It is no secret that there’s a shortage of school bus drivers nationwide at an increasing rate every school year. A survey by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, NAPT, stated that over 56% of school districts are suffering from some type of driver shortage. Due to the lack of incentives, labor issues, or failure of technology, it is difficult to address one problem as more take its place. This is incredibly problematic as it is important for school districts to not only have quality drivers, but also to provide the right tools for drivers to operate effectively.
A school bus is up to 70 times safer to travel in than by car, as it only takes 1 school bus versus 36 cars to transport students to and from school (NHTSA), and to retain these figures it is important to properly equip buses and drivers with the right technological resources. GPS technology is frequently used to track buses moving from stop-to-stop, but how about having a tool to be aware of what happens on the bus without being physically present? The ReaXium School Bus solution provides school districts with the ability to see students when they come and leave school and address issues when there has been a delay on the bus.
How does ReaXium School Bus improve student ridership?
When a student boards or disembarks the bus, they “check-in” with the driver with their RFID enabled student ID or fingerprint to make sure the right student is on the right bus. The ReaXium School Bus solution also has a dashboard that updates in real-time that allows administrators to make the necessary changes for a bus roster or routes. This is a great resource for your district’s transportation department, dispatchers, and managers. In addition, parents and guardians have access to a mobile app that shows them where their student is and how far away they are to arriving. This cuts down on calls to the school, transportation department, or worse directly to the drivers who are tasked with safely transporting these students. Ultimately, the system is designed to reduce any delays in communication and provide peace of mind to the school district, the drivers, and families.
How does this system benefit schools?
For one, it significantly increases accountability of the drivers by enabling the school district to see in real-time when drivers are picking and dropping off students, and how on target they are to their programmed stops. Secondly, it bridges the communication gap between the school, drivers, and for parents to know at any moment where a student is and provide an answer when there’s been a delay. Lastly, it provides a competitive advantage to a school district over another’s; software on buses may only provide GPS location, onboarding/disembarking of students, or notification of arrivals, however ReaXium School Bus combines each of these elements to increase their effectiveness together. In the face of a driver shortage crisis nationwide, equipping your transportation department and drivers with the latest in technology ensures your student buses can run smoothly.
School districts know the importance of their bus drivers as they’re the first and last interaction a school has with a student. It is also critical for drivers to understand they serve a great purpose as they safely transport students to and from school, and being there for students for support as well. In order to accomplish these things, the school district must be able to provide the right tools and resources for their drivers. Look no further than the ReaXium School Bus system!
