Challenge
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) started the 23-24 school year off with a massive student transportation issue. Aging technologies, coupled with communication issues and procedural inefficiencies were plaguing the district, leading to student drop-off times of 9:58PM on their first day, and an average of 7:20PM, of its nearly 95,000 students. These issues would lead to some necessary changes for JCPS, appointing (now COO) Dr. Rob Fulk, as the interim COO, and thus having Dr. Fulk inherit the Perfect Storm of transportation issues.
Modernization of their bus fleet technology was a must, but where do you start in a system that had so much to improve upon? Dr. Fulk knew he needed a solution that would allow them to utilize the existing technology systems, brought the ability for more accurate real time locations, and enabled them tap into the camera systems directly to increase their efficiency through multiple means.
Key Elements of the Solution
Technology Flexibility:
Samsara’s device-agnostic approach gave JCPS the ability to integrate the existing systems, allowing for a faster implementation of the pilot program. This enabled Dr. Fulk and JCPS to quickly demonstrate the value of the solution to the stakeholders gartering more buy-in of full fleet adoption.
Real-time Monitoring:
Samsara’s real-time monitoring supplies alerts based on its data collected such as traffic and student incidents, granting access to video feeds and current location data. In the pilot program, Dr. Fulk and JCPS got to see this feature in full swing as one of the buses the pilot devices were deployed on was involved in an accident. The Samsara devices reported the incident in real time, and enabled Dr. Fulk to get real-time information, with video evidence of the situation for review. This moment committed the full buy in of JCPS of the Samsara solution.
Telematics Systems:
Samsara’s GPS and Telematic tools identify route inefficiencies, compile rosters, balance bus loads and monitor on-time performance of student pick-ups/drop-offs.
Data Collection:
Samsara’s platform collects data, such as hard turns or harsh braking, providing valuable insights. Dr, Fulk and JCPS were able to take these insights and directly link them to operational practices like routing and driver errors allowing for quick changes and coachable moments to increase efficiency and additionally buy-in from the stakeholders.
Integration & Support
JCPS partnered with ProLogic ITS to manage the procurement and deployment of the Samsara hardware across their fleet. ProLogic handled the entire process from sourcing the platform, hardware to the installation of devices in each vehicle. The installation was completed efficiently, with ProLogic ensuring minimal disruption to JCPS operations.
ProLogic provided comprehensive support services, including maintenance, troubleshooting, and ongoing technical assistance. This allowed JCPS to benefit from Samsara’s advanced capabilities without the burden of managing the technology internally.
COO Dr. Fulk emphasized how seamlessly ProLogic ITS and Samsara teams worked together with JCPS. “Some vendors have been hesitant to partner with us on this because of just how challenging our history of transportation has been,” Dr. Fulk explained, “but, ProLogic’s willingness to engage in solution design and integration head-on made a huge difference”.
Results
The first day of the 24-25 school year held high stakes for the JCPS Super Independent and Dr. Fulk. Anything less than a good day was unacceptable. With the capabilities of the new systems in place, the JCPS Transportation Team was able to begin averaging vastly improved student drop-off times of 5:45PM after a 4:20PM school release.
With the Samsara solution and the support of ProLogic ITS, JCPS quelled the perfect storm of their transportation issues with plans to expand on the solution and continue the improvements made.
Conclusion
Jefferson County Public Schools’ partnership with ProLogic ITS and the adoption of Samsara’s solution have resulted in transformative changes in student transportation, with both immediate and long-term benefits. Real-time data, efficient routing, and improved driver behavior tracking have enhanced student safety, reduced delays, and provided the district with powerful insights to drive future improvements. The collaboration has proven that even in the face of complex logistical challenges, a dedicated and capable partner can turn things around.
BY THE NUMBERS
- District Size: 95K Students
- Number of Bus Drivers: 550
- Number of Busses in Fleet: 750
- Student Drop-Off Time Improvement: <2 Hours