One of the most important aspects of being a school bus transportation coordinator is also one of the most difficult: school bus routing. Creating proper routes for the school buses is absolutely essential for the semester to run smoothly, but it takes a lot of work and preparation. Automated route-creation software can significantly reduce the workload, but you still need plenty of information for the routes to be effective.

If a school district were looking for a single piece of software which would do the most to streamline its operations and potentially cut costs, school bus routing software is easily one of the best options. It's an affordable all-in-one package that will take a lot of burdens off your shoulders, while creating better maps that will almost certainly save you money on every bus route going forward.

Here are just a few ways that school bus routing software pays for itself.

 When it comes to drawing up bus routes, most districts try to do it at the beginning of the school year and stick with it. Sometimes that’s just not possible, and circumstances beyond their control dictate that routes may have to be re-planned during the school year. This brings up a big problem – how to inform parents of school bus route changes and ensure every child still gets on the right bus home.

In an ideal world, school districts would be able to set their routes and utilize them year after year. The reality is, expanding student populations, redistricting, and rising costs mean that school transportation administrators must keep a constant eye on routes and change them frequently.

Though school buses have not always been known for their fuel efficiency, many school districts across the U.S. and Canada have been making the switch to alternative fuel sources and environmentally friendly transportation management system options. This shift not only benefits the environment, it’s providing cost-saving perks to districts.

Alternative fuel sources are heralded as a healthier substitute for all children, especially those with health concerns, such as asthma. For children with special needs, who might take longer to get on and off a vehicle, the risk of breathing in air contaminated by diesel fuel produced by an idling bus engine is intensified.

School districts across North America are employing several transportation management solutions to increase fuel efficiency and cut costs. Investing in fuel-efficient tires for their buses is one chosen strategy. The question is, do tires designed for fuel efficiency really work? The short answer is, they do, but they don’t necessarily save districts money.

There are certainly pros and cons to outsourcing student transportation, and many administrators hold strong opinions on the matter. With more and more districts facing the stark reality of decreased budgets, transportation outsourcing is becoming a common practice.