By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

A new technology tool is now being utilized by the New York Mills School District as they recently implemented the new Stopfinder app to help parents see where their children’s bus is located in real-time. The app, which can be downloaded from the App Store and the Google Play Store, is sent through an email to parents who are interested in using the app.

“The parents can track the bus as it goes on the route and they can even set up a geo-alert,” said Transportation Supervisor, Brent Gudmundson. “So when the bus gets close to their bus stop, it will give you a message or your phone will buzz.”

The school has been utilizing the app for the past several weeks with increasing engagement as parents download the app and sign up. Parents have already had positive reactions to the app and being able to watch their students arrive at home safely each day.

“It’s all positive feedback so far,” said Gudmundson. “The parents really like it, they can tell when the bus goes by their house and when their kids get dropped off. Then you can also message off of the app right to the bus garage, so you don’t have to call.

“We can also send out messages to the parents too,” he continued. “If a bus is running late or if it’s a snow day.”

Stopfinder was created by parents for other parents who waited each day for their children to get home from school, watching the driveway to make sure they got home safely. In response to that problem, the real-time bus tracking app shows the bus’ schedule, location, communication to and from the bus garage and notifications for when a student is arriving home.

Parents who are interested in signing up for the app are able to download it through their application store and contact the school at (218) 385-2553 for an email invitation for their bus information.