A Commitment to Student Safety: 20 years and counting  

Like so many leaders in the student transportation industry, Graham began as a driver 20 years ago and evolved into a manager and a leader who’s charged with overseeing the safe transportation of approximately 6,500 students between eight schools and hundreds of special events like sporting events and field trips.  

The transportation department operates a fleet of 58 buses, with 51 regular drivers and an additional three designated for athletic transport.  

The team includes a transportation coordinator who manages scheduling using specialized software, ensuring that both regular and special education students receive timely transportation.  

At the head of this complex machine is Graham, his view never wavering from safety and continuously improving the way his team operates. 

“I’m passionate about safety, and about creating a culture where everyone feels heard and accountable for delivering safe transportation for our students,” he said.  

He recognizes technology is a vital facet of delivering a safe experience, and that efficiency and accountability are becoming increasingly important focus areas of student transportation leaders.  

The department has long relied on GPS tracking from Zonar as well as Transfinder routing, but these technologies did not address the payroll challenge that was increasingly severe.  

“The time we were spending on tracking all of these timecards and fixing all of the mistakes was significant and required rigorous reviews in our department and the payroll department,” Graham said.  

“We were putting a lot of stress on a lot of people to fix the same mistakes every month. It is not that anyone was sloppy or anything like that, it is just a lot of moving pieces between a lot of people.”  

Enter Bytecurve: Task-based timekeeping 

Digitization of a paper process is something many student transportation fleets are familiar with from other parts of the operations.  

From pre- and post-trip inspections to streamlining maintenance management, school bus operations rely on a host of advanced software solutions to drive greater efficiency and accountability into operations.  

While other solutions offer the opportunity to streamline payroll by digitizing paper timesheets, Bytecurve is unique in that it merges GPS Fleet Tracking and routing data to provide real-time verification checks on each punch-in and punch-out.  

That means drivers are paid by the route assigned to them and not just the time they clock in or out. This significant difference means that drivers are unable to add minutes or even hours to timesheets by manipulating when they punch in and out.  

For each driver, this normally translates to just a few minutes per day of live (paid) time versus driving time. But when an entire department multiplies a few minutes per driver per day across an entire week or month, the savings accumulate.  

For Rome, the monthly savings translated to about $30,000 per month, a figure that came as a welcome surprise to Graham after they introduced Bytecurve.  

He sought a better way to streamline a cumbersome and often frustrating process but found approximately $300,000 in savings along the way.  

“We never expected this but were obviously pleased to see we could improve our payroll this much, and our business office team was thrilled,” he said.  

GP Singh, founder and president, Bytecurve, said this sort of savings is typical for many clients. He created the software after experiencing many of the same payroll and dispatch challenges while working in operations for one of the nation’s largest private student transportation contractors.   

“This is a problem I knew first hand from many years trying to manage the complex task of paying drivers across different districts and varying pay rates as well as adhering to union regulations,” Singh said.  

Smarter, More Connected Dispatch = More On Time Arrivals  

The Rome, Georgia school district leverages Bytecurve to streamline and enhance its dispatch operations, particularly through real-time alerts and rapid response capabilities.  

Each school day brings new logistical challenges—drivers calling in sick, unexpected traffic delays, and last-minute route changes. Bytecurve’s real-time alert system plays a critical role in addressing these issues the moment they arise. 

When a driver is late or absent, dispatchers are instantly notified, allowing them to act quickly to find replacements or reroute buses.  

This minimizes disruption and ensures students get to school on time. The platform also helps dispatchers anticipate and react to potential delays before they escalate, reducing parent concerns and improving operational efficiency. 

With Bytecurve, the Rome district can better manage the unpredictability of daily school transportation. The platform gives dispatchers the tools to tackle each morning with confidence, transforming reactive challenges into manageable tasks.  

By integrating real-time data with streamlined workflows, Bytecurve enables Rome’s transportation department to operate more smoothly, safely, and efficiently every day. 

“Bytecurve is the only software solution that bridges the gap between routing and GPS tracking that provides this comprehensive dashboard experience,” Singh said.

“One of our school bus contractor customers described in best when he called our dashboard his team’s command-and-control” system.”  
 

Mobile First: DriveOn App for Instant Task Change Confirmation  

With Bytecurve, the transportation department can automate and enhance communication with drivers through integrated messaging features, ensuring that drivers stay informed and engaged.  

The DriveOn app enhances real-time communication between drivers and dispatchers in the Rome, Georgia school district, creating a more connected and efficient transportation system.  

Through the app, drivers receive instant updates about route changes, student absences, or traffic delays directly on their mobile devices. This eliminates the need for time-consuming radio calls or paper route sheets. 

Dispatchers can quickly send messages or alerts to individual drivers or groups, ensuring everyone has the most current information. If a bus is running late or a substitute driver is needed, communication happens instantly, enabling faster response times.  

The app also allows drivers to confirm task completion, log issues, or request assistance in real time. With DriveOn, Rome’s transportation team operates more cohesively, reducing confusion and improving on-time arrivals and student safety. 

The shift from larger tablets back to more manageable mobile data terminal devices in each bus reflects a commitment to leveraging technology effectively for drivers.  

The ongoing evolution of these systems underscores the department’s dedication to continuous improvement in both operations and employee satisfaction. 

In Summary: A Transformed Operational Environment  

Rome Georgia Public Schools uses Bytecurve to streamline payroll, dispatch, and mobile communication.  

For payroll, the system automates time tracking and ensures accurate driver pay based on actual hours and routes.  

In dispatch, Bytecurve provides real-time alerts for late or missing drivers, enabling quick adjustments and better morning readiness.  

The DriveOn mobile app enhances communication between drivers and dispatchers, delivering instant updates, task confirmations, and issue reporting.  

Together, these tools improve operational efficiency, reduce delays, and support a safer, more responsive transportation system. 

If you are in the market for a school bus driver scheduling software, here’s what to look out for

• The application should feature a user-friendly design to enable administrators, drivers, and parents to understand and navigate the system. It should be cloud-based and be supported by U.S.-based support team who appreciate the unique demanding environment of a school bus fleet.

• The platform should include ongoing and comprehensive training and support for all users to guarantee they’re comfortable with the tool and can use it effectively. Bytecurve features ongoing support from our team of school bus operations experts. 

• The software should be capable of integrating with other related tools like student information systems to guarantee accurate and up-to-date data is being used to create and manage driver schedules. Bytecurve has integrations with all of the major routing and GPS fleet tracking solutions so that virtually any school bus fleet can enjoy the benefits of the transformative technology.