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Board approves consent contracts including new bus-routing software; staff says vendor supports GPS/tracking capabilities
Summary
The board approved bundled contract awards in the consent calendar, including a replacement bus-routing software vendor intended to modernize routing and support GPS tracking; staff said the new vendor was selected after the prior routing provider exited the business.
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education approved consent items 6.01 through 6.04 on Jan. 8, including the award of a new bus-routing software contract that district officials said will replace an earlier vendor that is leaving the business.
Superintendent Mark Bedell recommended approval of the consent bundle and the board approved the superintendent’s recommendation by consensus. Bill Heizer, chief operating officer, said the district assembled a cross-departmental team to evaluate routing platforms and prioritized GIS integration and the ability to support GPS tracking and “where’s my bus” features in the future. “We have some urgency around... GPS tracking,” Heizer said.
Board members asked how the new system will work with existing third-party contractors and whether it will enable real-time tracking for families. Heizer said the chosen system has the capability to support GPS tracking and that district staff will deploy features methodically; he emphasized the need to ensure the product is polished before releasing GPS-based parent-facing tools. He also noted the procurement was prompted because the previous routing software company “is no longer going to be in the business.”
Votes at a glance: the motion to authorize award of contracts in consent items 6.01–6.04 passed (8–0).
Ending: Board members expressed support for later implementation of parent-facing tracking features and asked staff to proceed carefully with vendor rollout and contractor coordination.
