GPS Tracking Helpful in Monitoring Delayed School Buses on Snowy Days
3 Mar 2015The 2015 Winter seems to be never ending, but advanced technology is hoping to take a bite out of its chill. Two new schools join the growing number of schools that are now using GPS tracking devices for GPS school bus tracking.
This winter is proving to be long and brutal, but some parents will be happy that they will know where the school bus is during those icy, snowy mornings. Two new school districts in the U.S. – Williamsville School District in New York and Eastern Carver County School District in Minnesota – are both tracking their school buses with global positioning systems (GPS).
All around the world, people are utilizing the many benefits of GPS tracking devices. They help to monitor the behavior of wild and endangered animals, provide locations of stolen vehicles, and help police track down thieves. They are also great at tracking vehicles’ location for other purposes, including helping parents to know when to expect their child’s school bus.
Recently, In Williamsville, New York, the snow was falling steadily, but school was still in session. Despite the complaints from parents, kids were expected to be driven to school after two of their school buses got stuck in snow and were delayed.
While this was definitely an inconvenience, parents were notified thanks to the GPS trackers on the bus. The school was able to see the moment when the buses were stopped, and could also update parents on the bus’s whereabouts and whether or not it would make it to their home to pick up their children.
Instead of cancelling school for a snow day, school officials chose to inform parents that their buses were running late, and they had the option of driving their kids to school. The GPS tracking program is optional; that is, parents can choose to track the school bus. It is not just useful on snow days, but so they always know where the bus is in the morning, and when to expect it in the afternoon.
A similar program was started in Minnesota by the Eastern Carver County School District. The district has also started tracking school buses with GPS technology. App information is given to parents who want it, who can add it to their smartphones.
The app tells them exactly where the bus is and can alert them if the bus is running late or there will be a long delay. It is helpful on a cold day when parents don’t want their kids waiting outside. They can stay in their warm home until the bus is close by, then have them go out and get on the bus in time.
Recently, a family found it useful when there was fresh snow on the ground. Paul and his daughter Emma headed outside at the normal time to wait for her bus. Michelle, Emma’s mother, noticed they had been outside longer than usual. So she checked her app and saw that the bus was running later. She was able to tell them to come in from the cold and wait until the app told her the bus would be there soon.
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