Transportation supervisor outlines routing overhaul, stop-arm cameras and parent app

Chris Peters, the district transportation supervisor, told the board the department recorded “150,000 rides to school, 500 athletic trips, 200,000 miles driven, and over 20,000 gallons of fuel” last year and described steps to modernize operations.

“"My name is Chris Peters. I'm the transportation supervisor."” Peters said and walked directors through three major changes: upgrading routing software to Tyler Technologies’ Traversa advanced platform, launching a parent-facing app to show live bus ETAs and loading/unloading events, and a bus camera retrofit including stop-arm cameras on route buses. He said the district piloted the app in spring and about 150 families have signed up in preparation for a rollout.

Peters described staffing shifts and recruiting challenges, including retiring drivers and reliance on neighboring districts for trainer support. He said the district has added a full-time trip driver and a van driver to add flexibility. On safety, he reported the district tallied more than 1,000 vehicles passing stopped buses during the past year and cited an ODE count showing 23 passers on a single sample day in May.

Board members pressed Peters about enforcement and return on investment. Peters said video is recorded to hard drives with a planned wireless upload capability and that the district will coordinate with local law enforcement about possible citation procedures. He agreed to provide follow-up details about reporting cadence and cost associations so the board can evaluate ROI for routing software and app subscriptions.