Every school needs a system to help provide a safe and secure school bus facility for its students. But given the times that we live in, there is an increased risk of accidents and other threats, plus expectations from parents, traffic authorities and law enforcement are at an all-time high.
When you add to that the fact that most school budgets are shrinking, you realize that a simple school bus tracking system just won’t make the cut.
Fleetroot, a leading fleet management technology company and foremost school bus tracking provider offers the most advanced yet cost effective school bus tracking solution, leveraging the power of GPS, internet of things (IOT), cloud computing and a whole lot more.
Read on to see what makes Fleetroot the best in its class:
1.Offers Complete Visibility:
While GPS tracking device help to track the location of the buses in real time, a multitude of sensors installed on the bus help to provide a more complete picture. Motion Sensors can detect the smallest of activity inside the bus, so that if a child gets left behind, it automatically raises an alarm.
Sensors outside the bus detect the presence of any person or object immediately in front and back of the vehicle, which are the ‘blind-spots’ for school bus drivers. This helps avoid accidents, when children are alighting from the bus, or trying to cross the road.
There are additional safety sensors to check if the driver and students have put on safety belts and the doors are firmly shut while the bus is in motion.
The system also integrates with advanced 360°cameras with live-streaming and recording facility that provide a complete view of the inside and outside of the bus. A surveillance team at a central location can review the feed and immediately alert the authorities if they see anything amiss.
2.Addresses Parents’ Concerns:
Parents are always worried about their children’s whereabouts, whether they reached the school on time, whether they got on to the right bus and got off at the right stop.
Thanks to Fleetroot’s mobility solution, parents can not only track their child’s bus on the school bus tracking app, but also get alerts in case the driver deviates from the route, misses a stop, or violates a speed limit. They also get an accurate ETA, which helps them to be on time whilst dropping or picking up their child at the bus stop.
Fleetroot employs a two-factor authentication method, adding another layer of security for children. RFID technology via student ID cards is used to scan student attendance on the bus, which can also be extended to the school premises.
Right from the time the child leaves home to the time he returns, both parents and school authorities receive notifications at each point and are fully aware about the child’s whereabouts.
3.Simplifies Complex Tasks:
Ask any school bus operator, and he will tell you that one of the most complicated tasks is keeping track of student addresses and adjusting school bus routes. But with Fleetroot school bus GPS tracking system, the entire task of route planning and allocation is automated.
School bus operators simply need to input the student database with street level addresses, and specify either the number of buses or maximum route time, and the system does the rest.
It calculates the most efficient routes, and also chooses the safest drop off and pick up points. In case of a student’s absence, change in address, or change in stop, the system re-optimizes automatically.
4.Empowers Drivers:
Drivers are also equipped with apps and get pre planned routes and schedules, with turn by turn navigation guidance, and a dynamic update on students boarding or deboarding the bus. They are constantly in communication with the manager for any change in the plan or any feedback related to their driving.
Thanks to RFID based attendance and video cameras, they do not need to manually take attendance of students, or constantly keep an eye out for student fights. They can instead focus on driving and making sure children board and alight from the bus safely.
Drivers also benefit from automated pre and post trip check formats as well as automatic logging of work hours. All of the above features go a long way to increase their productivity and job satisfaction.
5.Improves Driving Habits:
There are sensors on board that track driver behavior and alert the authorities for any speeding incidents, harsh braking, swerving, loud honking near silent zones, or if they fail to show the stop sign at halts.
Drivers also get instant in-vehicle alerts to correct their driving in real time, which not only avoids violations and collisions but also helps to make them better at their jobs.
6.Extends Service Life
An accident or breakdown due to an engine fault could result in unforeseen down time and a drain on school resources. Fleetroot provides a preventive maintenance module to input vehicle details and service intervals and set up detailed service requirements by distance travelled or hours of service.
School bus operators can create schedules and set up reminders for servicing, so that major breakdowns and down times are avoided. In the long run this results in reduced wear and tear and extended service life of the school buses.
7.Improves Operational Efficiency
Fleetroot route optimization feature ensures that buses ply on the shortest, most efficient routes, avoiding traffic jams and road obstructions, thus saving on both fuel and time.
Speeding, harsh braking and excessive idling are all bad for fuel economy, and by tracking down and preventing such incidents, the system saves on fuel costs. The System also uses geo fencing alerts which helps to curb unauthorized use of the school buses.
8.Offers Advanced Analytics:
A school bus tracking software with multiple modules and sensor-based information generates an incredible amount of data, that could easily overwhelm users.
But Fleetroot puts this data to good use: A remote diagnostic module could analyze various faults generated by sensors, and prioritize only the most critical ones, so that critical issues are promptly attended to.
More advanced predictive analytics using AI are also possible: The system could analyze historical and current data from sensors on engine health, fuel economy, maintenance schedules, vehicle breakdown data etc. to predict a parts failure or breakdown before it actually occurs.
It could also analyze driver behavior patterns with vehicle performance data to determine drivers that are most likely to default or cause a breakdown. This gives the school bus operators enough lead time to take appropriate action.
9.Scalable and Customizable:
Fleetroot system is very comprehensive, yet completely scalable. Depending on your scale of operations, you can either choose from our stack of basic, intermediate and advanced tracking systems or opt for a system that is customized entirely for you and your information needs.
Although our software has administrative modules such as tariff, invoicing and payment management, It is also open ended and completely amenable to API integration with other software.
Conclusion:
Thus, your investment in Fleetroot school bus tracking system promises the highest levels of safety and security for your children, and the most intelligent, connected operations that will not only ensure efficiency and cost savings through the years, but will also win the confidence and delight of parents and all your stakeholders.
Interested in knowing how you can get started? Call us for a free demo today!