as well as real time attendance on routes…especially for sub-drivers. It has also required the assigned driver to keep their route updated with the routing staff which has increased efficiency.” Both Lipps and Grey said they can manually update changes due to conditions such as traffic or construction and then have updated routes within Routefinder. Grey uses Cal/Amp student ridership verification,
which when paired with the routing software has been “extremely effective in creating parental buy-in and community support,” he added. “Overall, the negative interactions concerning arrival times at bus stops has dramatically reduced since the student tracking app has become available to parents,” said Grey, when addressing instances of drivers encoun- tering parents who are frustrated due to not knowing the bus location. The main issues of frustration are when parents are having difficulty with the app itself. Noted School Bus Logistics’ Jacobus, “When it comes to technology that allows parents to track the bus, leadership plays a key role in training drivers on how to handle difficult interactions with parents who are seeking answers at the bus stops,” he continued “While leadership often ensures drivers are certified and ready
to drive, they sometimes overlook the need to train them on using the technology and managing parent frustra- tions with the apps.” Grey added that the software also has had an impact
on the transportation office environment as there are much fewer calls from parents, since many of them are now using the app. Another challenge to on-time arrival is geographic
location, as experienced by Brad Carriveau, director of transportation at Champaign Unit 4 School District in Illinois. Carriveau is using student transportation software from Tyler Technologies. His district is a school of choice district. If parents choose a school site for their child that is not within walking distance from their house, then transportation must create that route. “For example, if you live in the northern part of the
district and the family selects the farthest school from their home, it equates to a 30 min drive or ride on the bus in one direction. We build our routes roughly an hour due to the geographic span our routes drive in,” said Carriveau. Routing through changing traffic or weather conditions
is also a challenge for many districts, and adding to that is the expectation to keep parents informed of any changes.
RD Huntley, the transportation liaison at West Ada School District in Idaho, works with Router Erin Sweeney. 60 School Transportation News • MARCH 2025
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