CLEVELAND — Cleveland Metropolitan Schools have a new app for parents, guardians, and caregivers to eliminate the guessing game for families of students who use the district transportation.
The Edulog Parent Portal app gives up-to-the-minute access to bus ride location information both to and from school. The app also uses GPS to track the bus's location and sends out a notification when the bus is nearing the bus stop.
"Customer service, that’s what we’re about in transportation, Keeping families informed and keeping their children safe,” said Eric Taylor, executive director of transportation for CMSD.
App users can see the location of their student's bus, set personalized arrival notifications, and get time-sensitive messages from the transportation department which may include alerts about substitute drivers or delays.
“It offers that extra level of security to know they can track their student getting on and off that bus at various points throughout the city,” Taylor said. “We have parents that work who are not able to be out on corners with their students. To know that bus arrived, and your student scanned on that bus, you can imagine the peace of mind that would offer.”
The technology is an enhanced feature of the current bus tracking software. Students swipe a key card when they get on and off the bus, providing real-time tracking of their location. The ID cards also have an added and double as library cards for the Cleveland Public Library system.
“To have that ability to use this card any day of the week, on the weekends, you can scan and use all of the public library resources is a great thing for the kids,” Taylor said.
A grant by the Cleveland Browns Foundation helped pay for covering about $200,000 worth of technology that’s installed on 222 CMSD buses. The app also serves as a safety feature for both parents and the school district, ensuring each child is accounted for.
“When that bus is empty if that driver looks at the tablet and they see two kids, that means one of two things, either a student didn’t san off, or you’ve got someone on the back of the bus,” Taylor said.
