Huron Valley Schools rolled out the new school year with a new state of the art bus management tool to enhance student safety, streamline bus communication and manage routes at the touch of a button.
The software is called BusRight. A GPS system was installed in all Huron Valley Schools buses that will tell drivers exactly where their routes are with a voice activated direction. It will allow drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and not have to look at maps or their routes written on a piece of paper. The routes will be programmed in and can be more efficient in drop offs and pickups. “This is extremely helpful at the beginning of the year, when there are new bus drivers or substitutes who are unfamiliar with the routes,” said Supervisor of Transportation Belinda Tallent. “Each bus can be tracked in real time.” If the bus is off route or if there is an emergency with the driver or the student, first responders will know exactly where they are located. Previously, dispatch would call on the two way radio for location and ETA.
There is also a parent communication component to it. Parents will be able to download the app and get real time notifications on where their child’s bus is. The District is currently testing the GPS and routes to make sure everything is running smoothly before rolling out the parent component. Parents can expect to start receiving these notifications within the next few months.