INDIANAPOLIS – Six school bus supplier companies hosted interactive, hands-on labs during the first in-person Bus Technology Summit at STN EXPO East.
Transfinder reviewed why tracking student ridership is important, how to collect ridership data, and what to do with the data once transportation departments have it. Representatives showcased the company’s suite of products that make up its all-in-one solution and explained how collecting ridership data can help streamline district operations.
Zonar’s lab demonstrated dispatch management and driver time clock management via Zonar Access, student ridership insights through Zonar Z Pass and the MyView Parent App, and school bus inspection processes through EVIR, the company’s electronic verified inspection reporting tool. Attendees used sample tablets to complete EVIR inspections on a bus model with tags indicating mechanical aspects that needed to be verified.
In an age of A.I. excitement, Tyler Technologies showed how its dynamic routing, onboard tablets, and parent communication mobile app can be customized with transportation staff’s knowledgeable insights to suit their district’s unique needs better than AI could on its own.
247Security focused on best practices for integrated video ranging from today into the future and led discussions on what districts are specifically looking for in their onboard bus camera technology, as well as how they need it to work for their operations.
REI examined the importance of durability and reliability in school bus camera equipment so that the information is still captured and protected in the event of a bus fire, crash, or other disasters. Attendees were also invited to share feedback on how they use REI products in their operations.
Safety Vision brought attendees up close and personal with a preview of its new video management software SafetyNET 5, which focuses on enhancing student safety through onboard video integration as well as driver scoring and coaching.
The Bus Technology Summit returns to STN EXPO East in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 21, 2025.
Photos by Ruth Ashmore, Taylor Ekbatani and Claudia Newton.
