PGCPS says 3,839 of 4,507 students are tracking on new Chipmunk app; full lot rollout slated for Oct. 20–24

Prince George's County Public Schools transportation director Kiva Baldwin told the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on Oct. 15 that the district is executing a phased rollout of the Chipmunk parent app and Bus Planner routing system and expects full lot deployment before the end of October.

Baldwin said 8 of 12 bus lots have been implemented and the district is ahead of schedule by about a week. "To date, we've implemented 8 of the 12 bus lots, and we are ahead of schedule by 1 full week," Baldwin said. She reported 3,839 of 4,507 students who ride buses are currently being tracked in the Chipmunk app.

Staff said the final four lots (special education and targeted lots including Goddard, Forestville, Bladensburg and John Hanson) will be deployed the week of Oct. 20 and that the district plans to have all lots using Bus Planner by Oct. 24. Baldwin described daily staff huddles, ongoing trainings for routing teams, drivers and dispatch, and on‑bus demonstrations done with parents in the Laurel and Friendly High School areas to work through issues and collect feedback.

The district has posted a Chipmunk web portal with a how‑to video, a user manual, a published rollout timeline and a Chipmunk chatbot to answer parent questions. Baldwin said the district will send pre‑information emails to parents in the final lots with download links and a 24‑hour reminder before the go‑live date. She also said the district will run a "Phase 1" family survey focused on how families with special education buses experience the app before rolling comprehensive routes into Phase 2, and staff aim to have everyone migrated onto Chipmunk before winter break.

Board members asked how they could help; Baldwin said she would provide information board members could share with constituents. No formal action or vote was recorded.