A Complete Guide to School Bus Routing, Scheduling & GPS Software

Managing a school bus can be a difficult job for the schools. The drivers often get confused about the right transportation path to pick all the students within time. Hence, choosing an ideal school bus routing and scheduling software has become important for schools.  

To provide better protection to the students, this software also comes with a GPS tracking system, using which the school authority can find out where the bus is at the moment.   Besides these benefits, the drivers can also use this software to optimize fuel usage.

Moreover, it is a great software that every school must-have. But before choosing the right tool, there are a few things that you need to know about a school bus routing, scheduling, and tracking software.   Do not worry if you haven’t used this tool before because we will help you know everything related to this amazing software. All you need to do is keep reading until the end! 

What is a School Bus Routing, Scheduling, and Tracking Software? 

Before you find out about the other important things related to the software, you should know what this software actually does. Well, a school bus routing, scheduling, and tracking software helps the driver set a route following which they can easily pick all the students at a better fuel usage. 

Not just that, but it will also help the driver to set a schedule for picking and dropping all the students within the stipulated time. Lastly, it helps in tracking the current location of the school bus, ensuring that the students are safe while traveling from their homes to the school or vice versa. There are two types of school bus software: 

• Routing software: This software contains only one function that is of routing. So all it can do is set proper bus routes for the driver and help them save fuel on their journey.  
• Full fleet management suite: This software contains all the functions as specified above. Certain fleet management software contains more functions as an accounting of driver’s salary, payroll, maintenance of bus, management of students, and so on. This tool is better than the stand-alone routing software because it handles more than one job at a time and makes the running of daily school buses super easy.  

Features of School Bus Routing, Scheduling, and Tracking Software 

While choosing a school bus routing software, ensure that these core features are there within the tool: 

• Routing: As you might already know, this is the most vital software feature. It must help the driver find better routes for picking all the students on time. It should also help in reducing fuel usage and must provide proper directions.  
• Scheduling: The software should create a followable schedule for the drivers. The schedule must help the driver pick everyone up on time.  
• Bus tracking: The school administration must know where the bus is headed with the help of the GPS technology offered by the software. Other important details like fuel consumption and mileage should also get tracked by the tool. 
• Dispatch: The software must provide effective communication features so that the school can communicate with the driver about any delays or emergencies.  
• Mobile app: Choosing a school bus routing software with a mobile app will make the job smoother.   

• Driver management: The software must help in managing the driver schedules and enable proper communication between the drivers and school authorities.  
• Student schedule changes: If any student is absent for a few days, then the software must be able to make amends to the schedule without deleting it entirely.  
• Managing students properly: The software must be able to create proper routes directions and reduce on-board times effectively.  

How Can I Choose the Right Transport Management Software? 

While you pick the ideal transport management software for your school, ensure that at least 90% of the features mentioned above are present in the tool. The right features will make the software better in its job, and you can get a higher quality service from the tool.

Secondly, you must find out what kind of buyer you are. There are majorly of three types of buyers in the school bus routing software market. Have a look below to find out which one is you: 

• Individual schools who can manage their own transport system 
• A chain of schools whose transport system is managed by the municipality  
• School bus management business holders who work for schools or municipalities to help them with the transport management 

Depending on the type of buyer you are, you will have to choose the software’s features. If you are the third type of buyer with a transport management business, then do not compromise on the quality of service you provide to your clients.

Hence, buy a full fleet transport management software. It will help you run multiple school buses effectively. On the other hand, the first and the second category of buyers can choose even those software with fewer features because the pressure of transport management is less on them.  

Read Also: How To Identify The Performance of Your Tracking Device

So if you figure out these two simple things, choosing the ideal school bus routing, scheduling, and tracking software won’t be a hassle at all! 

What is the Best School Management Software in 2022? 

There are several renowned school bus management software that schools all over the world trust. Some of them are mentioned below: 

• TripSpark: This software company has experience of over 30 years in this field. Their tremendous experience makes them fit for easily managing complex transport routes and schedules. This school bus management software is quite popular in schools across North America. 

• MyClassCampus: A school management software that manages everything starting from transport to the attendance of the school staff. It is one of the best software if you want to control everything with a single tool.  
• NLET School Management: NLET handles multiple jobs at once. You can rely on it for managing the salary of the drivers, the management of school vehicles, and keeping track of the total fuel consumption by the buses on a weekly or monthly basis. 
• Verizon Connect: This cloud-based software is a fleet management platform that also provides a GPS tracking service. It will let the school keep track of its assets, vehicles, and routes effectively. Besides these features, the software also comes with high-quality maps and fuel cost control facilities.  
• Samsara: Samsara comes with a lot of useful features like trailer tracking, routing, dispatch, GPS tracking, monitoring, etc. Samsara’s real-time traffic updates and directions have received much appreciation from the users. The software also tracks a driver’s working hours! 

You can check the reviews of these few transport management software and determine which one suits your needs the best. Our experts like the TripSpark software the best because it has all the necessary features to manage school buses effectively! 

Benefits of The Transport Management Software 

The school authority gets several benefits from using bust routing systems. Some of them include:  

• Higher safety of the students: When using this software, the school authority will always know where the students are. This will keep a sense of safety to the students, their parents, and the school authority.  
• Transparency among the drivers and the school: The software will allow the school to know everything about the vehicle, including fuel consumption, mileage, and bus location. 

• Better productivity of the drivers: Drivers can increase their productivity manifold times when using this software because, with the help of it, they can find better routes and schedules.  
• Tracking all the valuable information of the vehicle: The school authority needs to know everything about the vehicles they own. This software can allow them to do so. 
• Scheduling the pickup and drops effectively: As we have said earlier, the software can help the driver schedule their routine more effectively so that they can complete their tasks within the given time. 
• Finding easy shortcuts to the destination: The routes shown by the software are easy to follow and also shorter compared to what is shown in Google Map. 
• Better fuel usage: As the divers can follow shortcuts through this tool, they end up saving a lot of fuel.  

• Accurate directions: Users have reported that the directions shown by a transport management software are more accurate compared to Google Map. 
• Faster driving within a short time: When the drivers get the correct direction, they can reach the destination faster.   
• Greater punctuality: Accurate directions, fast driving, easy shortcuts, and effective scheduling allow the driver to perform his task with a 95% higher punctuality.  

What are the Disadvantages of the GPS Tracking System? 

Even though a GPS tracking system provides a higher level of safety, there are some cons. Several drawbacks of using GPS tracking system in school buses are as follows: 

• Inaccuracy: Sometimes, the GPS tracking system’s results are inaccurate, which can lead to confusion between the school and the driver.  
• The driver might feel exposed: Some drivers do not favor the use of GPS tracking systems because of intrusion in their privacy. However, the school authority can explain the safety concerns to the driver and then use it. 

As you can see, the number of disadvantages is far less. Hence, you should not think about the drawbacks a lot. Instead, focus on the benefits, a school bus GPS tracking software will be a great installment for any school! 

Conclusion 

We hope that now you know how effective transport management software is. Please do not hurry while choosing an ideal software. Keep in mind all the tips that we have shared. Also, if you start using a school bus routing, scheduling, and tracking system, inform the driver.  

Do not keep the driver in the dark by hiding the truth. If they cannot understand how to use the software, train them for a few days. Learning the use of this tool is super easy, and hence, we hope no driver or school authority member will face any issues regarding the use of the software.  

That’s all you need to know about this brilliant software. So if you want to use the state of the art School Bus tracking Software contact us.