Lower Merion School Buses to Get GPS Systems This Year

Buses in the Lower Merion School District will be equipped with GPS systems this school year which will allow supervisors to keep an eye on the vehicles and make sure they are running efficiently and safely.

KYW's Brad Segall reports more than 100 district buses are getting a global positioning system where officials will be able to tell at any given time where a bus is located.  The system will give supervisors real-time data on the speed and location of the buses.

Operations Manager Pat Guinnane says the units can verify bus stop times as well as pickup and departure times:

"One of the daily inquiries we get is related to 'where is the bus,' 'the bus didn't pick up my child,' 'the bus is going by too soon,' etc., etc."

Guinnane says the GPS units may also save the district money.  They will be able to track idling time when the bus is parked, but still running.  He says other districts have told them they reduced their fuel costs by cutting down on the time that buses idle.