We are excited to announce the full rollout of our new Bus Attendance Card system across our Peace River School Division (PRSD) bus routes. This system is designed to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of student transportation for the benefit of all students and drivers.
This new process is now in place and your child's bus driver will be distributing the new cards to all registered students. We expect every student who rides a PRSD bus to have their card by December.
How the New System Works
These ID cards are a crucial part of our updated bus attendance procedure. They contain only the student's name and a system-readable number. Please be assured that no other personal or identifying information is stored on the card itself.
Students will be required to scan their card using the card reader installed on their bus when they get on and off the bus. This simple action allows us to achieve several vital safety and operational goals:
- Increased Driver Focus: By automating attendance, drivers can remain focused on the road and the safe operation of the bus, removing the distraction of manually logging students.
- Enhanced Safety: The system ensures students get on and off at the correct bus stop and school. It will instantly alert the driver if a student attempts to scan in or out at an incorrect stop.
- Support for Spare Drivers: The system provides spare drivers with turn-by-turn directions to every stop and an accurate, automated attendance process. This is particularly helpful when a space driver may not personally know each child.
Your Role and Responsibility
For this system to work effectively and for your child's safety, we need your full cooperation. Parents are responsible for ensuring their students have their Bus Attendance Card every school day.
- Securing the Card: We highly recommend securing the card to a badge reel or lanyard to make it easier for your child to remember and access their card. Please be mindful when choosing how to secure your child's card that the card needs to be held fairly close to the scanner for a successful read.
- Card Ownership and Longevity: These cards are assigned to students from the date they receive them until they no longer require busing. This means students need to keep track of their cards from one school year to the next.
We understand that cards can sometimes be lost or damaged. It is our procedure that the first replacement card will be provided free of charge, and all subsequent replacements will incur a small fee.
We appreciate your partnership in making student transportation as safe and efficient as possible. This new system is a positive step forward for everyone utilizing our school buses. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new Bus Attendance Cards, please do not hesitate to contact the PRSD Transportation office at 780-624-3006.
