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Strongsville staff report positive tablet/GPS pilot for buses; board asks for cost‑benefit details
Summary
Transportation staff described a five‑bus pilot of CALAMP tablets that link routing and navigation, improve route consistency and reduce paper; staff presented a five‑year quote (~$230,254.50) and said tablets/GPS would be paid from PI (Fund 3) capital funds. The board requested additional quantification of operational savings and will consider the item at a regular meeting.
Transportation staff presented results of a pilot that installed tablets running a CALAMP navigation/routing interface on five buses. Monica, who led the pilot, said the tablets provide turn‑by‑turn navigation tied to the district’s routing software, can reduce printed route sheets, and improve route consistency and missed‑stop rates for substitute drivers. She said drivers received about 90 minutes of training and that some drivers were initially resistant while others adopted the tablets quickly.
"They were usable," Monica said of the pilot devices, noting route accuracy corrections were needed early on and that the office can push updates that sync to devices in real time. Staff also described ongoing work to streamline student scan‑in so parents receive timely notifications when a child boards.
Steve presented pricing and contract terms: the slide quoted an annual cost shown in the presentation of about $46,508 and a 60‑month (five‑year) commitment totaling roughly $230,254.50; staff said the district would receive 72 tablets for the price of 65 and include scanners and holders at no additional cost. The board was told that GPS services alone previously cost about $30,500 per year and that the tablets bundle both navigation and parent‑notification capability.
Board members asked for a clearer return‑on‑investment analysis that quantifies operational savings (paper, staff time, missed‑stop corrections, field‑trip tracking) and any driver‑recruitment benefits. A board member raised legal context for devices on buses: staff identified Ohio Revised Code 3301‑83‑20, which the meeting summarized as prohibiting bus drivers from using cell phones or portable communication devices while the bus is in motion and students are on board; staff argued a dedicated tablet navigation system reduces driver distraction compared with drivers attempting to use personal phones.
Staff indicated the intent to fund the project from PI capital improvement (Fund 3) rather than operating funds and said they would return to the regular meeting with requested cost‑benefit details and a recommendation for purchase or for pursuing GPS only if tablets are not approved.
Next steps: staff to produce a quantified cost‑benefit analysis and estimated savings, and to present a recommendation at the regular meeting; no procurement decision was made at the work session.
