Tracking buses with GPS

By Staff Reports

At first glance, installing GPS tracking devices on every school bus and most Department of Transportation vehicles in South Carolina might seem like unnecessary snooping. But state officials say the devices will pay for themselves in no time.

That's a bold statement. The estimated cost of 12,250 GPS devices is about $4 million.

But once the benefits are explained, the idea becomes more feasible. State officials say that beyond tracking the whereabouts of vehicles, the GPS units also will transmit when drivers speed, excessively idle and accelerate. They estimate that if the devices cut fuel use by just a few gallons of gas a day per bus, they'll pay for themselves within a year.

The GPS trackers also provide a wealth of other useful information. For example, they can record every time a school bus opens its doors, flashes lights and puts out its stop sign. That allows local officials to check if drivers are properly stopping for students and railroad tracks. And, if a bus breaks down, officials can quickly find the closest bus to take over the route.

In regard to the DOT fleet, including road construction vehicles, street sweepers and cars driven by state employees, the GPS units not only can trace locations but also whether a vehicle is having engine problems. Knowing where the vehicles are can help prevent employees from using them for private use or diverting them from their routes.

Saving thousands of gallons of gas a year might not have been such a big deal a few years ago. Now, with gas topping $4 a gallon, it is.

These tracking devices look like a good idea.