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ANALYSIS


GIS Technology for Transportation, the District and You


GIS is a common buzzword these days at conventions and among transportation folks, but what


By Kerry Somerville, GISP


exactly does it mean? GIS is the acronym for geographic information system. So, what is GIS? Well, as my old college professor used to tell us, “It can be anything that contains information about geography, even a filing system full of 3x5-inch cards, with information about locations and places.” However, modern GIS most often refers to a computerized information system with maps and


information. It is also one of the fastest-growing job markets in the country, maybe the world. Why? Because GIS systems apply to almost any job or industry. In our transportation world, having maps with route information, student locations, AVL (Au-


tomatic Vehicle Location systems), GPS, weather, traffic or anything that provides location data is valuable. In schools, students are learning about geography, history, weather or any number of subjects using GIS. Administrators look at boundary planning, new school placement and facili- ties. In our personal lives, we all use GIS systems every time we use one of the free online mapping systems or a vehicle navigation system for directions. Many difficult decisions are made easier with the use of a GIS system. With so many GIS systems out there, how do you decide what to look for when making purchas-


ing decisions? You can use free mapping tools, but are they too limited for the decisions you have to make like restricting U-turns or requiring only right-hand pickups on routes? Tere are many designed specifically for school transportation, but you should consider the total needs of the dis- trict that may not be addressed by a specific vendor or brand. Do you want a GIS system only for transportation or a GIS platform that can serve the needs of the district as a whole? Tere is soft- ware suited to serving the entire district, from transportation and administration, to the classroom. Tese companies also have programs with business partners that have tailored the GIS product


specifically to school transportation. When conducting an RFP or purchasing software, be specific as to what your GIS needs are for your district. Take the time to understand the pros and cons of the different GIS products and their data requirements. More than one implementation of software





...the main reason people use GIS in transportation is cost savings. ❞


has failed due to the purchaser not understanding what type of data they have or will need. Com- mon GIS software can take advantage of commercial, city, county, state or federal data repositories. Once you choose the best and proper GIS system for your transportation department, what can


you do with it? Te list is longer that we can discuss here, but the main reason people use GIS in transportation is cost savings. Optimizing bus routes using a GIS system offers immediate savings to the district. Most often it will offset the cost of the system within the first year. Safety is also priceless, and GIS allows you to question scenarios. Are the bus stops in safe locations? Who are the students on each bus? Where is the bus at every moment? Is live tracking an option? Are there sexual predators who live near the stops? Tese are just a few uses of GIS in transportation. Tere are many resources available to learn more about GIS and what it can do for you as well as


many professional certifications within the GIS community. If you have been using and managing a GIS system, you may even be qualified for a professional certification. Find more information by visiting Te Association For GIS Professionals at www.urisa.org or the GIS Certification Institute at www.gisci.org. ■


Somerville is director of business development for U.S. Computing Inc., an ESRI business partner and reseller. It develops the Compass GIS application for school bus routing, field trip plans, fleet management, dispatch, AVL and driver kiosk information. He can be contacted via email at kerrys@uscomputinginc.com.


34 School Transportation News Magazine November 2012


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