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RSU 04 hearing: superintendent backs Bus Right tracking system; parent raises RFID and privacy concerns
Summary
Superintendent Marco said the district switched to the Bus Right platform for consolidated routing, a parent app and optional bus badges, citing a $21,000 cost and no extra hardware fees; a public commenter warned badges may contain RFID chips and create a third-party digital footprint and urged parents to opt out.
Superintendent Marco told the Regional School Unit Number 4 board that the district replaced three prior vendors with the Bus Right platform, saying the system bundles tablets, routing software and a parent app for a total cost of about $21,000 and that replacement hardware and badges carry no additional district charge. He said the badges are intended to improve student safety and that parents may opt out or request that a students name be removed from the badge.
The board was told the district previously paid $20,960.12 for three separate services and selected Bus Right to consolidate services with minimal budget impact. Marco said the parent app has improved real-time communication between the transportation office, drivers and families, while acknowledging cell coverage remains spotty in parts of the district.
During public comment, Andrew Bopre Litchfield, who identified his town as Litchfield, raised cybersecurity and privacy concerns. He asked whether the badges contain RFID and warned that a third-party server could create a lasting digital footprint for children outside of district control. "You're creating a digital footprint for your child outside of the control of the district that will be in existence forever on someone else's server," he said, and stated his children would not wear the badges. Marco and staff encouraged parents to contact the superintendent or Director of Transportation Sheena Jordan with questions and said participation is voluntary.
The superintendent also described safety work with local first responders: he reported attending a select board meeting in Sabata and participating in a reunification drill with police, fire and school principals as part of ongoing safety planning.
The board did not take a policy vote on the badges at this meeting. Next steps are for the district to continue outreach to families and to honor opt-out requests from parents who do not want their children to use the badges.
