Contractors Say Technology Improves Service: The Best-Laid
Transportation Plans are Made With
GIS Mapping By Art Gissendaner Public and private student transporters are saving money and increasing ef-
ficiency and safety by taking advantage of GIS mapping technology that allows them to literally let their fingers do the walking when planning bus routes and monitoring each bus’ progress. Tat’s because, while the technology is becoming more popular, experts say
it is also becoming more affordable. “GIS mapping information is becoming more and more important as the
technology and software comes down in price and transportation managers become savvier in the use of the technology in the industry,” says Greg Marvel, president and CEO of TransTraks, a California-based developer of pupil trans- portation solutions. “As budgets are being continuously squeezed during these difficult economic times, the use of GIS information can help districts and con- tractors tighten up routes, find cost savings and make their operations more efficient and effective.” GIS, or geographic information systems, works with GPS (global positioning
systems) to locate buses using satellite signals. Te GIS mapping technology converts the satellite signals to images or symbols that appear on a map project- ed on a computer screen. Tese images actually allow transportation personnel to see the bus’ location and speed among other traffic information. Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVL) are similar but they bounce signals off radio towers lo- cated in a limited area. Most school district transportation directors see the value in the GIS map- ping software, with its multi-faceted potential to save money by eliminating
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