Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Alabama SD Reduces School Bus Idle Times with New Software

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 09/25/19

Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) in Alabama recently installed Verizon Connect, a GPS fleet tracking software, that has significantly reduced school bus idling times by almost 80 percent. The new software has also helped the school district track driving behavior and maximize routes.

The upper half of a school bus is shown with the words "School Bus" printed between the headlights.

MPS first installed Verizon Connect on 80 of its white fleet maintenance and security vehicles earlier this year. At the start of the school year, the district installed it on 220 school buses and now all the district’s vehicles are equipped with the software.

“With the software, our idle time has probably gone down 70 to 80 percent from when we started. We’re probably saving anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000 miles a week in travel,” Chad Anderson, executive director of operations at MPS, told School Transportation News. “The technology helped us pinpoint the gut feelings we had and put data behind it.”

Verizon Connect gathers data and gives insight into fleets so that way customers better understand productivity, efficiency and safety. First, hardware is installed on a school bus that will communicate with the software’s application. Once logged into the software, the user can see a live map of all the school buses in their fleet in almost real-time. The software tracks the speed of a school bus, where they are headed, what route they’re on and whether the buses are idling or moving.

The software can also be integrated with another application that can provide location data to parents who want to track their children.

Anderson said the software has helped MPS ensure driver accountability, look at fuel efficiency, and ultimately save money.

“The more efficient school buses are being used, the less wear and tear on the vehicle,” Anderson said to School Transportation News. “The harsher the school buses are being used, or the more frequent use, the more likely they are going to need any sort of repair or maintenance associated with it, again, that’s another cost to the school district.”

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.

  • University of Pittsburgh to Build New Residence Hall

    The Board of Trustees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently approved the construction of a new residence hall for first-year students, according to university news.