On Aug. 25 Leander ISD started a new bus system using SMART Tags.

According to Leander ISD’s website, in order to ensure the safety of students, LISD decided on the printing of  SMART tags for each individual student. SMART Tags are a system to monitor where and when students are getting onto and off of buses. It keeps track of any delays and when the buses should arrive at school and home.

“The district has printed a good number of SMART Tags, but not all of them, so they kind of batch print them,” Assistant Principal Tim Cornett said. “Right now we are passing out the ones we have at lunches, and when they print some more, then we will pass those out as well.”

The new SMART tag system will be a quick process once up in running. It will allow parents easy access to track their kids, as well as any delays. 

“Every bus is now GPS monitored, so parents, administrators, and probably students can go onto the dashboard and see where buses are,” Cornett said.

The district searched for ways to make their transportation stronger. Before SMART Tags students would find their bus routes through the LISD website. The district decided on a transition to make things safer and easier, but also save money.

“They ran an audit to try to figure out how they can optimize their routes, how they can save money on fuel on drivers, but also get students to campus on time,” Cornett said. “That’s why we now start at 8:15 p.m. instead of 8:40 p.m. because they had to shift things to optimize their routes.”

Students are feeling in between about SMART Tags. While there are already a good amount of positives and negatives, SMART Tags are still in their trial and error stages. 

“I think it’s a good idea,” junior Anastasia Grygorieva said. “You can see when your bus is going to be showing up. Getting on the bus takes a bit longer though.”

SMART Tags are still continuing to be issued out to students by batches, the full potential of the new system is unknown. Until then, parents are getting signed into the new SMART Tag Parent Portal, which can be found on the LISD website.