NYC Parents Can Track Their Kids' School Bus Routes This Year

Every day, the New York City Department of Education transports 150,000 students on 9,000 bus routes to and from school. This school year, for the first time, parents can track all 9,000 bus routes on a mobile app and receive information on bus location, student ridership, route changes, and vehicle delays. This is made possible through a NYC Department of Education partnership with Via, according to a press release. “Via for Schools,” an integrated communication platform, will route and track buses and communicate with schools. Any bus that does not have a GPS installed by the first day of school will receive GPS capabilities through GeoTab.

School staff and Department of Education administrators will have web access to the entire transportation system and the ability to share system-wide updates, such as weather issues, with parents, bus drivers, and students. Parents received bus route information two weeks ahead of the school year for the first time ever this summer.

“We’ll have GPS in every bus on the first day of school, and through our partnership with Via, we’ll soon have a state-of-the-art app for families to track buses and get real-time automatic updates,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza in a press release. “We are grateful for the City Council's advocacy, leadership and partnership. Safe and reliable transportation is critical for all families, and we’re committed to getting it right this year.”