Students at Deer Trail School District 26J in Colorado connect to school bus Wi-Fi as part of the Google “Rolling Study Halls” program.
to mean that nearly all geographic regions will be covered. It’s the 2 percent of the most rural and remote areas of the U.S. where Wi-Fi will truly benefit, he added. “Te signal received by a high-gain MIMO [multiple-input and multiple output] antenna mounted on top of the school bus is not comparable to a cell phone,” he explained. “Tese antennas typically combine multiple frequency bands, are outside the Faraday Cage of the vehicle itself and are larger than that in your phone. Reception is dramatically different. Tat being said, not all networks reach everywhere—especially in challenging terrain. We offer a dual-connect option that combines multiple networks, to provide even better coverage, stronger signal and more bandwidth.” In spite of select reservations and sentiments, plenty of student transporters see Wi-Fi as beneficial. “I think it would be well-received,” said Mike Sawyer, transportation director for San Marcos Unified School District near San Diego. “Data on buses can be a benefit for students and fleets overall. If a bus is connected to data, transportation managers should consider utilizing the data connection for bus video cameras, telematics, [and all] other tech- nolog[ies] one may have installed in their fleets. Data access in one bus can be routed to multiple devices and technologies, just as we do in our own homes. We call our local cable or DSL companies, sign up for high-speed internet, and once enabled, we share the data connection around our many devices in our homes. Te same can be done on our buses.” Sawyer added that San Marcos Unified transports mainly students with special needs, as identified in their IEPs, and he anticipates Wi-Fi helping to reduce challenging behaviors. Brendan Riley is the president of GreenPower Motor Company, a new all-electric school bus manufacturer with headquarters near Los Angeles. Riley said he is upbeat on the entire Wi-Fi movement and sees school districts embracing bus internet connectivity, especially as benefits outweigh cost. He predicted that high-speed internet cost will be substantially less once 5G comes on line. “I expect the cost for a high-speed LTE (4G)
changing the learning environment—slightly, by extending it to students’ commute: • Wi-Fi-equipped buses allow students to complete homework or study on long routes home.
• Wi-Fi-equipped buses keep students engaged, contributing to a reduction in behavior incidents.
• Wi-Fi-equipped buses allow drivers to focus on driving safely, without hazard- ous distractions.
• Wi-Fi-equipped buses let athletes and school groups learn while traveling to and from school events.
It also provides a pipeline for not just the ordinary benefits of Wi-Fi, but as a
secure platform for other technology, such as video, telematics, GPS, driver tablets, student tracking and emergency alerts.
smart-tag.net 512.686.2360
sales@smart-tag.net See Us At Booth #132
www.stnonline.com 35
SMART Tag is the premier on-bus tablet solution for student ridership management with pre/post-trip inspection, fleet GPS and e-messaging. The user-friendly rugged tablet and RFID cards help ensure students ride the correct bus, get off at the right stop and are not left on the bus. Offering guardian check for Pre-K/SPED riders, SHARS reports, and integration with your existing routing and maintenance software. Fleet visibility and student info is accessed through our secure web portals for ISDs, campuses and parents.
“SMART tag truly is a magnificent leap in student transportation… the tablet does so much it's actually unbelievable.”
Josh Rice
Dir. of Transportation New Caney ISD, TX
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