School bus tracking solutions help drive safety, cost ... - AT&T

BriefSchool bus tracking solutions helpdrive safety, cost-effectivenessIntroductionSchools officials across the U.S. are faced with the dilemma ofkeeping up with an accelerated pace of technological advances, whileoperating under flat or declining budgets. As technology becomesmore integrated into everyday life, from classroom learning to districtoperations, it is important to find solutions that help to solve realproblems, but yet don’t “break the bank”.One such solution involves school bus transportation. Administratorsand transportation directors work to keep students safe and theirfleets running efficiently. Some districts have saved money by creatingmore efficient transportation organizations, incorporating technologyto improve communications and create operational efficiencies.The ability to know the location of all buses can drive significantproductivity increases for schools. 1 Mobile resource management(MRM) solutions can give administrators greater visibility into thelocation of the buses and help districts create a safer, more costeffectivetransportation system.The vast majority of districts, however, still track their bus fleets byradio, the same way they always have. But spotty coverage, excessivechatter with too many drivers per channel and open access by thepublic are just a few of the problems with radio-based tracking. Evenmore important, dispatchers only know where their buses are whendrivers report their locations.Significant ROIMany districts are using MRM solutions to address these challenges.Industry analysts have found the return on investment for MRMsolutions to be “straightforward and impressive, with customersreporting significant reductions in operating costs, increased employeeproductivity and improved customer relationships.” 2Tracking buses via GPS can improve logistics and minimize costsby accurately reporting bus locations, providing real-time data toallow fast response to breakdowns, accidents and other emergencies.Real-time visibility into vehicle location can help transportationmanagers better plan routes, comply with district policies and savemoney on fuel by reducing unnecessary mileage. MRM solutions letdistricts monitor bus speed, improving passenger safety and driveraccountability and even stay on top of vehicle maintenance.Time tracking gives drivers the ability to remotely clock in and out ofwork shifts, allowing school districts to monitor the time required tocomplete tasks and collect timesheet reports, reducing payroll andinvoice errors.Until fairly recently, MRM systems required custom-designed, dedicatedservers, necessitating enormous up-front capital investments. Today,MRM solutions offer affordable entry points, thanks to the developmentof low-cost GPS-enabled mobile devices that give districts the abilityto monitor and track vehicles from any Internet-capable computer,tablet or smartphone. Monthly subscription pricing of these hostedservices is designed to appeal to even the tightest IT budgets.AT&T can help improve school bus fleet and asset managementefficiencies with low cost, real time vehicle tracking solutions. AT&T’sportfolio includes fleet and asset management solutions that• Track mobile assets and mileage and generate alerts• Monitor the locations and activities of school and campus busesand drivers• Provide advanced mobile workforce management, including GPSbased location tracking, wireless job dispatching, mobile timeclock, geofencing, advanced wireless forms and many othercritical functions

School bus tracking solutions help drive safety, cost-effectiveness_________________________________________________________________________________ 2• Generate real time information about the location and status ofbuses and mobile resources, including safety and security statusand engine diagnostics to help lower maintenance costs andvehicle down-time by identifying vehicle performance issues• Enhance driver safety and meet regulatory compliancerequirements with automatic driver logsIn all, the solutions help school districts do more efficiently andeffectively what they’re already doing manually.Reduced Operating CostsRising fuel and vehicle maintenance prices and ongoing concernfor student safety have led many school districts to introduce MRMsolutions. Integrating automatic vehicle location/GPS technology withdriver scheduling enables school districts to simplify payroll processes,easily exporting driver data to payroll systems and enabling workercompliance with regard to work hours, breaks and overtime.GPS-enabled devices allow dispatchers to know exactly where everybus is, providing near real-time tracking at any time, even duringemergencies. Districts can compare planned routing verses actual anddetermine what time each bus arrived at each bus stop and how long itwas there; they can monitor idle time to help comply with district limitsand provide on-time performance reporting for each school.Districts can receive alerts when a driver exceeds a certain speed,travels outside approved routes or uses a vehicle after hours. Thesolutions help districts ensure driver compliance with policies, improvedriver performance and enhance safety for students and drivers. Theycan improve time management, save fuel by monitoring idling timeand reduce operating costs.School officials understand they can also control fuel costs andminimize the risk of breakdowns by keeping vehicles in prime shape,but many districts have a difficult time keeping up with routine vehiclemaintenance. Telematics technology monitors vehicle performance andhelps officials determine when maintenance is necessary. Monitoringengine speed, oil pressure and coolant temperature can prevent safetyhazards and expensive repairs. Vehicle maintenance, diagnostics andsensor solutions give school districts tools that address the challengesof fleet maintenance, notifying them when vehicles are due for serviceand alerting them when a vehicle has engine trouble.MRM solutions can help districts• Increase safety and security• Cut operating costs• Improve time management• Manage fuel costsPeace of Mind for ParentsMRM solutions also enable districts to provide better customer service.One bus company that transported children with special needsreceived dozens of calls from parents any time a bus was even a fewminutes late. “Many of the students can’t make it to a bus stop or theycan’t be left to wait there,” said Rob Reinhardt, vice president of StationWagon Service, a New Jersey bus company. “We have to pick them upat their front door.”The frequency of parent calls increased dramatically during inclementweather. An AT&T tracking solution provided an effective andinexpensive way for the company to track its buses with a passwordprotectedwebsite that displays the real-time GPS location of everyvehicle. “Instead of contacting the driver, we can go to a web portaland tell parents, ‘they’re taking it slow; I can see that they’re doing30 miles an hour.’ When you have a five-year-old child you want realanswers quickly. You don’t want somebody just guessing where yourchild is,” Reinhardt said. “That helps us immensely.”The solution, which is expected to pay for itself in a year, increasesthe level of safety and security that the company can provide forpassengers. “It’s a big differentiator in our industry to have this device,”he said. “I know that the system works, and I believe that eventually,some kind of tracking system will be mandated in all buses,” he said.“Transporting students to school is a vital service. The more technologyadvances, the better it is for the industry,” Reinhardt said. “We arealways going to be needed, but we have to stay with the times andthat includes using GPS technology.”Why AT&T?AT&T has the network, mobile solutions and expertise to help districtswork faster and more efficiently. Customers trust solutions fromAT&T because of the strong, ongoing relationship AT&T has with itstechnology providers – in addition to certifying devices as compatiblewith its network, AT&T resells the products of best-in-class vendorsunder the “from AT&T” brand. All AT&T MRM solutions ride on AT&T’sintelligent network.AT&T’s School Bus Tracking portfolio and network are making low cost,real-time vehicle tracking a reality. The solutions improve safety andefficiency and can even lengthen the life of fleet vehicles by assistingwith scheduled maintenance. AT&T’s experts can help districts findthe right system, give on-going customer support and provide flexibleleasing options.Notes1. MAXIMIZING ROI WITH MRM: Selecting the Right Mobile ResourceManagement Solution. A Frost & Sullivan White Paper. July, 2008, p.6.2. MAXIMIZING ROI WITH MRM, p.4.• Provide greater accountability for workforces• Drive productivity• Improve customer serviceFor more information contact an AT&T Representative or visit www.att.com/schoolbus.07/12/13 AB-2209-02© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.