App helps keep NV buses on time, families informed

Transportation officials with the Nodaway Valley Community School District say a new bus-tracking app is already improving safety and communication for student riders, just months into its use.

Transportation Coordinator Cort Lauer and bus driver Christine Rubio shared early feedback on BusRight during last Wednesday’s regular school board meeting, highlighting how the system connects drivers, school officials and families in real time.

The district began implementing the app earlier this school year to increase oversight of routes, reduce uncertainty for families and provide more consistent information on student transportation — an area where timing, communication and safety are closely tied.

“For the most part, the learning curve has been easy to take on,” Lauer said. “There’s been a few drivers who have struggled with the technology side. We’re not having as much cell service issues we thought we might have with it either, but we’re not losing multiple miles of time.”

Rubio explained that each route bus now has a tablet on board that, through the app, provides turn-by-turn, stop-by-stop, hands-free navigation along the route. She said this is especially helpful for substitute drivers who may be unfamiliar with a particular route. Common sense still has to prevail, she added, when the app does not recognize the difference between a dirt and rock road.

The app also tells drivers exactly how many students should be boarding at each stop, assuming all riders are present.

“All our routes are programmed in here — in most cases I just have to hit start,” Rubio said. “There’s a quick start button. There are a few routes that have some weird things on it. There’s a skip button where if we get somewhere and they’re not there or aren’t riding, we can skip it and the program will route it to the next stop the short way.”

The app has improved the transportation experience for families as well. Parents can view a live map showing the location of their child’s bus and set notifications for when the bus is approaching or has arrived. Rubio said parents appreciate being able to customize those alerts.

“I had parents that I consistently waited on their kids in the morning,” Rubio said. “I don’t have to run late now because they get the notification. If nothing else, the kids are coming down the driveway when I get there.”

A separate dashboard allows Lauer to monitor each bus in real time, including location, whether it is running early, on time or late, and details on specific stops. This has proven especially useful when students miss the bus, as Lauer can review when the bus was scheduled to arrive, when it actually arrived and how long the driver waited.

BusRight also allows Lauer to message parents on specific routes about delays or other announcements.

Board members commented the system could also be handy in adding peace of mind in the event severe weather would strike during bus routes, which has occurred before.

Officials are also exploring using the system for field trips in the future.

“I’m not super comfortable driving downtown Des Moines with the school bus,” Lauer said. “So, it’s kind of nice to know where you’re going [if you’re using this]. It’s awesome for that.”

Early returns, officials said, suggest the system is delivering on its goals — offering more predictability for families, better oversight for the district and added confidence for drivers navigating their routes.