District acquires bus tech system

The Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District has adopted a school bus technology system — Bus Guardian developed by the CalAmp company — to help manage the threat of covid-19 among bus riders.

Bus Guardian helps with contact tracing, hygiene verification and driver wellness checks. The software and hardware system enables a school administrator to create instant reports of each student’s bus ridership history. Additionally, the enhanced trip inspection module tracks bus hygiene activities across its fleet.

“We are always looking for the best ways to improve student safety and improve the way we serve our community,” said Barry Hickingbotham, the Jacksonville/North Pulaski district’s transportation director. “We recognize how this technology can keep students safe and improve our transportation efficiency.”

In addition to Bus Guardian, the school district has adopted a school bus tracking app, Here Comes The Bus. The app was developed by CalAmp’s subsidiary, Synovia Solutions, and serves about 300 school districts across North America.

Jacksonville will equip 45 school buses with the fleet-tracking technology. The school district’s bus fleet traveled nearly 2.5 million miles during the past school year.

The school district is also investing in other features and software to improve operating efficiency, according to district leaders. Those include:

■ Time and attendance, which enables drivers to clock-in remotely at their assigned buses and receive real-time updates on their routes throughout the day.

■ Engine diagnostics, which monitors real-time engine and vehicle status as a way to help prevent breakdowns and expensive repairs.

■ Pre- and post-trip inspection,