LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Parents in Lee County will have a new tool to help track their kids' school bus this fall.
The School District of Lee County announced Tuesday that the "WheresTheBus" App will be available to all students and parents for the 2018-2019 school year. The app allows users to track a specific bus to their stop in the morning and on the way home in the afternoon.
“The Where’s the Bus app puts the power of information right into our students and parents hands,” says Executive Director of Transportation Services Robert Codie. “Using the app can help eliminate questions about when a student’s bus will arrive at their stop by showing exactly where it is. This kind of real time data will assist students getting to school and parents get to work on time in the morning, and home in the afternoon.”
Schools also use the app to track buses to the ramp in the morning and prepare for any last minute arrivals. In the afternoons, school staff can tell when all the buses are at the ramp and ready for loading without having to go outside and then follow them as they deliver students back home.
The app's security features only allow parents and guardians to track their students’ bus.
WheresTheBus was tested in a pilot program in May at Heights Elementary. The school district says parents gave it rave reviews and school staff found it extremely helpful. The success convinced the District to spend just $35,000 a year make the app available to all students and parents.
The budget is set for tentative approval July 31st and final approval in September.
