Litchfield Elementary School District (LESD79) is the first Arizona school district to integrate new advanced technology into 50 of their school buses.
This technology – provided by Transportant and installed by RWC Group of Phoenix, a commercial truck and bus dealership – includes features such as:
- Live cameras for monitoring student behavior, resolving incidents in real time, and reducing incidents overall
- Live audio for managing incidents and providing information/announcements to students
- Dashboards used by drivers to check students on and off the bus, get to know them, manage seating charts, and get turn-by-turn directions (information that’s also useful for substitute drivers)
- Fobs that students use to check in and off the bus, so schools and parents/guardians know where the students are and that they got on and off at the correct locations
- Apps for students and parents to see where buses are, if they will be delayed, and when they will arrive
Prior to upgrading their onboard camera systems, LESD79 used bus cameras that did not allow for real-time incident views and management. In the spring, the district began the upgrade to the most current technology available.
The new cameras will allow transportation supervisors and school administrators to instantly view student behavior while buses are on the go. This technology also allows for precise retrieval of recorded interactions on the bus.
“Having a real-time view enhances driver training and student safety,” said Jennifer Tassin, LESD79 Director of Transportation. “With the previous system, it could take more than a day to get video footage to help guide students and families with incident information. This will allow us to manage student behavior on the bus as in the classroom. We are excited to provide the best bus riding experience for all LESD79 families.”
Transportant technology is now used in more than 2,000 school buses across 14 states and 78 school districts. RWC Group sells buses to schools and installs the technology into new or existing buses used by its current customers. RWC Group also services the equipment and Transportant provides training and support to schools.
“I’ve seen the advent and innovation of bus technology with the rise in student safety incidents over the years,” said Robert Cunningham, President of RWC Group. “This technology is by far the most advanced system for unequipped buses and those with older legacy camera systems that require physical removal of a hard drive or SD card from the bus, and up to three hours to get just 15 seconds of video, which is frustrating. It’s important that all aspects of a solution always work well, to provide consistent connection and confidence that students are safely where they need to be.”
There should never be a gap in the safeguarding of children. Nothing can be done after an incident has already happened. Our phones are smarter than ever; shouldn’t our school buses be too?
For more information about making the school buses in your district smarter, contact Transportant at hello@transportant.com or visit Transportant.com
