School transportation is something that isn’t spoken about much. Although it may sound like it is something that is just a part of a child’s daily routine, the importance of the system is never given much attention. If a child has to catch their school bus early in the morning, but ends up missing it, then the rest of the day is affected by it, not only for the child but the parents as well. Poor functioning of the school bus has a major impact on families, students, and the environment. On the environment, mainly because, if the child misses his bus, he will be dropped by another vehicle, which does get him to school meanwhile adding to the pollution. Parents send their kids in school buses by trusting the school. So the safety of the children is also one of the main priorities.
Ever since modern technology has become a major part of every industry, there will be many benefits by implementing it while taking safety measures when it comes to the school transportation sector. Here are some ways to modernise the school bus system.
Modernise with a School Bus Tracking System
Parents cannot be around their children all the time. They’ll have their own work to attend to. The only time their children will be away from them is when they are at school. So when the children aren’t under the watch of their parents, it is the responsibility of the school faculty and the management to take proper care of the students. One of the ways to do that is by the school bus tracking system. This service provided by the school ensures the parents about their child’s safety. From the pick up point till the final drop point, the students are the school’s responsibility, and it is a must to keep a close eye on the transportation system.
Given below are some ways that school buses can be modernised in the safety aspect-
- Connected School Buses
- GPS
- Cameras
- RFID
1. Connected School Buses
Advanced sensors are installed in school buses. This tracks the traffic and manages the flow of it. It also has the ability to address specific real-time problems. This system was initially introduced in cars, but implementing this mechanism in school buses can be of major use. This tracking system runs on WiFi, therefore ensuring accurate information, while providing it within seconds. Using this system, a lot of time is saved making the bus reach the final destination much faster.
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2. GPS
This device should be installed in every school bus in order to monitor the driver’s behaviour. This device plays an important role as there is always an eye on the driver. Every school bus should be equipped with GPS devices to take care of sudden situations or emergencies. How? One might ask. The GPS sends the main authority every information; where the bus is, who is driving the bus, etc. So if in case anything happens without prior notice, then the higher authority will be informed even without someone having to call and inform them. Installing the GPS tracking system comes with more benefits.
a) Planned Routes
As the size of the buses are obviously very big, they take a lot of time to go to one stop from another, due to the intense traffic. So if the routes that need to be taken aren’t planned smartly, then a lot of time will be consumed and the students will not reach school on time nor will they return home early. Short routes also promise less chances of meeting with any accidents.
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b) Save Fuel Cost
Well planned short routes also means that the expenditure on fuel will lessen. Even though this has nothing to do with the safety of the students, it still helps the economy and the society by not producing more pollution, the roads are free, and there’s more room for other vehicles to travel.
c) Enhance Driver Safety
The GPS trackers keeps track of the driving. Some drivers tend to drive too harsh in order to reach a point quickly. If this happens, the authorities will know about it and immediate action can be taken.
3. Cameras
Cameras are a MUST in every public transport. Enabling these devices in all types of public transport helps avoid a lot of unfortunate situations. When these cameras are installed in school buses, the children will understand that there has been an eye kept on them, and that way, fights, bullying and quarrels are prevented. With the help of cameras, the children’s and the driver’s behaviour will be under constant watch. If the driver behaves inappropriately, these cameras can be of solid proof of his actions. Some drivers may even just follow the instructions with the knowledge of cameras being operated. Cameras can also be used as hard core eye- witness if in case an accident occurs.
4. RFID
Radio Frequency Identification increases the safety level of the children. It is basically a chip, consisting of the student’s information, such as full name, home address, the name of the school, parent’s contact number, etc. This chip transfers the identification information to a transponder each time the child gets on and off the bus. The information is then sent to the school’s office computers, where the information gets stored and can be viewed anytime if necessary.
Nothing is more important to parents as their child’s safety. Introducing and implementing bus tracking devices into school buses will gain more trust from the parents and will add to the safety of the children. So the school bus tracking system should be installed in every school bus and there needs to be a constant check up on it as well.
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