Board approves Transfinder routing package; consultant urged GPS and field‑trip software

EDCOUCH‑ELSA ISD trustees voted Monday to purchase the Transfinder routing and GPS package to modernize the district’s bus operations after hearing a detailed presentation from Pedro Gonzalez, a Region 1 transportation consultant.

Gonzalez told the board the district lacks GPS on its buses, is using an outdated district map (last updated in 2013) and is missing formal routing and field‑trip software that would improve efficiency and state reporting. He said GPS provides live vehicle location, historical breadcrumbs, speed and stop records and can detect when a bus’s parking brake is engaged or when loading lights are activated — features he called important for safety and attendance tracking.

At the procurement discussion later in the meeting, staff presented two cooperative‑purchase options. Tailored Technologies offered a package with GPS and tablets quoted at $168,751 and an option without tablets (figures referenced in the presentation); Transfinder was presented at $76,932. Board members asked how essential driver tablets are; staff replied the software can work from the office without tablets but tablets ease in‑route changes and driver communication. Trustees approved the Transfinder procurement by voice vote.

Administrators and the board said staff will return with vendor contract details, final pricing and an implementation timeline. Trustees also discussed updating route maps and reducing the labor and fuel costs associated with manually performing turn‑by‑turn route descriptions.

The board directed staff to provide detailed cost breakdowns and recommended next steps for GPS installation, tablet procurement and phased rollout.