b'First Students Al Chang demonstrates how the Tyler Drive tablet goes to a locked screen that shows minimal information while the bus is in motion. In fact, the Indiana Department of Education told Schoolthe drivers to select defects on the tablet and transmit Transportation News that the current specification callsthe data directly to the garage for follow up. Duskins for the display to go dark while in motion and become liveteam also offers Synovias Here Comes the Bus app to each time the bus stops, but the driver could still receiveparents. They can see the location of their childrens turn-by-turn directions. The state school bus committeebuses in real-time on their smartphone or tablet.is looking at reconsidering the spec to allow the displaysDuskin said these have helped cut down on the num-to be active to accommodate different information inputber of phone calls to the transportation department.for drivers who might have difficulty with oral-only instructions, said Press Secretary Adam Baker. Answers at Your FingertipsWhen it comes to buying tablets, Myers is remainingIn Delaware, Kelly Shahan is using TripSpark to run cautious. He uses Edulog for routing and the OnCom- the Red Clay Consolidated School District transportation mand Connection diagnostic system for his IC Bus fleet,department more efficiently. The fleet is comprised of 100 which he said is a tremendous help to his technicians.district buses and about 40 contractor buses. I am very Weve had six tablets at a time out there on routes, sofortunate to be in a district where administrators recognize were looking before we leap. Our budget can only han- the national driver shortage, she said. Weve been doing dle so much technology. If we make the wrong decision,three-tier routes for a while now, and technology helps us were going to harm rather than help ourselves. provide the level of excellence our students deserve.For Roosevelt Elementary School District in Phoenix,Shahan explained that she can run statistics reports that Transportation Supervisor Kerry Duskin is bringing hisshow district runs are between 92- to 99-percent on time operation into the 21st century one step at a time. Inevery day, because the tablets have time tracking. Its a Arizona, the tablets have to go black when the bus isgame changer, to be empowered with the knowledge of moving, so our [substitute drivers] must have a paperwhere all of our buses have real-time GPS, she added. route sheet. But when I started here three years ago, theyWeve even been able to prove that none of our buses hit had no technology at all. They used Google maps anda car because we know their location every minute.paper for routes, explained Duskin. Getting technologyShahan said she also loves the data for back-up when in place has been a life changing experience for us. Dailyshe has a parent who insists the bus be sent back, or inspections are now done on a tablet. claims that it never arrived. I can tell that parent that the The district uses Zonars Connect tablet, which allowsbus was there on time, sat for 30 seconds and left. They 48School Transportation NewsSEPTEMBER 2019'