Smart kids won't be the only ones heading back to school with the newest gadgets this fall. Some of the country's biggest school bus companies are also loading their fleets with the latest high-tech safety tools.
Nearly 22,000 school buses will be equipped with an array of sophisticated security technology — including Global Positioning Systems (GPS) enabling dispatchers to track the speed and exact location of any bus at anytime. The buses will also be equipped with sensitive alarms that can detect if any children have been left onboard, or if an intruder enters, after a bus is parked.
An electronic hand-held device will make daily pre-trip inspections easier, allowing bus drivers to be more thorough when checking and recording tire pressure, brake lights, and emergency exits before they leave the bus yard each morning to pick up students.
