Pierce County parents will still be able to keep up with their child’s school bus using the BusWhere application.
The school board voted at their regular meeting Monday night to renew the software in the amount of $19,000.
Transportation director Jamie Henderson said the tracking application has been a helpful tool for parents.
Henderson said the system had considered changing to a new transportation software. The new software would have cost more and provided a similar tracking program, but would have also included features like turn-by-turn GPS directions for drivers who might have to fill in and may not be familiar with the route.
The new software raised security and privacy concerns with student information and that led school officials to stay with Bus-Where.
Henderson pointed out BusWhere is currently developing its own GPS program that will address the security and safety concerns.
“It should be ready before the end of the year” he said.
With Monday night’s approval, parents can begin signing up for the app by calling the Transportation Department at 449-2095. The app can be downloaded directly to mobile devices and cell phones. BusWhere will send an email on how to register for the program. The account is secure and is administered by the school’s Transportation Department.
Parents were sent an information and sign up sheet about the new bus program at the beginning of the school year.
Henderson says about 250 parents used the Bus-Where app last year.
The application tracks all Pierce County school buses along their routes.
It allows users to see where their child’s bus is and will send a notification when the bus is approaching each bus stop on the route. There is also an interactive map that shows the location of each bus in real time. The app also gives details on when the bus arrived, how long it remained at the bus stop and when it departed.
