Enhances safety for student riders
PSD’s Transportation Department's scan-card system enhances the safety for students who ride the bus.
Here's how the system works:
On the first day of school, elementary schools and middle schools hand out scan cards to students approved to ride the bus. The scan card has the name of the student, and their student ID number. To help kids keep track of them, cards are fastened to elementary students’ backpacks or bags.
High school students are issued a card by the bus operator during the first few days of school.
Buses have been outfitted with scanners like those you see at grocery stores. Students scan their Zum issued RFID cards to board and exit the bus. Using information that appears on a mounted tablet, drivers confirm that a student is on the correct bus to get to their correct bus stop or they will direct the student to where they need to be. If a student loses their card, drivers can search for their name in the new system.
Technological enhancements like this complement PSD’s already safety-focused Transportation Department. Existing features include GPS systems in PSD buses that allow parents to securely track the real-time location of their student’s bus, and get notifications when the bus approaches their students stop. They can sign up for this free service by downloading the Zum app.
The app can be accessed through mobile devices. Information is secure and provided to parents through a private log in that grants access to only their child’s bus information. Learn more about Zum on the Live Bus Updates web page.>>