The school bus pass is not normally considered by most administration, especially when they have so much to worry about and take responsibility for. However, school bus passes are quite important for their highly simple way of making sure that no student is forgotten during the transportation process and is safely taken to their destination with ease.
When it comes to the side of transportation coordination of school bus passes, it is normally a card which is similar to a regular bus pass but will normally be tied directly with the school in question. It can also be a way for a student to take another bus without causing alarm when they don't get off at their stop. So, what else can you do with a pass?
Keep track of children during the after-school rush
That chaotic time of children trying to get to their right bus, find a seat, and get to their home is a hectic moment for anyone involved. From the transportation coordinator, to the principal, to the teachers and even the drivers themselves, there is a lot of responsibility to take into account for the well-being of each and every child.
Unfortunately, issues can still arise and a child might get on the wrong bus or might become confused and miss their bus. When this happens, a contingency plan will normally be set into action. But, a school bus pass can make the process much easier because the pass can provide vital information on where a child needs to be.
Depending on the school bus pass, there will normally be simple information provided on a card about which bus the child rides, a phone number to a guardian of the child, the child's name, and possibly even an address. This all ensures that the drivers and coordinator can make sure the child gets home and stays safe. No more going through mountains of binders, paperwork, or searching frantically for information--it's all right there on the bus pass.
Organize your information
Another great benefit to the bus pass is that it ensures better organization of information about each child taking the bus to and from school. The information can then be entered into a database in routing software.
All of that information can help with reporting later on with school bus load, finding the most efficient routes possible without having to go through too many different neighborhoods across town, and many other factors which help determine budgeting and the entire school year's worth of school bus routes.
Earn a bit of extra money for transportation
A school bus pass can become more than just a way of keeping track of each student, it can also be a means of generating some extra revenue for the transportation department. Schools are certainly feeling the hurt from budget set-backs and economic struggles, which is why some of them have decided to have parents pay for a school bus pass which ensures benefits to the child.
Whether it is a guaranteed spot on the bus or making sure that the child can indeed take the bus if they normally don't, a school bus pass can be a powerful tool to alleviate the frustrations and pressure of budget cuts. However, charging too much might deter parents from utilizing the bus pass and use other means of transportation, so you need to be careful on how much you charge.
Use the same pass for tracking school attendance
RFID or bar code readers can be installed throughout the schools. This would automate taking attendance and making sure the student's are in their scheduled classes. Some states base their reimbursements on daily counts. Get the most reimbursement possible by making sure your students are in school by reducing truancy.
A school bus pass still has many uses in today's age, all it takes is updating it a little bit and being able to be a bit creative with its implementation.
What do you think? Should bus passes be used in all school districts? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below!