Parents can find peace of mind thanks to a new, citywide NYC School Bus App which allows them to track their child's bus trips in real-time.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks announced the app will provide better service to families and improve accountability, transparency, and performance of bus vendors.
“From the start, our administration has set a new standard for how government uses technology to serve hard-working families,” said Adams. “New York families are busy all day long, and the NYC School Bus App will make their lives a little easier by helping them manage pick-ups and drop-offs right from their home computers or smartphones, while giving them additional comfort as they follow the bus route’s their young children take on their way to and from school.”
The NYC School Bus App — developed in collaboration with Via — is a partnership between bus drivers, families, and schools. For families to utilize the NYC School Bus App, the assigned route driver must be subscribed to the platform. Subscription rates across the city are currently greater than 75 percent.
If a specific route is not available to be tracked during a student’s designated busing hours, parents can reach out to their school bus company to let them know that their driver is not subscribed and request that the driver sign up.
“Every eligible student has a right to transportation service that truly serves them. I’m thrilled to be launching this system for families across the city and to provide peace of mind to parents as they send their babies off to school each day,” said Banks.
In order to access the platform, families will need access to their New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) and have their student’s ID number.
As families and community members provide feedback on the app, the DOE will make updates and add new features, including the expected arrival time of the school bus, information about the time and location where their child is getting on and off the school bus, and notifications about delays.
