Bus Transportation Recommendations

Case Study

Overview 

School districts nationwide grapple with the complexities of tracking bus movement, managing transportation costs, and ensuring student safety during transit. The absence of real-time data to optimize routes, monitor bus driver compliance, and respond swiftly to any deviations from established protocols, can make improving vehicle safety, security, efficiency, and reliability seem insurmountable. TRIPpatrol GPS Vehicle Tracking Software integrates with BusBoss transportation management software to provide the solutions school districts need to create optimal bus routes and make quick, informed decisions that help save time, money, and resources.

The Challenge 

St. Vrain Valley is home to over 33,000 Colorado students. The state’s seventh-largest school district, it is recognized for its innovation and technology. The district includes 60 schools and programs stretched across 411 square miles, including 25 elementary schools, eight middle schools, one middle/senior school, seven high schools, two P-TECH schools, six Charter schools, and various programs focusing on special education and career technology.

 Lisa Atilano has been the district’s Transportation Department Dispatcher for two years. A former bus driver herself, Atilano oversees approximately 150 vehicles for the entire school district, including 120 to 130 buses, multiple Suburbans equipped with GPS and cameras, and several smaller vehicles. She estimates over half of the district’s students use school transportation.

 That’s a substantial fleet and load, to say the least, so it’s no surprise the district needed a better way to manage their routes and drivers than using radios.

The Solution 

While BusBoss was instrumental in providing better insight into the bus fleet’s whereabouts and speeding up the routing process, there were still challenges associated with route deviations and driver movement that fleet management platform Zonar was not addressing.

 A public and school bus driver for nearly 30 years herself, Atilano also had simultaneous roles as a trainer, supervisor, and dispatcher. She moved to Colorado after being widowed and becoming a single mom.

 BusBoss had already been implemented by the district when Atilano arrived. TRIPpatrol has been in use for about 18 months—and Atilano absolutely loves it. For her, it’s about looking at the big picture, seeing both sides, and making decisions based on real-life circumstances, not hypotheticals and statistics. Ultimately, the solution was obvious: minimal radio and more focus on professionalism.

With a radio system, she’s seen how easy it is for people to get into unnecessary chatter. By enhancing communication efficiency and decision-making, TRIPpatrol streamlines the routing process, keeping the focus on professional interactions that keep operations on track without the distractions common in traditional radio systems. TRIPpatrol helps make that possible with capabilities that include: 

1. Tracking a vehicle’s path to see where a driver has been, including days, weeks, and even years later.
2. Monitoring and displaying bus fleets in real-time with location, time, and speed information.
3. Tracking driver times to reduce excess hours and save money.
4. Security alerts that let dispatchers know when a vehicle deviates from its usual route, stops at an unauthorized location, or exceeds preset speed limits.
5. Integration with multiple GPS vehicle tracking solutions.

 A favorite for Atilano is the animate feature, which gives her a dynamic way to visualize and review the movements of school buses on their routes throughout the day. She finds it extremely helpful in enhancing efficiency and scheduling and frequently uses it to improve her own performance. For instance, if she sees a driver pause before pulling up to a stop, she wonders if she’s giving them too much time between pickup and drop-off points.

 Many of the drivers Atilano interacts with are familiar with the technology and appreciate that Atilano can pinpoint their location. They value how she can use TRIPpatrol to instantly guide them if they encounter a situation, telling her they feel she “has their back” and is keeping a watchful eye on them. This sense of security and trust in the system is a testament to the effectiveness of TRIPpatrol.

Atilano also enjoys using the software to track new drivers and congratulate them on the great job they’re doing. When they ask how she knows, she typically responds, “I’m TRIPpatroling you!”