Since the start of the pandemic, local schools have dealt with numerous challenges, one after the other. One of the biggest challenges in recent months has been getting children to school. After thousands of bus drivers were furloughed, fell ill, or quit, school districts across the country are suffering from a bus driver shortage.
The Need for Route Solutions to the School Bus Driver Shortage
As parents are left wondering how their kids are going to get to school, school districts are scrambling to hire new drivers. Regardless of how many people are willing to get behind the steering wheel, it’s still going to take some time before the shortage is resolved. The current lack of drivers has also caused a secondary problem: route changes.
Less drivers on the road means there are fewer bus routes running. To accommodate this, schools are being forced to figure out new bus routes that can ease the load on their drivers. As a result, there’s never been a more important time for school districts to think about school bus route optimization.
How Bus Route Optimization Software Can Help
Driver shortages have been an issue for school districts for years. However, the shortages have never been as extreme as they are now. In previous years, the solution to school bus driver shortages has been bus efficiency. Doing more with less continues to be the answer, even in this situation.
There are many ways to optimize your bus routes, but none are better than using bus route optimization software. Instead of manually planning out routes, this software helps you build them. This type of application presents all the information you need to easily put together an efficient route that safely transports your students.
Even before the current crisis, school bus route optimization was a growing trend among school districts. It not only acts as a tool to help you find the safest and most efficient ways to transport students, but it also gives your district a complete overview of your bus operations.
Features of Bus Route Optimization Software
The best bus route programs can optimize your school district’s processes and improve the visibility of your assets. For example, Wise Technology’s transportation software has a variety of features to serve every need. These features include:
- Calendar-Based Routing: Optimization software allows you to quickly create, edit, and plan routes. This eliminates inefficiencies in your routes and helps you plan for current and future semesters.
- Driver Management: You have the power to determine who drives what routes from the application. This not only keeps everything organized, but it also encourages driver retention.
- Bus Tracking: By tracking and monitoring the movements of your fleet, you can gain insight into traffic inefficiencies. You can also make sure that routes are being followed according to instruction.
- Route Editing: If a group of students are on a week-long school trip, for example, you can temporarily edit the normal route to avoid empty bus stops.
- Document Updates: Quickly update the documentation on each vehicle.
- Maintenance Tracking: All vehicles need maintenance to stay up and running. With this software, you can easily stay on top of which buses need maintenance or repair.
A Complete Solution for All Your Needs
Wise Technology’s education software helps school districts with all their needs, including bus route management. With four decades of experience, Wise Technology helps the education sector solve various challenges like:
- Consolidating the application submission and admissions process
- Simplifying access to social support for students
- Tracking student discipline and progress
- Data tracking for special education
- Improving the efficiency of work orders
- COVID-19 tracking
When there’s a problem that’s unique to a specific school district, Wise Technology can customize solutions that directly address the issue.
Simplify the Bus Routing Process
At Wise Technology, we work with you to create innovative software solutions that simplify your everyday tasks. If you need to increase the efficiency of your bus routes, let us help. Our logistics software can save your district money and time.
Contact us today to schedule a free demo.
