One of the primary concerns that many parents in the United States have is the safe transport of their children to and from school. Thus, many of the complaints parents express have to do with the quality of bus transportation, and school districts often are under the gun to make sure that they provide efficient, reliable and safe bus rides for their students. Given these concerns, many school districts are implementing GPS satellite tracking systems with automatic vehicle location hardware so that supervisors can remotely monitor the quality of the service they provide.
Not only are automatic vehicle location systems equipped to watch the driving behaviors of every individual bus driver, but they also monitor the condition of the buses themselves. Supervisors can process reports online and pinpoint exactly where each bus in the fleet is using automatic vehicle location technology at any time of day.
As a result, bus drivers who stray or who are untimely in their arrivals and departures are easier to monitor, supervise and correct. Supervisors are also able to communicate more effectively with drivers through various systems, eliminating the need to go through a centralized dispatch in order to communicate, either in an emergency situation or for a routine exchange of information. This keeps the drivers accountable to their managers, and the whole company more accountable to the children who ride the bus and their parents.
“I think it’s a great idea,” one school board member recently said. “Supervisors can not only make sure that the bus is arriving on time, but whether or not the driver is speeding, slamming on the brakes, weaving and how much fuel is being used. All these aspects of using this kind of technology ultimately save us money. We are able to be more efficient, and our drivers are motivated to be so as well.”
One of the primary benefits that many school boards see in being able to utilize satellite tracking for automatic vehicle location is the increased efficiency that saves money in the long run. This system allows supervisors to see and predict possible engine problems before they happen, and keep up on the maintenance of their fleet long before any mechanical component moves beyond the proverbial point of no return. Moreover, insurance companies view vehicles with satellite tracking devices and automatic vehicle technology as less risky, which means lower premiums and more money saved overall.
Numerous school districts have discovered that the automatic vehicle location capability of GPS satellite tracking increases safety and quality of service. For the latest in automatic vehicle location technology, RASTRAC offers real-time solutions based on state-of-the-art technology, wireless networking, customization and management to support all organization types and sizes.
