AI is all around us and can take many forms. You might be actively using the technology while bouncing ideas off generative AI tools. Or maybe you’re using it passively, when your phone automatically manages battery and silences notifications based on time or location using predictive models.
With how AI has taken over the world, it’s a good idea to hop on the bandwagon and see how you can use AI to improve operations at your school district.
1. Stay Updated With Traffic Data
It’s important for drivers and dispatchers to stay updated about traffic and road conditions. How do you know if there are traffic congestions that can potentially add 8 more minutes to the route?
With the help of school bus GPS tracking and analytics tools, you can get updates on the go about traffic pattern changes. These also include notifications for any road hazards or potential delays.
Additionally, this information can be passed on to parents, which can help the transportation department build positive relationships with them, while reducing the number of incoming phone calls as well.
2. Track Planned vs. Actual Costs
Everyone has a plan at the start of the school year. How well that is followed depends on a lot of external factors, many of which are not in our control.
But it’s still important to know what the miss rate was for planned costs compared to those that were incurred. If your financial tracking platform shows that the actual costs are consistently exceeding your budget, it might be time to figure out more appropriate budget allocations.
3. Ensure Student Safety
Analytics can greatly boost student safety in your school district. Here are a few ways you can leverage data:
- Real-time location tracking: Knowing the exact location of every bus in your fleet can be extremely useful. Whether there’s an emergency, or a bus in your fleet seems to be spending excessive time idling, GPS tracking tools can help you stay on top of every situation.
- Track driving behavior: While you may have invested countless hours in hiring and training the right drivers, it’s important to keep them accountable. Using school bus software solutions that have GPS tracking modules that track speeding, harsh acceleration and braking, and idling can add a lot of value.
Conclusion

Many things are fine as they are. If it ain’t broke, why fix it, right? But, it’s important to keep up with the latest trends. A lot of school districts still use a pen and paper to plan their routes.
As a result, school districts do not have access to a lot of optimization tools. If you’re not using school bus routing software, it might be worthwhile to have a discussion with the person in charge of finances in your district since the cost savings from such tools can greatly outweighs the cost.