speeding, wages, on time performance and vehicle diagnostics that provide true ROI. Tere have also been huge advancements in video camera systems. Te technology has progressed from local DVR storage to Wi-Fi and cellular connected devices that can flag safety critical incidents and trigger alerts for management. But there is still more to be done to advance video analysis technology in terms of auto- mating the identification of safety critical incidents and allowing student transporters to then act in a timely manner. Tere are also many technology options available to remind or enable drivers to check for children at the end of school bus routes. Tese options do help a great deal to ensure safety of children, but don’t go far enough to guarantee 100-percent driver compliance. I think technologies that help track children getting on and off the bus, such as swipe-cards, can be a great help to ensure kids’ safety. Tere is no doubt that RFID tags or photo-based devices help a great deal in ensuring compliance with pre- and post-trip inspection requirements, but they don’t guarantee the quality of inspections. School bus manufacturers are making advancements in inspection technology based on vehicle body controller signals or other sensors that could bring significant changes to this area. Tablets are a new addition to school buses and I think they will be a game changer. Tis device, if integrated well with daily
operational systems like routing, dispatch and telematics, can truly enable school districts to improve safety and operational efficiency. Having covered most of the on-bus technologies currently
available and highlighting some of the opportunities, I want to now bring the focus to the Top 5 immediate needs of school bus operators. Universal communication device—One of the biggest frustra- tions I hear from student transporters is the need to sign-up for different cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity for different devices. I think school bus OEMs should take the lead on this and develop a universal connectivity device with common standards that all vendors can comply with. Tey can route their data points via this common connection to not only simplify the technology but also allow districts to manage their costs more effectively. Common Dispatch Platform—Most operators struggle to in- tegrate their routing or scheduling platforms with telematics data and payroll systems, especially if these applications are provided by different vendors. Ideally, there should be a common dispatch or location operating platform that will integrate with routes, drivers, buses, GPS and payroll data, regardless of the vendors providing the data or services. Avoiding the Next Crash—Technologies that provide improp- er lane-change warnings or help with collision avoidance have
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