The Biggest Challenges inStudent Transportationand What Can Help

Transporting students safely goes far beyond just moving from point A to point B. School bus drivers must navigate unpredictable road conditions, manage student behavior, and always stay alert. The good news is that innovative technology is providing solutions that can make a real difference.

According to Clint Bryer, Vice President of Sales for Student Transportation at Safety Vision and a member of the NASDPTS Steering and Membership Committees, the role of a school bus driver has never been more demanding.

“Most of the world has trouble managing two or three kids at a time, let alone 70 to 80 [on a moving bus],” he explains. Drivers must operate large vehicles while handling student behavior, following safety procedures, and reacting to unexpected events. “And [drivers are not] somebody [students] view as a parent or an authority figure. It's just someone taking them from one place to another, so the level of respect is hard to deal with as a bus driver.”

How Video Evidence Helps Resolve Disputes

When incidents occur on the road or inside the bus, clear video evidence is critical in addressing concerns fairly and preventing unnecessary legal action.

Bryer recalls a recent case where a student fell out of the back door of a moving bus. With video footage in hand, the district was able to review exactly what happened, avoiding a costly legal situation and providing clarity to all parties. “Districts are saving themselves from massive legal costs just by having proof of what really happened,” he emphasizes.

Enhancing Driver Awareness with Better Visibility

A major risk for school bus drivers is the danger zone—the area of five to ten feet around the bus that is difficult to see from the driver’s seat.

“I've seen more and more situations where there are incidents around the danger zone,” Bryer explains. “Mirrors cover as much as they can, and your eyes cover as much as they can, but you're still missing a large percentage of the perimeter of the bus." Small mistakes can lead to serious consequences, such as a student’s backpack getting caught in the door or an unseen pedestrian stepping into the bus’s path.

This is where vision-enhancing tools come in, providing a better view of surroundings without creating additional distractions. These solutions may include built-in mirror monitors that light up during critical moments and AI sensor-based systems that alert drivers to pedestrians and other obstacles they might otherwise not notice.

Turning Data into Actionable Driver Training

Many school districts now use performance tracking to identify areas for improvement. The goal is not to punish drivers but to provide constructive feedback to enhance training programs.

“There are tools out there that can just record the data, and the information can be kept internal and monitored only by the transportation management team,” Bryer explains. “Or you can take it to the next level and begin to score drivers. The technology can detect a wide array of incidents, from not wearing a seat belt or keeping their eyes off the road, to distracted driving, or smoking.”

With customizable scoring and incident tracking, school districts can coach drivers based on actual data rather than assumptions.

Real-Time Support Through Live Look-In

Live look-in technology lets administrators view a bus live as events unfold and communicate directly with the driver or students on-board.

"If a driver presses a panic button or if an unusual event is detected, transportation management can immediately look inside the bus and respond accordingly," says Bryer. "There have been incidents where drivers have lost patience in the middle of their route and start slamming on the brakes, throwing the kids up against the back of the seat. I have heard incidents where they drive as fast as they can over speed bumps and potholes, risking injury to the kids. Those incidents can be alerted back to transportation management and dealt with in real time."

How Safety Vision Can Help

Safety Vision offers innovative tools designed to address key challenges in fleet safety across sectors beyond student transportation. These solutions boost driver awareness, provide real-time support, and enable data-driven training:

• ViewSmart™: Enhances driver visibility with built-in mirror monitors that illuminate blind spots.
• SafeDrive AI: Monitors driver behavior in real time, detecting unsafe actions and providing objective insights for proactive coaching.
• SafetyNet5: Video management software that converts incident data into actionable scores helping transportation teams focus training where it is needed most.
• Live Look-In: Allows administrators to view the bus in real time and communicate directly with drivers during critical moments.

Together, these tools help school districts operate safer, more efficient transportation systems that protect students and support drivers every day.

A Call for Greater Support and Understanding

While technology offers promising solutions, the human element remains essential.

"At the end of the day, we need to show a little grace for these drivers," Bryer says. "If someone has concerns about school bus transportation, a transportation director's favorite response is: throw your hat in the ring. Come drive [a school bus] and see what these drivers deal with firsthand."

As school transportation evolves, investing in the right technology means investing in the safety of students, drivers, and communities. With the right support, school bus drivers can continue doing what they do best: transporting students safely every day.