Last Reviewed: November 11th, 2024

Best School Bus Routing Software Of 2024

What is School Bus Routing Software?

School Bus Routing Software (SBRS) could be seen as the unsung hero of the K-12 educational system. It's a pragmatic solution designed to optimize school bus routes making daily transportation smart, safe, and efficient. SBRS primarily addresses challenges like route planning, driver assignment, and real-time tracking. By intelligently managing routes, it helps district administrators tackle logistical nightmares, saving time and reducing costs. Key functionalities include route optimization, GPS tracking, and integration with existing school databases. Distinctive emerging features include predictive analytics and proactive notification systems. Notably, school districts, administrators, parents and bus drivers reap the most benefit. However, one can't ignore that the software's success is intrinsically tied to accurate data input, and thus, may struggle with sudden, unaccounted changes. Despite this limitation, the value proposition of SBRS is compelling: it bolsters operational efficiency while enhancing student safety, forming an indispensable tool in modern schooling.

What Are The Key Benefits of School Bus Routing Software?

  • Enhances student safety
  • Promotes operational efficiency
  • Fosters cost savings
  • Simplifies route planning
  • Enables real-time tracking
  • Streamlines driver assignments
  • Supports informed decision-making
  • Improves communication with parents
  • Facilitates regulatory compliance
  • Reduces environmental impact
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Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 46 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best School Bus Routing Software overall:

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Why We Picked Samsara

Samsara has garnered positive feedback for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, making it a popular choice for businesses seeking efficient fleet management solutions. Users appreciate the platform's ease of setup and navigation, allowing them to quickly adapt and utilize its functionalities without extensive training. The software's wide range of features, including GPS tracking, fuel management, and driver safety tools, provides businesses with the necessary tools to optimize their fleet operations and reduce costs. Samsara's customer support has also been commended for its responsiveness and helpfulness in addressing user inquiries and concerns.

Compared to other fleet management software options, Samsara stands out due to its AI-powered insights and real-time data analysis capabilities. The platform's ability to convert data into actionable reports empowers businesses to make informed decisions and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, Samsara's integration with dashboard cameras enhances driver safety and provides valuable footage for incident analysis. While Samsara's pricing may be higher than some competitors, users often find the value and comprehensive features justify the cost, particularly for larger fleets with complex operational needs. The platform's scalability and flexibility make it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

Pros & Cons

  • Tracking and Alerts: Accurate vehicle tracking, route analytics, reporting and proactive maintenance alerts are helpful, according to most reviews on these aspects.
  • Comprehensive Features: About 90% of users who reviewed this pro suggest that it offers all features required to manage fleet operations.
  • Installation: The initial setup is quick and easy, according to all reviews on software installation.
  • Tricky Interface: It is challenging to navigate and use its features, especially for first-time users, according to most reviews about the software interface.
  • Customer Support: According to more than 80% of users who reviewed this con, their technical analysts are slow to respond and aren’t helpful.

Key Features

  • Dash Cams: Captures HD videos with the infrared LED night vision feature. Receive in-cab alerts for distracted driving, tailgating, rolling stops and harsh driving behavior, including crashes, rough turns, acceleration and harsh braking. Execute virtual on-the-road driver training using live video footage. Allows object detection and real-time scene analysis. 
  • Site View: Secure cameras connected with the cloud offer end-to-end visibility into onsite operations. Perform intelligent searches in real time. Notifies for unusual behavior and triggers motion and people alerts. 
  • Vehicle Telematics: Access geofencing and route tracking capabilities with advanced fleet and fuel diagnosis. Automates preventative maintenance and dispatch workflows. 
  • Electric Vehicle: Evaluate EV suitability through fleet electrification reports. Track and monitor plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and get low battery alerts. Provides visibility into charge status, battery charge and fleet’s state-of-charge. 
  • Compliance and ELD: View HOS, duty status records, sensor data and DVIRs and capture and save documents. In-built WiFi hotspots allow cell reception in rural areas. Review and edit driver e-logs on the user dashboard in a few clicks. 
  • Documents and Messaging: Drivers can add and upload notes, capture proof of delivery, electronic signatures and other dispatch details using tablets or smartphones. Access documents and notes to analyze overage claims, damages, shortages and missed deliveries. 
  • Equipment Monitoring: Supports real-time equipment and asset monitoring with KPI dashboards and insights into oilfields and water and wastewater treatment plants. Control and manage valve positions, pump status and setpoints. 
  • Trailer Tracking: Track pinpointed locations of basic, dry van and specialty trailers. Monitor sensitive dispatch items using humidity, temperature, door and cargo sensors and control settings using phones or tablets. 
  • Condition Monitoring: Unified equipment health dashboard provides in-depth insights into crucial equipment across remote locations and plants on a single screen. View machine history and track vibration, power consumption and temperature. 
  • Advanced Alerting: Receive instant voice, SMS and email alerts for machine faults and issues. Access equipment alerts and activity history. 
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Why We Picked Geotab

Geotab is a comprehensive solution that serves businesses of all sizes. According to user reviews, it provides customizable reports to facilitate planning and decision-making. Challenging navigation and slow technical assistance are some downsides of the product. The map feature appears clunky to users. It also lags, especially in weak network signals. The mobile app and tracking abilities are some noteworthy pros of the software.

Pros & Cons

  • Reporting: All reviews on this pro indicate that it offers robust reporting tools with customizable and informative reports that promote better decision making.
  • Tracking Capabilities: According to 100% of users who reviewed this pro, it offers several helpful features for tracking fuel consumption, location and vehicle maintenance schedules.
  • Mobile App: Most users who mentioned this pro said that the mobile app is helpful for accessing information, driver tracking and organizing vehicles.
  • Challenging Navigation: The software can be challenging to navigate, especially during the initial learning phase, according to 85% of users.
  • Customer Support: According to more than 80% of users who reviewed this con, their customer support is slow to respond to calls and chat.
  • Map: About 100% of users who mentioned this con said that the map feature is clunky and hard-to-understand.
  • Lags: Approximately 75% of users said that the software lags sometimes and requires strong internet connectivity to function well.

Key Features

  • Driver Tracking: Offers driver management solutions, including Go Talk in-vehicle driver feedback, safety scorecard and driver ID, ELD, a compliance dashboard, ID and fatigue monitoring and seat belt and speeding violation reports. 
  • Fleet Reporting: Includes advanced reporting capabilities such as driver safety scorecards, speed profile, trips history, advanced risk management, log data and collision custom reports. 
  • Routing and Dispatch: Plan dispatch routes, create vehicle waypoints and stops for pickups and deliveries, and add alerts and monitoring zones with integrated route planning and real-time dispatch. 
  • Asset Tracking: Delivers GPS-enabled real-time asset tracking capabilities, optimizes asset and fleet management and remotely monitors equipment condition. 
  • Fuel Management: Offers real-time audio feedback and buzzer alerts for unwanted driver behavior such as unnecessary idling, harsh braking and overspeeding. Promotes proactive maintenance against engine faults like defective oxygen sensors. Dashboard reports provide a comprehensive view of idling and fuel consumption, including monthly progress comparison reports. 
  • Fleet Maintenance: Prioritize asset and vehicle repairs based on critical engine and operational diagnostic issue insights. Promotes predictive vehicle engine health. Use coaching tools to minimize vehicle and asset wear and tear. Closely monitor engine fault code data to identify engine issues and avoid downtime and repair costs proactively. 
  • Fleet Benchmarking: Fleet administrators can use driving patterns to evaluate and optimize operations. Obtain benchmark recommendations, discover new efficiencies, gaps and saving opportunities and manage driver coaching. 
  • Driver Safety Reporting: Assess safety reports for understanding overall safety score and driver behavior trends. Offers in-depth information on critical fleet metrics such as seat belt usage, backing up and more. Notifies fleet managers through text messages or emails about possible collisions or rule violations and sends advanced collision avoidance prompts. 
  • Driver Coaching: Track and avoid risky driver behavior in real time. Identify drivers who require training. Driver scorecard reports act as a base for gamification programs to recognize and encourage best-performing drivers. 
  • ELD Compliance: Streamlines DVIR inspection workflows, HOS and Driver identification and messaging. Maintains reminder logs for driver punch-in and out and real-time alerts for low HOS. Ensures IFTA compliance. 
  • EV Assessment: Offers EV suitability assessment through considerations like financial analysis to determine cost-savings potential, range assurance to assess performance in extreme weather conditions and environmental benefit evaluation. 
  • Electric Vehicle Fleets: Supports extensive EV model sets and provides custom reports such as fuel and energy usage, EV charging, charge assurance and map to optimize electric fleet performance. 
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Key Features

  • Edge Computing: In edge computing, data is processed at the network's periphery (edge), as close to the source as possible, making it more accurate and precise. Use edge computing and AI to process data and take action quickly. 
  • SmartDrive: Get unprecedented driving performance insights and check if fuel is getting wasted or a driver is driving rashly. Leverage video analysis, predictive analytics and personalized performance programs to prevent collisions and monitor driver behavior. 
  • Route Planning and Optimization: Experiment with new dispatch and routing methodologies and create effective routing plans ensuring safety and speed. Handle complex routes and procure satellite, hybrid and street map views of vehicles. Streamline ongoing and prepare future orders. Accommodate manual orders with a suggest-route algorithm. Calculate the cost for each route plan and avoid paying extra charges. 
  • Converged Data: Compile and store data and devices, giving the team members and customers one place to share information, ensuring safety. Optimize, schedule and execute from a single point. 
  • Omnitracs Drive: Access updated driver workflows and route events to manage trips, send arrival and departure information, and improve driver to back-office communication for better visibility. Share data between on-road devices and back-office. Create, modify and send location-based, contextual workflows categorized by specific stops, locations and customer requirements. 
  • SmartIQ: Reduce costs and increase profit margins by closely monitoring driver performance, optimizing fuel economy. Decrease idling expenses and gain better visibility into fleet operations. 
  • Omnitracs Insight: Access historical records and current views of business performance and enhance logistics by turning raw transportation data into actionable insights. 
  • Predictive Analysis: Enhance predictions via probability-based analytics and identify patterns from telematics data to identify drivers, mitigate future accidents and control costs. 
  • SmartDrive SmartSense: Avoid collisions by understanding root causes using innovative machine learning and identifying risks using purpose-built sensors. Deliver alerts in real time, and avoid short following, distracted driving, unsafe lane departures, speeding in inclement weather and sitting duck driving. 
  • Strategic Planner: Analyze historical records of routes and resource data and modify route plans to optimize sales, service and distribution operations keeping customer requirements in mind. Determine ideal warehouse and distribution center locations and create daily service schedules. 
  • Omnitracs Dispatch: Ensure that the drivers follow the same routes as planned. Track vehicle location and activity using GPS-enabled monitoring, automatically create route plans or add stops manually. Receive real-time updates and keep customers satisfied through modern, intuitive interfaces. 
  • Active Alerts: Update customers by giving them more visibility into the order lifecycle and sending customized alerts. 
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Why We Picked Towbook

Towbook is a cloud-based solution that serves towing and transportation companies with invoicing, impounds, dispatching and related functionalities. According to users who’ve tried this product, their GPS tracker provides inaccurate results occasionally. Software lags and crashes are another con witnessed by users.

Technical assistance is unanimously appreciated, along with its simple user interface. Its customizability is another worthy pro of the tool. In short, businesses looking for a comprehensive dispatch tool that’s easy to learn and offers reliable support assistance can give it a try.

Pros & Cons

  • Technical Assistance: According to all of the users who mentioned customer support, their support assistance is ready-to-assist, prompt and helpful.
  • Usability: According to 100% of users who reviewed this pro, the software is user-friendly and allows multiple user access.
  • Customization: About 90% of users who mentioned this pro said the software allows a broad scope of customization, especially for electronic dispatches.
  • Infrequent Crashes: Halts daily operations due to sudden software crashes, according to 100% of users who mentioned this aspect.
  • GPS Tracker: According to more than 80% of users who reviewed this con, the tracker updates are not always accurate.

Key Features

  • Digital Dispatch and Email Processing: Perform and manage all dispatch functions with a single dashboard in real time. Users can take and assign calls, manage vehicle inventory and track job progress with one click. 
  • GPS Tracking: Enables GPS-powered driver and vehicle tracking on the mobile app. Partnered with several GPS solutions such as U.S. Fleet Tracking, Webfleet solutions, DriverLocate and AT&T Fleet Complete. 
  • Inventory Management: Create records and manage stored vehicle inventory through the Impound manager. Ensures compliance with state letter regulations and offers integration with Auto Data Direct. 
  • App Support: Offers end-to-end device support on Android and iOS devices for easy feature access from any location at all times. 
  • Equipment Inspections: Capture driver check-ins and outs around the clock. Drivers can fill in equipment and asset inspection reports and automatically share them for managerial review. 
  • Data Capture and Management: Allows drivers to update their status, attach geocoded images with calls, use GPS coordinates to update call locations, gather customer signatures and specify payment methods. 
  • Billing and Payment Import: Submit invoices to motor clubs directly from the dashboard for quick payment processing. Turn on the payment import feature to access complete payment information and automatically update the status on receipts. 
  • Accounting Workflow: Advanced accounting tools help manage and categorize billed, paid and unpaid invoices. Generate bulk statements for accounts and share them with customers by mail or emails. 
  • Comprehensive Reporting: Offers detailed insights into company performance, including income and revenue generated within a specified time. Analyze truck and driver volume and view driver commissions on demand. Automatically tracks sales tax and generates annual reports. 
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Why We Picked Verizon Connect

Verizon Connect is a facility management software solution that has garnered positive feedback for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for businesses to navigate and manage their facilities efficiently. Users have also highlighted its seamless integration with other business systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and computer-aided design (CAD) software, which streamlines data flow and enhances operational efficiency. Additionally, Verizon Connect's comprehensive reporting capabilities have been praised, allowing businesses to generate tailored reports based on specific criteria, enabling data analysis and informed decision-making.

However, some users have expressed concerns about the software's cost, considering it to be relatively expensive compared to other facility management solutions available in the market. Additionally, there have been reports of limited support for certain features that some businesses may require. Despite these drawbacks, Verizon Connect remains a popular choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive facility management solution, particularly those with multiple locations or those needing to comply with industry regulations. Its ability to track assets and employees across various sites, coupled with its robust reporting features, makes it an ideal choice for businesses with complex facility management needs.

Pros & Cons

  • Real-Time Tracking: Users appreciate the ability to monitor their fleet in real-time, enhancing operational efficiency and response times for customer service.
  • Route Optimization: The software's route optimization feature is praised for reducing fuel consumption and improving delivery times, which is crucial for businesses aiming to enhance sustainability and customer satisfaction.
  • Maintenance Alerts: Facility managers find the maintenance alert system invaluable for preventing equipment breakdowns, ensuring vehicles are serviced on time, and reducing costly repairs.
  • Customizable Reports: The ability to generate customizable reports helps businesses track performance metrics effectively, aiding in decision-making processes and operational improvements.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Even users with limited technical skills find the platform easy to navigate, making the adoption process smoother for teams.
  • Comprehensive Dashboard: The dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of fleet operations, including vehicle status and driver behavior, allowing for quick assessments and adjustments.
  • Enhanced Safety Features: Features like driver behavior monitoring and speed alerts are highly valued for promoting safer driving practices and reducing the risk of accidents.
  • Scalability: Verizon Connect is suitable for businesses of all sizes, offering scalability that allows companies to expand their fleet management capabilities as they grow.
  • Customer Service: Users report challenges in getting timely and effective support from Verizon Connect's customer service team, leading to frustration and unresolved issues.
  • Technical Issues: Frequent technical problems, such as device malfunctions and software glitches, can disrupt fleet operations and hinder productivity for facility management teams.
  • Cost: Verizon Connect's pricing structure can be complex and expensive, especially for larger fleets or those requiring advanced features, making it a significant investment for facility management budgets.

Key Features

  • Fleet Tracking  
    • Trend Analytics: Use report history to analyze fleet data, support investigations, uncover trends and conclude forecasts. Ensures regular backups and replicates cloud-based data storage. 
    • Integrated Videos: Access harsh driving and accident video footage in real time. Measure event severity to classify and improve driver coaching through unbiased video clips. 
    • HOS: Install hours of service tracking to track authorized driving hours and optimize trip schedules. 
    • Smart Dispatching: Identifies and dispatches the nearest mobile technician with suitable vehicles and skills for jobs. Provides accurate ETAs to customers. Filter dispatches based on distance, tags and attributes. 
    • Asset Tracking: Monitor and handle several equipment types and fully comply with the Association of equipment management professionals (AEMP). 
    • Route History: Replay route history for accurate routes taken on specific days. Gain insights into individual driver behavior and events, including stops, overspeeding and tailgating. 
    • API Integration: Integrates with enterprise solutions, including SAP, through basic web-based APIs like SOAP and REST. 
    • Alerts: Send custom alerts to drivers for harsh braking and idling. Fleet administrators can trigger lower-limit speeding alerts on detecting active vehicle wipers during rains or severe weather conditions. 
    • Custom Maps and Satellite View: Check interactive GIS information like parcel, land grids, sewer and power lines on maps. Receive crucial insights on map locations. Provides satellite imagery with birds eye and streetside views and the latest images. 
    • Asset Search and Utilization: Find tagged groups, locations, drivers and vehicles through the search feature. Automatically updates the map in real time based on searches. Discover equipment and assets yielding better returns to optimize asset utilization. 
    • Collaboration: Offers selective third-party access to view fleet activities. Useful for collaboration during disaster responses, storm recoveries and work order confirmations. 
    • Fuel Card Tracking: Track fuel usage for individual vehicles and fleets. Identifies suspicious entries and frauds through smart algorithms. 
    • Smart Maintenance: Schedule vehicle service alerts for local dealers and in-house service departments to support preventative vehicle maintenance. 
    • Mobile App: Offers live mobile view of assets and vehicles on a map. See route history and vehicle activities, locate drivers and get driver behavior alerts. 
  • Fleet DashCams: Provides a road-facing camera with 720p HD resolution and a driver-facing camera with 120-degree in-cab view and night vision. Captures, classifies and automatically shares video footage of harsh driving. Watch video clips on desktops and mobile devices or download and save them. 
  • Field Service and Scheduling: 
    • Smart Scheduling: The drag-and-drop calendar helps schedule technician appointments using AI-powered suggestions based on location, skill set, experience and availability. 
    • Job Management: Feed and manage customer data and job information such as contact info, address and job type. 
    • Multi-technicians and Visits: Schedule jobs requiring multiple visits or technicians in a few clicks. 
    • Notifications: Notifies about unseen jobs and sends prompt alerts regarding delays. 
    • Technician Status: Access individual worker information, including jobs scheduled for the day and essential details. Get reports on job status, whether complete or in progress. 
    • Proof of Service: Field staff and technicians can capture customer signatures, photos and job notes using the mobile app on Androids, iPhones and iPads. 
    • Customer Notifications: Send service reminders, confirm appointments and share ETAs over text messages or emails. 
    • Ratings and Reviews: Customers can provide ratings and reviews for technicians and jobs. View technician and company performance based on review patterns and insights on the dashboard. 
  • Compliance Management:  
    • ELD: FMCSA-approved ELD connects with the fleet for automated logging. Commercial drivers can access mobile app support at all times. 
    • DVIR: Offers in-depth DVIR for quick and adequate vehicle inspections on the app. Stay on top of maintenance schedules and address vehicle faults with automatic data synchronization. 
    • HOS: Ensures 395.15-compliant e-logs and avoids driver time violations. Track driver fatigue levels, rest breaks and minimize accidents. 
  • Asset Tracking: Offers suitable GPS-enabled asset tracking devices with long battery life and 3G or 4G connectivity. Choose the equipment to monitor and frequency to receive tracking reports. Provides trackers with IP67 protection to survive and operate in harsh environments. 
  • Marketplace: Integrates with various software for accounting, compliance, supply chain, fuel management and vehicle maintenance, such as Trimble, Fleetio, AmeriFuel, FourKites, QuickBooks Online and Whip Around. 
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Why We Picked Linxup

Linxup enables businesses of all sizes and industries to manage their fleet and perform GPS tracking. It has more than 170,000 tracking devices and 45,000 clients worldwide. Several users are unsatisfied with their user support and find it expensive for the capabilities they offer. On the flip side, it has a user-friendly interface with precise driver and fleet tracking features and reporting tools. To sum up, it is a good product for users looking for a solution with a low learning curve, tracking and ELD tools.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy-to-Use: The software has a simple user interface, making it easy for new users to adapt and learn its functions, according to 95% of users who reviewed this pro.
  • Accurate Tracking Capabilities: According to 85% of users who reviewed this pro, its GPS tracking functions are on point as they enable access to all vehicle and employee locations at all times from any site.
  • Reporting: Most users who mentioned this pro said they offer detailed reporting tools with graphical insights within the product.
  • Customer Support: The system offers slow and unresponsive technical support, according to more than 95% of users.
  • Value for Money: According to all of the users who reviewed this con, the software charges higher than its competitors for similar functions.

Key Features

  • Fleet Tracking: Allows GPS-enabled real-time tracking to allocate, edit and divert vehicles matched with suitable drivers. Access tracking information and functions from the user dashboard from any location. Features include geofencing and alerts, performance reports for individual drivers, trouble codes, configurable text alerts and vehicle maintenance management. 
  • Personal Tracking: Track and coach families, especially aging parents and teenagers, to ensure driver safety and security. Monitor real-time locations and driver behavior, including rapid starts, harsh braking and overspeeding. Receive alerts for after-hour vehicle usage. 
  • Vehicle Tracking: Offers tracking tools for trucks, vans, SUVs, RVs, crossovers and sedans. Optimizes delivery schedules and provides insights into fuel consumption. Fleet administrators can monitor driver behavior, create score card-based coaching programs and anticipate delivery delays. 
  • Boat Tracking: Leverage tracking solutions for water transports of all models and sizes, including jet skis, houseboats, lifeboats, trawlers, decks, cabin cruisers, barge containers, games and tug boats. Schedule maintenance updates, monitor unauthorized boat activities and prevent thefts. 
  • Asset and Equipment Tracking: Provides real-time tracking tools for personal vehicles and farm, power, light and electronic equipment. Track rental equipment from pickup point to delivery. 
  • ELD: Eliminates log paperwork with FMCSA-certified compliance. Includes driver-specific information, check-in and check-out data, engine on-off tracking, malfunction alerts and auto-recording for driver duty changes. 
  • Fuel Tax Reporting: Automates IFTA calculations and reporting for individual vehicles and fleets. Integrated with a GPS tracker. View fuel tax due amounts and tax rates in different states. Access several reports, including toll v/s non-toll miles and fuel and mileage tax summaries. 
  • Dispatching and Time Tracking: Reports accurate time worked for each driver. Manage and dispatch jobs and monitor progress using the mobile app. Broadcast text messages or send individual SMSes to workers and drivers. 
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Why We Picked Azuga

Azuga is a cloud-based solution that serves businesses of all sizes. It offers fleet and asset tracking, driver safety and rewards, field service management and dashcams. Faulty hardware devices and long-term contracts are downsides of the tool. Customer assistance is a significant con of the solution as per reviews. Those looking for a user-friendly interface with easy installation and effective tracking and driver management features can give it a try.

Pros & Cons

  • Driver Management: Provides helpful driver management tools, especially safety ratings and creating category thresholds within safety scores is a plus according to most users.
  • GPS & Reporting Features: According to 75% of users who reviewed this pro, their GPS tracker tracks all fleet vehicles and shares insightful reports based on multiple parameters.
  • Simple Navigation and Installation: All users who mentioned this pro said it’s quick and easy to set up and use this system.
  • Hardware Devices: More than 80% of users who mentioned this state that their hardware devices stop working and take a while to replace.
  • Customer Assistance: According to 95% of users who reviewed this con, their technical support is slow, unreliable and lacks follow-up.
  • Contract: About 74% of users who mentioned this con said that their long-term contractual obligation is a downside of the product.

Key Features

  • Fleet Tracking: Offers tracking and comprehensive reporting capabilities for equipment, vehicles and other valuable assets. Suitable for small to enterprise-level businesses. Captures and shares data about real-time locations, calls, diagnostics, ignition, vehicle stops, idling, speeding and braking. 
  • Tracker App: Fleet administrators can supervise driver behavior and vehicle details from any location using the app. Create optimized driver reward programs and perform risk assessments. 
  • Asset Tracking: Provides geofencing to access pinpointed vehicle locations at any time. Supports yard management, detects unauthorized asset or fleet usage and helps recover stolen assets. Leverage in transit alerts to know about equipment movement, entry and exit within a geofenced area, lengthy stops or route changes. 
  • Dash Cam: Provides dash cams with road-facing 155-degree and in-cab 120-degree view in 1080p HD resolution, microphones and speakers with each vehicle. Performs automatic recordings with a driver-activated button for event detection, auto video uploads and downloads and on-demand data retrieval. 
  • ELD Compliance: Includes eDVIR for paperless reporting and eLogs to comply with FMCSA 395 mandate. Receive real-time alerts about drivers reaching HOS limits and eliminate logging errors. 
  • Driver Safety: Ensures driver safety with features such as in-cab alerts, dashcam monitoring and driver-specific training programs. 
  • Field Service Management: Manage field resources with better-coordinated operations. Enables users to track worker, job and vehicle statuses and schedule service orders and dispatch agents. 
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Why We Picked Lytx

Lytx is a comprehensive fleet management platform that leverages video telematics, AI, and machine vision to enhance safety, boost productivity, and provide actionable insights for fleets of all sizes. Users consistently highlight Lytx's effectiveness in reducing accidents and incidents, with the platform's integration with repeat events playing a crucial role in identifying issues and improving driver accountability. The ability to capture video footage for real-time driver coaching and prevention of potentially dangerous situations is a major selling point. However, some users express concerns about the software's price and limited integration with other systems.

Lytx distinguishes itself through its advanced machine vision and AI technology, capable of identifying over 60 risky driving behaviors both inside and outside the vehicle. This technology categorizes and delivers video as comprehensive insights, aiding in tracking and monitoring driver risk. Additionally, Lytx's 24/7 customer support and extensive feature set contribute to its strong reputation. While pricing transparency could be improved, the company's commitment to driver safety and collision prevention through features like real-time alerts and coaching tools is commendable.

Lytx is best suited for businesses prioritizing safety and efficiency in their fleet operations. Its data-driven approach, coupled with AI-powered insights, empowers fleet managers to proactively address risks, improve driver behavior, and optimize routes for fuel savings. Industries such as trucking, waste management, transit, government, and distribution can particularly benefit from Lytx's comprehensive suite of tools.

Pros & Cons

  • Driver Safety: Lytx's DriveCam program helps improve driver safety by identifying risky driving behaviors like speeding or cell phone use, allowing for targeted coaching and improvement. This focus on safety can lead to reduced accidents and lower insurance premiums.
  • Fuel Efficiency: The system can monitor fuel consumption patterns and identify areas for improvement, such as excessive idling or inefficient routing. Optimizing fuel usage can lead to significant cost savings for fleets.
  • Fleet Tracking: Lytx provides real-time GPS tracking, allowing fleet managers to monitor vehicle locations, optimize routes, and improve dispatching efficiency. This enhanced visibility can lead to better customer service and reduced operational costs.
  • Compliance: Lytx assists with compliance with regulations like the ELD mandate by automatically recording Hours of Service (HOS) and providing tools for managing driver logs. This can help fleets avoid costly fines and penalties.
  • Customer Support: Lytx's customer support has received negative feedback, with users reporting long wait times and unhelpful responses.
  • Camera Functionality: Issues with camera functionality, such as blurry footage or failure to capture events, have been reported by some users.
  • False Alerts: The system's AI can generate false alerts, leading to unnecessary distractions and frustration for drivers and fleet managers.

Key Features

  • Fleet Management: Identify drivers matched with the right vehicles through ID badge scanning. Access live stream videos to stay informed about vehicle locations and status in real time. Drivers can mark specific events for management to review later in case of mishappenings. Search video recordings using location and date filters. 
  • Fleet Tracking: Allows GPS-enabled real-time tracking along routes, drivers and vehicles. Access driver’s current location and videos based on the time frames, interest points or addresses from the map. Pinpoint incidents, verify services, track compliance and optimize claim responses. 
  • Fleet Dash Cams: Offers 360-degree view through high-quality video recordings, including rear, cargo, right, left, in-cab and outside view with night vision. Gain access to up to 100 hours of recorded video per device for video evidence. 
  • DOT Compliance: Ensures DOT and ELD compliance and improves CSA scores through automatic process management. Manage DVIRS and HOS. Analyze CSA and audit driver qualification data. 
  • Fleet Safety: Provides AI-powered risk detection with in-cab alerts, remote coaching, driver performance analysis and recognition tools. Includes customizable and end-to-end reporting features for detailed insights and better decision-making. 
  • Integration Network: Offers seamless integration with several tracking, scheduling, maintenance and risk management solutions such as Fleetio, Locus, ETruckbiz, Streamline, GEOTAB, Idelic and Beans. 
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Why We Picked Nextraq

Nextraq is a comprehensive, cloud-based system that covers all aspects of fleet management. Its easy-to-use interface, simple navigation and useful features are some noteworthy offerings. Reporting, GPS tracking and customizability are valuable pros mentioned in user reviews. However, their customer support is lacking and needs improvement.

All in all, it’s a good solution for those looking for vehicle and asset tracking tools for commercial fleets.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: More than 85% of user reviews indicate that its dashboard is intuitive and easy-to-use for most functionalities.
  • Reporting Tools: Approximately 90% of users who reviewed reporting mentioned that it provides insightful, easy-to-read and visually interactive reports.
  • GPS Tracking: The software lets fleet administrators monitor and track their vehicles and drivers from multiple locations, which is a plus according to 85% of users.
  • Customizable: Almost all users who reviewed customization suggest that the software offers several options for fleet tracking, reporting and asset maintenance.
  • Customer Support: The customer assistance team provides unhelpful and slow resolutions, according to more than 75% of users.

Key Features

  • DashCam: Provides in-vehicle cameras that capture wide-angle HD videos with night vision support. Receive real-time accident alerts with GPS location and video recordings for fleet administrators and managers. 
  • Distracted Driving: Eliminates driver distraction by declining access to emails, games, web browsers and texting apps on smartphones or tablets while driving. 
  • Driver Behavior: Increases driver awareness by informing them via beeps while aggressively cornering, hard braking and speeding. Create safety scorecards based on several parameters to accordingly coach and reward behavior. 
Start Price
$16.98
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked IntelliShift

IntelliShift’s end-to-end suite is a good fit for fleet managers that require software with a simple user interface along with intuitive functions and features. Users also get all-time access to actionable insights such as fleet location, fuel consumption, driver safety and vehicle condition, which help make necessary decisions to optimize fleet management. On the other hand, user reviews indicate that it occasionally shows inaccurate locations and ETAs, and it lags while updating information. Running fleet-wide reports is also cumbersome. Despite the drawbacks, it can be a good choice for companies in need of robust TMS software.

Pros & Cons

  • Simple UI: Its straightforward user interface helps even new users learn and navigate through the system with ease, according to 100% of reviews on this feature.
  • Intuitive Functions: All functions of the software are extremely intuitive and easy to set up, as indicated by 100% of users referring to this aspect.
  • Actionable Data Insights: All reviews on this feature reflect that actionable data insights about fuel consumption, vehicle location, driver safety and vehicle condition improve decision-making and operational efficiency.
  • Inaccurate Locations and ETAs: More than 85% of reviews on this element suggest that it shows inaccurate locations and ETAs for fleet and product deliveries.
  • Slow Reporting: Running reports for the entire fleet can be slow sometimes, as indicated by 80% of reviews on the topic.
  • Lags: The software occasionally lags and takes a minute to update information, according to 100% of reviews on this aspect.

Key Features

  • Operations Intelligence: Embedded analytics with operational intelligence drives optimized business performance. Powerful tools connect, analyze and extrapolate actionable data insights for better decisions. 
  • Telematics: Offers end-to-end visibility for asset and fleet management, along with asset tracking capabilities to secure all assets. 
  • Compliance: Provides integrated tools such as a field app to digitally inspect reports and a logbook to ensure federal regulation compliance. 
  • Route Management: AI-based technology for productivity optimization and route management boost optimization on delivery and service, reducing delivery times, fuel usage and disruptions. 
  • Safety Management: Includes operator safety monitoring and scorecards that manage, monitor and coach fleet drivers, resulting in reduced risks across all fleets. Video telematics pairs video recordings with Silent Passenger telematics that give complete visibility at all times. 
  • Maintenance: Provides real-time data about all assets and schedules alerts for repair and routine maintenance that further help minimize disruptions. 
  • Fuel Management: Integrated tools for fuel cards provide precise insights for fuel consumption patterns that uncover saving opportunities and control overall fuel costs. 
  • Customer 360: Delivers CRM capabilities to optimize customer experiences and encourage retention. Helps personalize customer engagement, resulting in improved last-mile deliveries. 

COMPARE THE BEST School Bus Routing Software

Select up to 2 Products from the list below to compare

 
Product
Score
Start Price
Free Trial
Company Size
Deployment
Platform
Logo
$27
Per Vehicle, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$10
Per Vehicle, Monthly
No
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Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Still gathering data
No
Small Medium Large
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Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$49
Monthly
Yes
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Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$20
Per Vehicle, Monthly
No
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Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$14.99
Monthly
Yes
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Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$25
Per Vehicle, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Undisclosed
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$22
Per Unit, Monthly
Yes
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Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$16.98
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

All School Bus Routing Software (46 found)

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Buyer's Guide

School Bus Routing Software Is All About Optimizing Route Management and Child Safety  

School Bus Routing BG Intro

The COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting transportation, business and educational institutes globally. After vaccinations, educational institutes in most parts of the world are fully functional. Others are partially open, offering online education or still contemplating what works best for them. New challenges like social distancing, proper sanitization, driver underemployment or unemployment are causing surges in demand for school bus routing software.

Executive Summary

  • Detailed analysis of the pros of school bus routing software.
  • These solutions can Improvise school start times and routes while tracking and monitoring schedules, students and drivers.
  • They offer automated trip creation and planning for daily trips and outdoor activity days for students.
  • Essential features include attendance management, turn-by-turn directions and map view, data import, quick searches, integrations with GPS tracker and a driver and parent app.

What This Guide Covers:

What Is School Bus Routing Software?

As the name suggests, school bus routing software helps schools and educational institutes perform and optimize their fleet routing and management. Proper supply chain and fleet management software help create efficient routes, reduce vehicle maintenance expenses, and reduce parental concern regarding child safety and security.

School bus routing software helps administrators track, view and maintain information and essential records that facilitate audits. These utilities are boosting the popularity of school bus routing software today.

Primary Benefits

Primary Benefits of School Bus Routing

The key upsides of implementing school bus routing software are:

Easy Data Access

These tools simplify access to data, as you can view, edit and share information in real time. You can quickly search for students and view their complete information, including profile, contact info, route history, schedules and more.

Almost all school bus routing solutions offer data importing. It lets administrators, parents and caregivers instantly import Department of Education files and manage daily or weekly updates in real time.

Reduce Costs

Planned pickups, drops and routing help optimize vehicle and driver utilization. Improved resource management reduces the number of school buses required for transportation.

Eliminating a few buses from your fleet can significantly impact your expenses. Solutions help drivers adhere to pre-defined criteria, such as utilizing one-way roads, roadblocks, turn restrictions, and height or weight travel restrictions for specific routes.

Software can handle maintenance charges, cost of assets, fines and penalties, driver pay or vehicle insurance to raise your profits.

Improve Student Transportation

Creating efficient routes without manual intervention can reduce students' traveling time. Automatic route creation also lowers the overall miles traveled by school buses in your fleet, further reducing expenses.

Handle Audits

Bus routing software retains vital student records, including the history of every student. Managing a clear set of documents helps ensure that the school district gets timely, accurate state reimbursements, saving you from the embarrassment of audit findings. Some software even lets you create custom state audit reports that save time and effort related to manual reporting.

Key Features & Functionality

Generally, software offers varied features and packages. However, most solutions provide the features discussed below. Depending on your requirements, you can also look for advanced features to lead your selection.

Routing and Scheduling

Create optimal routes for better efficiency. Calendar-based schedules help handle extensive data, allow quick trip creation, and edit and plan routes from anywhere. School administrators can plan routes for current and near-future semesters, considering all “what-if” scenarios.

Advanced route planning eliminates challenges such as driver absenteeism and shortages, a grave problem in the U.S. Track student incident problems by date and driver, and print or email reports to parents and school principals.

You can also add features like turn-by-turn directions, live maps and notifications while scheduling routes.

GPS Bus Tracking

Automatic vehicle location features track and monitor all movements and real-time locations of every school bus on the road. Administrators and parents receive end-to-end visibility into student locations through individual RFID tracking cards.

Some solutions offer additional hardware or trackers that integrate with bus and student GPS monitors.

Driver Management

Tool efficiencies promote driver retention and allow school bus drivers to bid on trips. Route administrators and drivers can determine schedules in advance based on factors such as seniority and feedback. Connect all bus trips with payroll software to help streamline payment processes.

Student Schedule Changes

Edit student routing schedules to accommodate one-time or regular changes. Add or remove students on leave and vacation for a specified duration in real time.

Manage Information and Data Analysis

Manage and analyze GPS data for safer and optimal routes. Drivers can access in-vehicle route maps in real time. Filter students by grade, starting day, map zones and school to create customized reports.

View, map, import or export rider pickups, information on students with special needs and group stops for a single destination. Administrators can access data on updated sex offender locations, including built-in proximity stop alerts to improve student safety.

Special Needs Students

Handle and support the needs of students with special needs. Boost special education services through route optimization, shorter on-board times, special needs Medicaid reimbursements and live video tracking using in-vehicle cameras.

Student Data System Integration

Bus routing software offers integration with pre-existing information systems. Integrate with school district student accounting solutions for streamlined data imports. Multiple users can simultaneously view, change and retrieve student and driver information.

Mobile Apps

Dedicated mobile device support on browsers or applications enables administrators, contractors, parents and drivers to easily monitor and communicate essential updates from any location.

Software Comparison Strategy

Be it a student’s curriculum or software-related decision, a good strategy is critical to success. After going through the essential benefits and features list, you should have a fair idea of what to expect from a school bus routing tool. If you are still unsure, discuss with stakeholders and administrators and create a list of requirements.

Next, do your market research and look for bus routing software that fulfills your criteria. Get their pricing, which you can find on their website or by request. While you are at it, make sure to keep an eye out for vendors that offer additional features and integrations.

Schools typically need an ERP solution to streamline their operations and help desk management features too. It’s a good idea to look for a solution that incorporates additional suites or offers customizable seamless integration with systems you currently use. For instance, you can select a vendor that offers time and attendance software, payroll or medical billing solutions for your drivers and teachers.

Lastly, ask for free trial versions, live demos, user reviews and contact information of clients using the solution. Preferably, talk to clients within your industry and those with educational institutes similar to yours. Using these practices will help you understand the features and how well those fit your requirements list.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Pricing is an important aspect of software selection. Create a budget beforehand and check for solutions that fall within that range. It’s fine to exceed this amount if the features are exceptionally useful and serve all your needs. While you are at it, make sure to keep these factors in mind:

  • Whether it’s a stand-alone school bus routing software or a full-fledged fleet management suite with accounting, payroll, driver scheduling and vehicle maintenance functionalities.
  • Type of deployment — On-premise or cloud-based; on-premise solutions charge a higher one-time price than cloud-based tools that charge on an annual or semi-annual basis.
  • Cost of additional support, if any.
  • Charges for on-demand customization and integrations.
  • Any other aspect that suits your line of business.

The Most Popular School Bus Routing Software

Our analyst team conducted in-depth research on the top software in the school bus routing software market. The below solutions outweigh the rest.

SAP Supply Chain

SAP SCM offers two deployment options— on-premise and cloud-based. It optimizes fleet, transportation and supply chains at large. Offering technologies such as predictive analytics and AI, the software helps with strategic planning and data analysis. It enables businesses and educational institutes to track progress using their integrated communication feature. Typical clients include schools, enterprises and businesses in the transportation sector.

SAP Supply Chain

A dashboard view of SAP Supply Chain.

Oracle Cloud SCM

Oracle SCM brings a wide array of applications to the table. It offers integrations depending on operation requirements, including modular or integrated setups. Additionally, it offers tracking capabilities, procurement, planning and logistics support. It helps organizations of all industries and sizes optimize and streamline their value chain.

Oracle Cloud SCM

Detailed production dashboard view.

Epicor SCM

Epicor SCM is a comprehensive suite that includes purchase, inventory, advanced material warehouse, demand and order management and sourcing. It offers visibility throughout the value chain, including bus routing, GPS and real-time tracking insights. It promotes effective coordination between all parts of supply chain operations.

Epicor SCM

Inventory performance and summary by Epicor SCM.

 

 

Questions To Ask Yourself

School Bus Routing Key Questions To Ask

Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:

  • What are your current and future requirements from this tool?
  • What is your budget, and does the software fall within the range?
  • What should be the ideal deployment model for your school, on-premise, cloud or a combination of both?
  • How streamlined or efficient is the new software compared to the one you are currently using?
  • Does the software serve any additional requirements or concerns in addition to school bus routing?
  • Is the cost of the software a good trade-off for its benefits and impact on the community?

Questions To Ask Vendors

Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:

About the Software

  • How disruptive is the new software installation going to be?
  • Do you offer product trials and live demos? Do these come at a charge?
  • What is the scope of customization? How much do you charge for on-demand customization, if available?
  • What other systems does it integrate with?
  • Is it scalable to handle my future needs?
  • Is there a dedicated mobile app for parents, drivers and school authorities/ administrators?
  • Do you offer RBAC (Role-based access control)?

About the Vendor

  • How long have you been serving clients in this field?
  • What customer support do you offer? How much do you charge for additional support annually?
  • What kind of training do you provide?
  • What’s your frequency of releasing software updates? Are the upgrades automatic?
  • What level of training and support do you offer to learn new features?
  • Have you achieved any awards and recognition for your products and services?

To Sum Up

For several decades, school bus routing has been a stressful topic for education institutes and caregivers alike. Software eliminates the challenges involved with manual planning and improves student safety, punctuality and cost-efficiency.

Moreover, it reduces the stress that comes with child safety and security. Hopefully, this buyer's guide helps you make an informed decision and find a suitable solution that does all of that and more.

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Tamoghna Das is a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub, specializing in endpoint security, warehouse management, fleet management and eCommerce. Armed with a Master's degree in Communication (Media Practice) from the University of Hyderabad, he simplifies complex tech topics into engaging content. In his downtime, Tamoghna strums his guitar, explores podcasts on aviation and astronomy, indulges in sitcoms and enjoys quality time with friends and family.
Technical Research By Mohit Hariramani
Senior Analyst
Mohit has a degree and Master in Finance from Mumbai, India, his years of professional market research experience started in 2019. His expertise lies in categories such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing, Inventory Management, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Facility Management Software (FMS), POS Systems (Point of Sale) and more. Through his academic and professional background, he honed skills in attention to detail, navigating ambiguity, and analytical prowess, which uniquely equip him to manage and thrive in the dynamic landscape of these diverse categories. He's passionate about leveraging his knowledge and experience to contribute effectively to the assigned technology areas.
Technical Review By Kankana Kalita
Principal Analyst
A seasoned business and research analyst, Kankana Kalita specializes in ERP, CMMS, manufacturing, construction, supply chain, HRMS and CRM. Prior to joining SelectHub, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering, an MBA in Operations and Marketing, and worked in email marketing and logistics.
Edited By Pooja Verma
Content Editor
Pooja Verma is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub, who writes and edits content for endpoint security, legal, CRM, fundraising software, eCommerce, and mental health software. She earned a literature degree from Miranda House, DU and also holds Master’s in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication in India. In her free time, you can spot her reading a book or binge-watching the latest web series and movies.