How Safe are the School Buses with the School Bus Tracking System?

A beautiful day can turn into a nightmare if you come to know that your kid is missing after school!

That’s right! The MHA reports that 54,723 children were kidnapped in 2016. However, only 40.4% of those incidents resulted in charges being filed. Another source cites that two biker assailants attacked and opened fire on a city school bus before kidnapping an elementary school student.

No matter how much everyone loves the bus ride to school, it is only natural to be concerned about the safety of everyone on board and the children who are riding. A vehicle monitoring system monitors everything from the buses to the drivers and students. Parents can rest easy knowing their children are well-protected with the help of a school bus tracker.

What are the Steps Taken by the Indian Government?

• In 2014, the Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India mandated that all school buses be equipped with GPS technology to ensure the safe transportation of students.
• The Delhi government has teamed up with Google to establish a system that allows commuters to follow bus whereabouts, arrival and departure timings, and routes on a real-time basis on their cellphones. When asked about this, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot replied that 3,000 buses could be monitored in real-time.

How Does GPS Works in School Bus?

The GPS app notifies parents of their children’s boarding or deboarding status in real-time. Each time the bus driver touches the app to indicate that a certain student has boarded or disembarked, the school incurs no costs other than purchasing web-enabled Android phones for their employees. When the bus is close, parents can get there in time to catch it. They don’t have to rush to the particular site because they already know where it is.

What are the Benefits of GPS Tracking?

Using a GPS tracking device to monitor school buses has numerous advantages for the school and its students. Some of these are:

Using IoT

LBS technology, enabled by M2M communications, or the Internet of Things (IoT), is used to track school buses autonomously. Real-time updates are made possible by combining the device’s hardware and software integrity, which must function flawlessly for the technology to function effectively.

Big Relief to Parents

Having the school bus and GPS tracking system take responsibility for the problem and keep an eye on the students and their wardens informed is a big relief.

Good Management

The vehicle’s speed, the distance traveled, the number of stoppages, and the time taken to complete the voyage are all available to the management. A precise estimate of the costs to execute the activity can then be generated.

Resolving Disputes

This may aid negotiations with the transport provider. Disputes over payments can be resolved using this method because the records are easily available.

Constant Monitoring

High-speed data processing allows for constant visibility of the buses’ location, speed, and progress. Alerts are raised if any deviations from the route, timetable, or stops are not at pre-designated bus stops, based on the parameters agreed upon by the parties.

Improved efficiency is achieved by reducing the time spent on the road by drivers and buses.

Resource Saving

Students go home faster, the school saves money on gasoline, and the buses and drivers spend less time idling.

Scheduled Maintenance

Because of a tracking system that is GPS-enabled, schools will receive reminders when their buses are due for scheduled maintenance. This way, the downtime and costs of breakdowns are minimized, and the school transportation team can correctly schedule replacement school buses when the buses are sent for maintenance.

Good Reputation

When schools provide students with the most excellent, safe, and dependable means of transportation, they improve their standing in the community. The school’s reputation and parents’ trust can be enhanced by an app that manages all aspects of the school’s transportation.

Although many of these benefits may not be immediately apparent, they are essential nonetheless.

How to Choose the Correct GPS Tracking Device for School Buses?

Vehicle GPS monitoring systems come in various configurations and styles today.

However, not all of them may be suitable for a school or of high quality.

Regarding GPS trackers, the quality of the data transmitted to the server and the type of data delivered to the end-users is critical. High-quality GPS trackers are better at transmitting their data to a server and delivering that info to end-users than low-quality GPS trackers.

There are a few factors to remember when selecting GPS tracking equipment for school buses, such as:

• User Requirements
  Your entire fleet of school buses may need to be tracked every time. Keeping tabs on where your students are at all times may be necessary. With the answers to specific questions, you can establish what features a GPS tracker should have to meet your needs.

• Good Managing System
  The GPS tracker must provide a complete service package to meet your requirements from beginning to end if you have many school buses.

• Price
  GPS devices with identical characteristics are widely accessible, but some are more expensive than others. You must ensure that the system’s costs are in line with the benefits it provides.

• Emergency Features
  As a GPS tracker for school buses, an SOS or distress button is essential since it can save lives. A driver can press this button for emergencies to inform the bus’s location and direction. Choosing a GPS tracker with an emergency/panic button is smart in this situation.

• Real-time Monitoring
  Having the capacity to transmit and receive real-time alerts and notifications is essential for a GPS gadget. A real-time alert from this function can save lives and money in an emergency.

• Offline Mode
  When the car is not connected to the internet, the school’s GPS must still be able to keep tabs on it.

• Good Mapping
  High-quality mapping is critical since it allows you to zoom in to street level and offers a variety of views, including satellite, bird’s eye/aerial, and street maps. Maps that are accurate and up-to-date are the result of the good mapping.

 

Conclusion

Due to technological developments and industry growth, bus trackers are getting more affordable and feature-rich. Logistics operations require ongoing monitoring and security since they operate in various environments, including retail, FMCG, courier services, schools, hospitals, emergency services, and the armed forces. Using GPS-powered vehicle monitoring software enhances company solutions for logistics in the most effective way possible.

 

References

• “55,000 Children Kidnapped in 2016 in India: Report | India News – Times of India.” The Times of India, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/55000-children-kidnapped-in-2016-in-india-report/articleshow/64905429.cms. Accessed 5 July 2022.
• Telematics, Onelap. “GPS for School Bus – 5 Reasons Why School Must Invest in GPS.” Onelap Blogs, www.onelap.in, 20 Nov. 2019, https://www.onelap.in/blog/gps-for-school-bus/#:~:text=GPS%20sends%20the%20exact%20location,at%20the%20designated%20stoppage%20point.
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• “Top 8 Key Benefits of School Bus Tracking System – Fedena Blog.” Fedena Blog, fedena.com, 19 Feb. 2020, https://fedena.com/blog/2020/02/top-8-key-benefits-of-school-bus-tracking-system.html.
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