School buses have long been an integral part of the education system, but many districts have not embraced essential technology for safeguarding their youngest passengers. With the FCC’s ruling to include Wi-Fi on school buses through E-Rate, the time is now to invest in these technologies. Here, we explore how technology can transform the school bus experience making commutes safer and more efficient for students and educational personnel.

Internet Access: Real-Time Insights

With the capabilities of today’s 5G cellular networks, every school bus should have Wi-Fi connectivity. Wi-Fi on school buses will extend students’ learning time to complete homework, do research, and study for exams on their commutes to and from school, sports, and other extracurricular activities.

Wi-Fi on school buses also allows law enforcement and school officials to have real-time situational awareness of what is happening on the bus, thus, enabling remote access to camera footage, expediting issue resolution, and enhancing safety.

Click here to view the FCC's E-Rate for Wi-Fi on School Buses News Release.

Student Ridership Software: Enhanced Accuracy and Peace of Mind

Modern technology allows parents, school administrators, and bus drivers to precisely track a student's boarding and disembarking points daily. This ensures the safety of young riders, reducing the chances of them boarding the wrong bus or getting off at the wrong stop. Additionally, this technology provides swift responses when concerned parents call in, promptly verifying a student's bus usage and location. This information streamlines search efforts in cases where students’ whereabouts are unknown, making reunions with caregivers more likely while saving resources.

GPS Technology: Safely Navigating Routes

GPS technology is indispensable for school bus safety. Equipping buses with GPS enables real-time tracking, offering location data, speed monitoring, stop reports, and geo-fencing. This ensures drivers stay on course and gives peace of mind to drivers, students, parents, and administrators.

Modern Tech: Building Trust and Efficiency

Embracing cost-effective technology builds trust between schools and parents. Parent apps that provide real-time bus location and boarding/deboarding times ease parental concerns. For transportation directors, modern technology streamlines data collection, eliminating outdated and inefficient processes.

Comprehensive Solutions from Premier Wireless

Premier Wireless Business Technology Solutions, Inc. has 30 years of experience in working with school districts nationwide to improve safety. Our ConnectED Bus solution includes:

• Bus Wi-Fi for Cameras and Students: High-speed internet access for real-time camera viewing and extended learning opportunities for students.
• GPS & Turn-by-Turn Directions: Providing real-time positioning for efficient route navigation.
• Student Ridership & Parent App: Offering historical transportation data and real-time peace of mind for parents and administrators.
• Push-to-Talk Cellular Radios: Reliable communication for drivers, dispatchers, administrators, and first responders.

Embracing technology like Wi-Fi on school buses, GPS, and student ridership tracking transforms school buses into safer, more efficient environments. By investing in these safety solutions, we can provide peace of mind for parents, quick responses for administrators, and, most importantly, a safe and secure environment for our students. 

---

About Premier Wireless
Premier Wireless specializes in technology solutions that enable safety, innovation, communication, and transformation to increase efficiencies and minimize costs for organizations in the education, public, non-profit, and private sectors. Premier’s ConnectED Bus Solution is a complete system. It includes routing and recording capabilities, fleet maintenance, Wi-Fi, and a parent app, in addition to many other functions, all tailored to your organization’s unique needs with the ability for expansion.

For more information about Premier Wireless, visit www.premierwireless.com.

To download a printable PDF, click here.