LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Jefferson County Public Schools introduced new technology designed to help buses stay on schedule and give families more accurate information about where their child's bus is located.
All 880 buses maintained by the district, including the 640 buses that run daily routes, are equipped with new tablets that provide turn-by-turn directions for every route. The tablets also connect directly to a new app that allows families to track their child's bus. The district replaced the third-party Edulog app it used last school year.
"We can keep both hands on the wheel," JCPS bus driver Rashaun Story said Monday. "It talks to us. You can read what it's telling you to do. I love it."
Story has been driving for the district for 13 years and also trains other drivers. He demonstrated the new tablets Monday as he and hundreds of other drivers practiced their routes ahead of Thursday's return to school.
"If a new driver was to get lost, the GPS will put them right back on track," he said.
District leaders told the school board last month that JCPS has about 670 bus drivers on staff, with another 45 candidates in training. That puts the district on track to start the year with more than 700 drivers, a level it hasn't reached since before COVID-19 disrupted school transportation.
Thanks to a higher number of drivers, the district said its goal for the first few days of school is to have the last student off the bus by 6:49 p.m. As routines are established, JCPS said its goal for the rest of the year is to have students home by at least 5:41 p.m.
JCPS said its 485-RIDE line is open now, giving parents a direct resource for questions about bus stops and other transportation issues.
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