the fueling needs of school districts of every size and stage while supporting their existing infrastructure, budget parameters and regulatory requirements. Adding to its industry-leading diesel and electric powertrain options, Thomas’ new gasoline engine option for the Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus rounds out its full range of fuel options.

Announced at STN Expo East in Concord, N.C., the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline from Thomas Built Buses features the B6.7 Octane engine produced by global power leader Cummins Inc. Its introduction supports Thomas’ commitment to empowering fleet managers with real choices designed to ensure their long-term success. This new gasoline engine option provides diesel-like durability and performance while expanding Thomas’ powertrain lineup, so it now encompasses electric, diesel and gasoline solutions. While the new gasoline option expands fuel flexibility, it also delivers operational advantages for districts seeking lower maintenance complexity.

Gasoline-powered Innovations

Designed in partnership with customers to address current school transportation needs, the gasoline-powered Saf-T-Liner C2 bus delivers key advantages in total cost and serviceability, such as better fuel economy than competitive gasoline engines and the ability to run on regular 87-octane gasoline—making it easy to refuel within existing gasoline infrastructure. The gasoline-powered C2 also delivers 2 to 3 times longer service intervals, including oil and filter changes up to 15,000 miles.

A purpose-built, durable, turbocharged gasoline engine for medium-duty applications, the Cummins B6.7 Octane is the first of its kind in the category. With up to 2 million miles logged before production, the engine features a flat torque curve that mirrors Cummins’ trusted B6.7 diesel platform. The B6.7 Octane by Cummins will be available in the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline in 220- and 260-horsepower ratings, delivering up to 600 lb-ft of torque.

In addition to robust performance, it’s designed to offer familiar drivability and smooth power at low speeds. Another feature of the gasoline-powered Saf-T-Liner C2 bus is an optional compression brake for improved vehicle control and reduced brake wear.

Built on the proven Saf-T-Liner C2 platform, the gasoline-powered model also supports technician and driver familiarity—streamlining training, simplifying maintenance routines and reducing the learning curve that can accompany new vehicle introductions. For districts with mixed fleets or those transitioning between fuel types, this consistency is a genuine operational advantage. This new gasoline-powered Cummins engine offers Thomas customers the reliable power and performance they have come to expect from its diesel counterpart, while providing an alternative that meets evolving emissions standards.

Partnering for Success

There is no single fuel solution for every district—only the right fit for each organization. By adding gasoline to its portfolio of diesel and electric options, Thomas gives fleet managers the flexibility to select the powertrain that aligns with their infrastructure, budgets and regulatory requirements. Each option is backed by the company’s time-proven reliability, durability and responsiveness to fleet operations. With its full range of powertrains, Thomas makes it easier to choose the best fueling option without compromising on safety, performance or peace of mind.

To learn more about the Saf-T-Liner C2 gasoline, visit the Thomas Built Buses website.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Gasoline Engine Expands Thomas’ Fleet Fuel Options appeared first on School Transportation News.

Technology is a helpful option for school district transportation departments looking to improve efficiency and cut costs, a transportation coordinator shared during a recent webinar.

Bryan Mitchell, marketing director for Transit Technologies, reviewed current challenges related to on-time student transportation plagued by slashed budgets, driver shortages and increasing parent demands.

Rome City Schools in Georgia was facing a costly and inefficient payroll process, he said. With more than 100 transportation staff members relying on paper-based timesheets, including multi-colored paper for different shifts, Mitchell explained that the monthly task of preparing payroll was a logistical nightmare.

By using ByteCurve digital time clocks and payroll software, the district realized $30,000 in monthly labor cost savings totaling about $300,000 annually, even after wage increases. Jonathan Agenten, director of sales for ByteCurve, explained that the savings came from shaving a few minutes off each driver’s paid hours due to more accurate data collection. Christina Buffington, transportation coordinator for Rome City Schools, confirmed that no driver experienced a significant wage loss.

Buffington shared that the previous paper time sheet method would take up to a month to add up hours and verify before finalizing. She confirmed that the ByteCurve digital process has reduced the time it takes to complete the process and allows management to verify drivers’ route completion via GPS. Payroll errors were nearly eliminated and 10 hours were saved per week in driver communications and payroll reconciliation.

“It’s the work that drives the day – it’s the work that drives the pay,” quipped Agenten.

He reviewed the way ByteCurve streamlines and improves communication between the normally siloed transportation segments of routing, payroll and GPS tracking. The system provides a digital clock-in experience for drivers, an airport terminal-like dashboard emphasizing delayed or canceled routes that require staff attention, a real-time bus location view and the ability to automatically calculate complex pay scenarios based on district policies.

Mitchell and Agenten reviewed the rugged and reliable Vehicle Camera Systems and Driver-Facing Cameras offered by Vestige, a sister company to ByteCurve via parent company Transit Technologies. AI-Powered Safety Solutions include a Driver Monitoring System to detect drowsiness, distraction, smoking, and phone use as well as Advanced Driver Assistance System alerts for forward collision, lane departure and pedestrian detection.

Transit Technologies also offers FASTER maintenance software which it says was “purpose built to match how fleets operate, not how companies think they do,” and can save 10-15 hours per week with automated reports and real-time dashboards.

Also recently added to the Transit Technologies family of companies was field trip management software provider busHive.

Mitchell spoke to the company’s goal of offering an integrated tech stack to meet all of a school district’s transportation needs.

These technologies are beneficial as they discover savings and efficiencies in fuel and payroll, which are the two biggest expenses in transportation, noted STN Publisher Tony Corpin.

Agenten emphasized the “white glove” treatment offered by ByteCurve in initially setting up the systems to fulfill the needs of each individual district. From Rome City Schools, both Buffington and Director of Transportation Elander Graham praised the customer service experience.

Watch the webinar and visit bytecurve.com to learn more.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Payroll Technology Saves Georgia School District Thousands of Dollars appeared first on School Transportation News.

At thousands of schools across the country, Zum’s integrated technology system is transforming the daily student transportation experience through: Real-time bus tracking and proactive notifications that […]

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.

For Clifford Jones, Superintendent of Horry County Schools in Conway, South Carolina, student safety isn’t just a priority; it’s a responsibility that travels approximately six million miles every single year.

With one of the largest geographic school districts in South Carolina, Horry County’s fleet covers urban corridors, coastal routes and rural roads alike. Each morning and afternoon, buses carry thousands of students across the large county. Like districts nationwide, Horry County began seeing a disturbing trend: the growing challenges of resolving onboard incidents without clear evidence.

“AngelTrax cameras on our buses support the district’s student safety goals by improving supervision, discouraging misbehavior, and helping us investigate incidents, all of which advance our commitment to safe, equitable, and accountable transportation,” Jones explained.

Identifying the Need

The responsibility of protecting thousands of students prompted the district leadership to explore camera solutions. Without video evidence, protecting students from interior incidents, from student behavior concerns to accident investigations, required more efficient documentation.

“AngelTrax provides a solution that would allow us to retrieve video from the bus specific to the concern that we were trying to address,” explained Robert Grimes, transportation coordinator for the district. “This video could then be shared with the school to allow administrators to better handle the situation.”

The district also recognized the value of providing drivers with added layers of protection and accountability. Videos would provide objective clarity and documentation should any issues arise.

“Bus drivers seem to be appreciative of the fact that there is video footage that can help with the management of bus behaviors,” Grimes added.

Measurable Impact

After evaluating multiple options, the district selected AngelTrax as its mobile security and surveillance partner, equipping buses with interior cameras to help deter onboard incidents. Since then, Horry County Schools has installed cameras on approximately 450 buses currently in service, covering roughly 1,500 bus routes.

Since installing the cameras in 2017, as one of the first school districts in the country to use AngelTrax’s Vulcan Series cameras, the district has observed meaningful improvements in student behavior on their school buses.

The presence of cameras has increased awareness around school bus safety across the community.

“Based on my understanding, the cameras have enhanced the peace of mind for parents, students, and drivers by increasing accountability, deterring poor behavior, and providing clear evidence when incidents occur,” Jones shared. “We share school bus safety information with students, families, staff, and the community using multiple channels. These channels include sharing information during open house events, as well as through printed and digital/video materials, our website and social media platforms, ensuring that everyone is aware of the expectations, procedures and the process for reporting concerns.”

A Driver’s Perspective

For veteran bus driver Steven Lombardi, the cameras have made a noticeable difference in safety, noting that in the past, he has witnessed everything from students out of their seat, to throwing objects, fighting and other behavioral issues.

“I have never been a driver when there were no cameras on the bus,” Lombardi noted. “However, prior to having the AngelTrax cameras, we had a much less dependable camera which made capturing data more difficult.”

He said he believes the presence of the AngelTrax cameras positively influences student behavior.

“When I tell students that there are cameras on the bus generally, they are less likely to misbehave,” Lombardi added.

For Lombardi, the investment Horry County Schools made in camera technology represents more than a safety upgrade. It reinforces a culture of accountability and care.

“Knowing that there is a camera system to assist with capturing behaviors gives me a sense of relief,” he shared. “I would be hesitant to drive a bus that did not have cameras.”

As Horry County Schools continues to evaluate data and refine its transportation strategies, one goal remains constant: ensuring every student arrives safely, every mile, every day.

About AngelTrax

AngelTrax is a leading designer, manufacturer and provider of in-vehicle mobile surveillance for school buses and school white fleets. Powered by AngelTrax, the Child Safety Program automated stop arm violation system is created to keep kids safer by changing driver behavior, from violation detection to citation through adjudication. AngelTrax drives the market with state-of-the-art products, including Vulcan Series MDVRs and MNVRs, stop arm photo enforcement technology with AI detection, 360-degree camera systems, IP cameras, HD cameras, live view, live tracking and driver behavior with AI. AngelTrax is a CJIS-compliant organization and strategic partner with Nlets for accurate DMV data.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

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Product purchasing often raises many questions and anxiety for school districts, but Veronica’s district was an exception. As a transportation director, she recently gained approval to purchase new fleet surveillance cameras. Instead of preparing and distributing an RFP, she chose a far simpler approach: buying through a co-op.

“I reached out to my REI salesperson, and she sent me a quote. I then sent it to my supervisor, Tom. He, along with our school board, approved it and we bought the cameras. That’s how simple it was. Working through co-ops, it’s so easy to make purchases,” states Veronica.

Purchasing through co-ops can benefit your operation as well. Here are five ways joining a co-op can transform how you acquire fleet solutions:

1. Bypass lengthy RFPs.

Preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) requires significant time, coordination and administrative effort. By purchasing through a co-op, districts can rely on contracts that have already been competitively solicited. This eliminates the need to develop and manage your own RFPs yet still meet procurement requirements. The result: less administrative burden and a faster path to securing the fleet solutions you need.

Veronica recalls, “The bidding process is long, tedious and involves a lot of paperwork. When I worked at another district, we had to publish bids in the newspaper for 30 days. Vendors would submit bids, and we had to conduct a formal bid opening. It was a big undertaking.”

2. Access competitive, pre-negotiated pricing.

Cooperatives solicit contracts and negotiate pricing with multiple vendors on behalf of their members. Districts then have access to pricing that has already been evaluated for competitiveness. The approach helps you maximize budgets while reducing the time and effort required to conduct independent negotiations.

3. Accelerate procurement timelines.

Because contracts are already in place, districts can move forward with purchases immediately, instead of waiting for a full bid cycle. The faster turnaround allows you to get the needed equipment in place sooner.

According to Veronica, “I got thousands of dollars’ worth of cameras, and I don’t think I would have received them as quickly through a traditional bidding process. It probably would have taken 60 to 100 days. In this case, it took about a month from quote to shipping, and I had them within 30 days.”

4. Strengthen audit documentation and readiness.

Many cooperatives maintain detailed documentation and can provide supporting records if questions arise during an audit. This helps districts prove compliance and simplifies internal reporting.

“If anything were to come back, [the co-op] will step in and give you everything that you need and help you,” Veronica explains. “It makes purchasing easier and helps make the audit process quicker.”

5. Focus on best-fit solutions, not lowest price.

Traditional bidding processes often require districts to select the lowest bidders, which may limit flexibility. Cooperative contracts are awarded based on a combination of factors such as pricing, qualifications, service and product quality. In the end, co-op purchasing enables you to select solutions that best support your operational goals.

As Veronica notes, “Sometimes vendors undercut each other just to win the bid, and you don’t always get what you really need. Cooperative contracts help ensure the vendor and solution are the right fit.”

If you’re not a co-op member, join one or more today. Collaborate with your purchasing decision-makers. Conduct research, then decide which co-op(s) offer the products and solutions that align with your goals.

“Most co-ops are pretty easy to join. Typically, you just need to fill out an application. You don’t want to pay an application fee or anything like that. Fill out an application to become a member of their co-op purchasing and get approved that way,” advises Veronica.

She concludes, “In the long run, [REI] is doing the work for us, which is always good because we already have enough work to do.”

Four nationally recognized co-op purchasing programs list REI. Interested in joining? We have contact information. Call 800.228.9275, send us a message or get in touch with your sales rep for details. Let us help you simplify purchasing.

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