Early Adop Setting Trends Through
Working with vendors during the early stages of a product can help steer development in the right direction
By Stephane Babcock Whether it be the newest style of jeans that every teenag-
er cannot live without or a must-have gizmo that will make life easier, it merely takes a small group to start the trend. In the school bus industry, these early adopters can make or break a product, sometimes even assisting in the develop- ment of it. And they can help work out some of the “bugs” that come with any new type of technology when it first comes to the marketplace.
Fleet-Wide Acceptance As the country’s largest school bus contractor, First Stu-
dent is in a unique, high-visibility position. Tis makes its fleet a perfect partner for a company trying to effect wide- spread acceptance of a new product. “Early adopters have the advantage of working with ven-
dors to develop a product that meets their specific needs,” said Gary Catapano, vice president of safety at First Student. “Instead of using a product straight off the shelf, early adopt- ers can serve as forward thinkers — anticipating solutions to safety challenges faced both today and in the future.” Catapano cites First’s working relationship with Child
Check-Mate. When the company was evaluating prod- ucts to enhance the overall safety of its school buses, it issued a request for proposals outlining the full scope of requirements it would need to implement such a prod- uct. In response, the team at Child Check-Mate worked closely with the contractor to develop a series of prod- uct enhancements that met its needs. After installing the Child Check-Mate system on its entire fleet, First worked with Child Check-Mate to develop the Teft Mate system, which helps protect school buses from theft, adding an- other level of safety and security for its customers. “Tese modifications to existing technology solutions
benefit the entire student transportation industry for years to come,” said Catapano. “By strategically partnering with vendors, we work to ensure the safety and security of students on board.”
46 School Transportation News Magazine June 2010 First Student also recently signed a deal with Zonar to
equip all of its buses with the company’s RFID inspection systems, GPS tracking and Web-based fleet operations and management applications.
Beyond the Bugs and Meeting Potential Partners Not only can this type of relationship help vendors work
out the last-minute kinks in a system, it can show them how to maximize a product’s potential, according to Wendell Shelton, an internal analyst for Richland School District Two in Columbia, S.C. “Early adopters of new technology assist by providing
user feedback to the developers to improve the products, including hardware, firmware and software,” said Shelton. “When new technology is fielded, the theory of how the technology can improve efficiency and effectiveness be- comes reality.” But, first, vendors must find a contractor or school dis-
trict on which to test their platforms. For Shelton, industry trade shows have always offered a perfect first introduc- tion for vendors and industry reps. Te biggest advantage is the ability to offer a hands-on demonstration of the product and the personal nature of speaking face to face. Word of mouth can also certainly help a transportation department make a decision on which way to go when making purchases. “It is always great to have another district to talk to when
deciding which product to purchase,” said Shelton, adding, “Technology is a great way to protect resources and free time for critical leadership tasks by reducing time sinks for routine or repetitive processes.” Karen Sadler, director of transportation for Frisco (Texas)
Independent School District, sometimes weighs her deci- sions on whether other districts are using a product and wants to know how long they have been using it, their sat- isfaction with the product and the size of the district.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60