How To Maximize School Bus Transportation Security?

Welcome to the Internet Age where you can be present in many places at the same time. You can observe events remotely as they unfold and take important decisions without the need for bulky infrastructure. Our smartphones are packed with features that the word ‘phone’ has an entirely different context than they once did. It is impossible to aptly describe the devices that allow us mobility beyond the immediate physical sense.

The defining characteristic of modern technology is the Internet of Things(IoT). IoT involves connecting ordinary devices to a network using an internet connection which enables these devices to communicate in real-time. Cloud-based servers receive, analyze, and transfer data so quickly that it’s possible to react as events unfold and sometimes, even before.

One of the greatest benefits of IoT is how it has made hi-tech security accessible to the masses rather than a privileged few. We now have the means to protect our future, i.e. school-going kids, where they’re most vulnerable; in transit to school and back. School buses, being the most popular means of transport for school kids, make it the hotspot for protective measures to be put in place.  

Yes, you can keep school bus trips safe and secure from everyday dangers like accidents and the larger dangers like hijacking, kidnapping, or bus theft. IoT tech is highly adaptable so when an unforeseen event like a pandemic occurs, safety measures can easily be put in place. Combined with GPS, Cloud technology, and surveillance cameras, even dynamic events as traffic jams or bad roads can be noted in real-time and avoided in favor of quicker, traffic-free routes.

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Although this technology drastically reduces school bus transportation security concerns, it’s nevertheless important for schools, parents, drivers, and students to be vigilant and follow a few simple rules to make school bus security watertight.

Here are a set of rules that each party can follow:

School Bus Safety Practices For School Authorities:

Vet the hired drivers and allow only authorized drivers and assigned vehicles on school premises. 

Track every bus trip in real-time. Get updated about their progress and get notified about any unauthorized changes in trips.

Monitor driver behavior remotely. Cloud-based tracking apps will alert you if drivers speed, break or turn suddenly, attempt to deviate from the chosen route, or try other risky behavior. 

Check whether each child has boarded the correct bus, deboarded at the right spot, and has been collected only by authorized persons. 

Investigate any alert from the panic buttons on these apps immediately. You can connect with the driver and scan for nearby buses to take swift action and keep the children safe.

Share access with parents. Access to their child’s location when traveling will set their minds at ease as they can view the information themselves. 

This is not a one-way process. Parents, drivers, and the students themselves must take steps to ensure their safety. Here are a few school bus safety practices that each can follow.

Click here to know more Safety measures to schools & Parents

School Bus Safety Practices For Parents

Teach your children road safety rules. Help them remember by making them repeat it and follow the rules yourself to lead by example. 

Instruct children to obey the driver’s instructions but ensure that they know never to be alone with the driver or talk about anything unrelated to school.

Explain to them the importance of swiping their ID card when they enter and exit their bus. 

Make sure that they keep a list of phone numbers in their bag always, in case there is an emergency.

Caution them that under no circumstances are they to go with any strangers or any adult who is not authorized by you no matter how familiar the person is.  

Ask them to take the help of the driver in case any of their belongings fall on the bus. They are not to try retrieving the item themselves, especially not in a moving bus.

Inculcate in them the importance of seat belts and see that they go directly to a seat as soon as they get in the bus so as to avoid accidents. 

School Bus Safety Practices For Drivers 

Wait until the bus comes to a complete halt before opening the doors. Once the doors are open, let the children know that it’s now safe to board. 

rive carefully. No speeding, no sudden breaks or turns, and no reckless swerving. No drinking and driving. Any lapse will be met with strict action.

Check the student roster to ensure that your passengers board the correct bus, deboard at the correct stop, and are collected by authorized persons only. After the trip, check for students that may have remained behind.

Sanitize the bus thoroughly and frequently to make it covid-proof. With the pandemic still looming over us, take no risks, and ensure that social distancing rules are followed.

Double-check that you have to stop arms, bus-empty signs, secure seating, first-aid box, and fire extinguishers. Maintain high crash standards and rollover protection features. 

Ensure that the bus is parked in a safe area. Inspect the bus before and after trips in a thorough manner. 

Inform students about safety features so that they are sure of their security and can remain calm and disciplined in event of a negative situation like fire hazards or hijacking.

School Bus Safety Practices For Students

Wait until the bus stops completely before boarding the bus.

Be careful when you climb the steps. Take one step at a time.

Don’t play games at the bus stop. Form a queue and stand quietly until the bus arrives.

Check right and left before you cross the road. 

Swipe your ID card when you enter or exit the bus.

Keep a list of your parents’ mobile number for emergency

Be alert. Press the panic button if you feel you or anyone else is in danger.

These few steps are not enough on their own but when combined with digitization, they can make a world of difference. Maximum school bus security is not so unattainable after all.