Twiggs County School District using new bus tracking app for parents
Parents in the Twiggs County School District now have the ability to get real-time information about their child's bus ride and track their journey from beginning to end thanks to a new app.
TWIGGS COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Parents in the Twiggs County School District now have the ability to get real-time information about their child’s bus ride and track their journey from beginning to end thanks to a new app.
The app provides parents peace of mind. According to Rise’ Jenkins, the principal of Jeffersonville Elementary School, the new system will help everyone from the bus drivers to school staff, and it will also give parents peace of mind.
Parents now have the ability to see when their kids get on and off the bus. The kids can scan their card on the bus, and the bus driver gets a notification. They can even see the profile of the child pop up on the screen.
“They don’t get to see what their child is doing on the bus, but it is some delight knowing that they’re being transported by some of the best drivers in Twiggs County,” Jenkins said. “They’re getting to that school safely. They’re getting off that bus safely.”
Parents, grandparents and anyone who’s connected to a scholar at Jeffersonville Elementary School can download the app.
Earl Waller, the Director of Transportation, says this new app is beneficial as it cuts down on time and allows them to keep track of where the students are. Confidentiality of data is always an important aspect, but this app does not pose a risk, according to Waller.
“All they’re tracking is when the kids scan on and off the school bus,” he said. “The administrators have more access to the data. Overall, the parents just have specific access to data concerning their own child so a data breach is not something they’re concerned about.”
Kwame Bloodworth, the Transportation Coordinator and Dispatcher, says if a student forgets or loses their pass, it will not prevent the student from being able to get on the bus.
“The tablet, which is controlled by the drivers, has a list of students, and the driver is able to manually load and unload that student as if they had a badge,” Bloodworth said.
If students lose their badge, the school has the ability to print new badges for the students. The Twiggs County School District was able to use funds from a safety grant to fund this new program.
