company that offers great support,” he noted. “It’s also best if they provide training material that you can use on your own.” For transportation leaders who have yet to invest in
routing software, or if an upgrade is planned but some staff are technology averse, moving slowly may be the best approach. “Know your department’s limitations,” Andexler
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advised. “It’s going to take time to convert, so give yourself six months to a year.” When the decision to move ahead with software has been made, Bartlett said it’s best to seek solutions that seamlessly communicate with one another in real-time, given that situations can change drastically between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on any school day. “You need a routing and student ridership solution that can work with you to communicate those chang- es in real time,” he noted. “You don’t have time to wait for an overnight import for your solutions to catch up to the needs of your students.” Brady advised ensuring the district IT department
is involved in the selection and implementation, along with making sure you have processes to im- port student info from requests and/or your student database. “The map is key,” she emphasized. “Try to get GIS-based map if at all possible for easier upgrades and maintenance. If you do not have good info, you won’t have good directions for drivers, especially if you use the automation features.” Seeing that the right staff are assigned to make full
use of the system is also important, McCafferty noted. “Having access to a GIS person, either in-house or contracted, is critical for a successful implementation of routing software,” he said. “Also, adjustments to cur- rent workflows may be needed to take full advantage of the software.” In both selecting software and taking full advantage
of its features, it pays to network with other school districts and school bus contractors within your state, Toth advised. “For me, there is nothing better than getting an op-
portunity to speak with people who are actually using the technology you’re researching to learn what they like about it or what they wish was different,” he said. “It can be even more beneficial if you have the opportunity to go to a neighboring district and see for yourself how this technology is being used in real time.” ●
AMF Bruns America 877-506-3770
www.amfbrunsamerica.com est 1958
40 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2023 75%
of transportation directors/supervisors stated that their student ridership numbers either returned or exceed pre-pandemic levels this school year. (Out of 191 responses.)
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