BusWhere for Schools: Features
BusWhere offers a comprehensive, state-of-the-art solution for school transportation management. Our system provides an accurate, real-time parent app, map updates, automated substitution when a different bus drives the route, driver/bus planning, GPS navigation, and advanced fleet management tools. By implementing BusWhere, schools can significantly enhance safety, improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase parent satisfaction.
| Features | Details | BusWhere |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | ||
| iOS/Android App for Parents | ∙ Real-time “Uber-style” updates on the map ∙ ETA of the bus at any stop ∙ Automated notification when the bus is getting close |  |
| Push Notifications | ∙ Send messages to parents (app and email) on-demand and on a schedule | |
| Automated Substitution Handling | ∙ Automated assignment of a substitute bus to a route (“SmartAssign”) so parents always get notifications even if a different bus is running the route – unique to BusWhere ∙ Substitution bus planning and parent notification web page for larger fleets | |
| Support for Non-Standard Transportation Days | ∙ Support for delayed start, early dismissal, combined/split routes, and other “out of the routine” scenarios | |
| Security | ∙ Permission-based access for parents who have to be explicitly invited by the school ∙ No storage of or access to student personal information is needed | |
| Live Support | ∙ Setup in an hour, white-glove onboarding with our accounts team. Zero to a fully functioning system in a week. ∙ We pick up the phone when you call, as early as 4am ∙ Support emails for non-urgent cases for tracking and resolution | |
| Maturity | BusWhere has been providing ETAs and real-time route information to parents for more than a decade. You get the benefit of these years of improvements and refinements from millions of data points and feedback from thousands of customers. | |
| Fleet Management | ||
| Whole Fleet Visibility | ∙ Real-time fleet management with full-fleet visibility ∙ Monitor fuel levels, odometer, decoded engine light alerts, and route awareness (i.e. which bus is currently running ∙ which route) | |
| Safety | ∙ Innovative and original driver safety record visualization of 30 days at a glance ∙ Color coded driver reports to flag sudden stops, acceleration or other anomalies | |
| Downloadable logs & reporting | ∙ All data is downloadable, either as raw data or in contextualized reports | |
| Integration With Existing GPS Systems | ∙ BusWhere as an “add-on” to an existing GPS system with no additional cost for setup | |
| Routing | ||
| Route Building | ∙ Built-in drag & drop route planning with file import for routes with known stops ∙ Support for “off-route” stops (parking lots, middle of a field, newer neighborhoods) with ETAs and routing even if Google Maps doesn’t know where it is | |
| Route Optimization | ∙ Automated tools to improve stop placement and learn the route as it is driven | |
| Route Visualization | ∙ Replay the route to interactively visualize planned vs actual routes run | |
| Route Logs | ∙ Detailed route-based logs & reports including arrival and departure times at each stop | |
| Nightly Sync | ∙ Overnight sync integration with routing and student information systems to prevent double-entry with no additional cost for setup | |
| Optional Advanced Features | ||
| Turn-By-Turn Directions | ∙ Turn-by-turn directions for driver (using driver’s mobile app or BusWhere Tablet) | |
| Student Tracking | ∙ RFID-based student tracking ∙ Tablet-based student tracking (requires BusWhere tablet) | |