With each passing year, the school transportation industry moves closer to meeting the demands of the largely digital (and automated) world. Modern technology has allowed for historically time-consuming and manual tasks to be reborn with a digitally-focused strategy, and in the midst of an enduring health pandemic, this need has never been more prevalent. In this 4-part blog series, Technology & the New Transportation Environment, TransPar takes a look at the technologies and innovations that kept school transportation safe for its passengers and transportation professionals throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you want to understand how technology is helping school transportation operations across the nation, take a look at TimeClock Plus, whose remote timeclock system is leading the industry with its touchless, biometric, and thermal sensor devices. When we partnered with Bethlehem Area School District (BASD), one of TransPar’s goals was to implement technology that could aid in the safe transport of the district’s students, so we integrated the computerized TimeClock Plus time and attendance system into BASD’s daily routines – and the results far exceeded expectations.

The ability for employees to clock in and out from a mobile app while sitting aboard their vehicle instead of having to enter a driver lounge or breakroom has proved to be a great benefit in promoting social distancing and keeping workers safe. Additionally, the remote system’s ability to scan temperatures at check-in, accurately track labor, and perform contract tracing – all while working from a remote desktop – proved advantageous and rewarding for our client. Implementing a new technology was a challenge in this new transportation environment, but it was an important step in addressing our client’s safety concerns, uncovering ways to operate more efficiently, and monitoring labor costs.     

We introduced this technology to Bethlehem Area School District because we saw the value in its promise. There is an emerging need within the industry to be safer, more accurate, and to rely on the use of data to improve operational efficiency. Building the perfect time and attendance system for your unique transportation operation provides the opportunity to do just that, and TransPar is here to help.

Stay tuned for Part II of our series, “RFID Card Readers & Contact Tracing”.