SAFE FLEET BLOG

4 ways mobile video and live GPS tracking can help improve school bus operations.

Over the past 10 years, mobile video and live GPS tracking have quickly become must-have tools for student safety and fleet management. The purchase of  a school bus camera system is a necessary safety precaution, and in some states a mandatory regulation; but live GPS combined with your videooffers additional benefits such as enhanced safety, increased security, and better return on investment. Here are just four ways that video combined with GPS can help improve school bus operations:

1. Act Quickly in Emergency Situations

Knowing what happened in the case of an emergency is essential. GPS data pinpoints the exact location of any bus in your fleet when an accident or potential hijacking occurs. Video will allow you to do a live look-in to see the situation as if you were in the driver’s seat. You no longer need to guess — live GPS tracking and mobile video give you the power to KNOW,as soon as possible. Live GPS data combined with video helps you assess the situationquickly and efficiently.

2. Resolve Parent Concerns More Effectively

With the level of risk in school transportation, video and GPS allow you to know exactly what happened, and get the answers that you need to investigate any situation. Mobile video and live GPS tracking help you answer parent complaints about missed stops, late buses, student behaviour, or any other concerns they might have; they do this by tracking any activity on all of your bus routes. Administrators know if their buses are running late, or if they made the right stops. Live and historical data provides confidence for operators to offer accurate information to worried parents or any other questions that arise.

3. Easily Identify Fleet Inefficiencies

The opportunity to review all activity on your bus offers major benefits. GPS combined with video data can uncover hidden costs that add up over time and drain your operational budget. For example, GPS tracking provides reports on idling and excessive speed, while video shows driver behaviour in more detail. This can then be corrected to increase fuel efficiency and therefore, save money. You can monitor bus location and direction, speed, stops, and any alarm activity to ensure good driving habits, efficient routing, and that driver time sheets are accurate. Small improvements on driver behaviour can have a big impact on fleet efficiency.

4. Provide Peace of Mind for Drivers, Fleet Managers, and Students

Being the first to know about any problems on your fleet can deliver greater peace of mind. Receive live alerts that give you the chance to act quickly to ensure the security and safety of all passengers and drivers. Live GPS tracking combined with mobile video can support drivers by confirming what happened and where. School bus drivers are able to concentrate on driving safely and professionally, without having to worry about false accusations.

Together, live GPS tracking and mobile video provide critical information that any fleet manager should not have to live without. By being able to stay “in-the-know,” the guessing game can be over, and more time can be spent improving productivity, increasing efficiency, and saving money. The power of knowing gives fleet managers the security, safety, and control over any situation or concern that arises on a day-to-day basis.