What is SMART tag?
SMART tag is a full-featured system designed to ensure authorized ridership resulting in increased safety and security of students who utilize school bus transportation. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and cloud-connected tablet computers in each school bus provide accurate, near real-time information. Secured Mobility, LLC, a privately-held technology company located in Georgetown, TX, is the developer of SMART tag. Secured Mobility has more than a decade of experience in developing security software and hardware and deploying cloud-hosting infrastructure.
How does SMART tag benefit transportation departments and school administrators?
SMART tag not only provides immediate information regarding which students are on which bus, it also automates a number of reporting functions for transportation department personnel such as state headcount and mileage reports. SMART tag also provides efficient communication between bus drivers and parents.
How does SMART tag benefit drivers?
SMART tag provides a student profile with a photo ID to enable school bus drivers to perform their duties more efficiently and effectively while improving overall safety and security. It also automates seating charts, maintenance requests, and other critical documentation.
How does SMART tag benefit parents?
The SMART Parent Web Portal is designed to enhance communication between the transportation department and the parents of student riders. SMART tag provides parents with improved security and leading-edge technology designed to keep students safe.
What information will the bus driver be able to view when the student swipes his/her card?
The bus driver will be able to view the student’s picture, name, ID number, seat number, school, grade, and bus stop.
Is student information stored on the SMART tag ID?
No personal student information is stored on a SMART tag ID badge, only the student ID number.
Are SMART tag ID badges required to ride the bus?
Yes, in order to foster increased student safety and security as well as to provide a more efficient process of loading and unloading our buses, SMART tag ID badges will be required for all riders. Additionally, in order to minimize the manual review of students who misplace or forget SMART tag ID badges at home or school, those students possessing SMART tag ID badges will be allowed to board the bus first.
Will students be eligible to ride the bus if they lose or forget their SMART tag ID Card? What are the consequences of not having your card to tag in?
If a student does not have their smart tag at the bus, the driver must personally log them in. This is more time consuming than students tagging in, and can delay a route causing anxiety or late buses down the line. This is the reason why those not having their tags are loaded and unloaded last. Manually logging in is time consuming and the compliant students should not be held up.
Who should be contacted if a student loses his/her badge?
Parents can contact the campus to get a new badge issued. If students need a replacement SMART tag ID badge, the campus can fill out the online request form that is on the main Transportation page.
Will students receive a SMART tag ID badge every year?
No, students are required to maintain their Smart Tags from year to year. If a new replacement card is needed, parents may request one by contacting their student's campus.
Can I purchase additional SMART tag ID badges?
At this time we are only providing one card per student.
Do students need to register for transportation services each year now that we have SMART tag?
No, students must be bus eligible for transportation services per the home address. In the event of relocation during the school year, parents will be required to update their address in order for SMART tag to obtain updated bus routes and bus stops.
How will SMART tag determine the correct route/bus for students with multiple and/or alternating destinations?
The driver will be able to manually override the information and add the student to the ridership roster from the student’s SMART tag ID badge. Therefore, the student will only need one SMART tag ID badge. Can students get off at another stop in an emergency situation? Yes, we ask that parents please contact the child’s school directly so that a bus pass can be issued for the student.
Is there a SMART tag parent app available?
Yes, Parents can access an online portal that will let them get text notifications including when the bus is nearby and when their students get on and off the bus.
Are notifications through SMART tag available?
Yes, electronic notifications (text alerts) are available through SMART tag. The parent must be registered for the Parent Portal to receive a notification. There is no cost to parents to utilize the SMART tag Parent Portal. The portal may be accessed directly at https://www.parent.smart-tag.net.
Will parents receive a notification when their child gets on/off the bus?
The parent must be registered for the Parent Portal to receive an alert/notification. SMART tag will deliver an electronic notification (text) approximately 10-15 minutes prior to pick-up and drop-off.
Can parents track their child’s bus?
Parents will be able to track their child’s bus once his/her student swipes his/her SMART tag ID badge upon boarding the bus. Bus activity/tracking will remain active until the child swipes his/her SMART tag ID badge to get off the bus. Please note, parents must be registered to use the Parent Portal to view bus activity.
Can a parent see when his/her child gets on/off the bus?
Yes, the parent can view a student’s ridership activity for the entire school year. If the parent wants to review the daily history, it will take a minute from loading/unloading the bus for SMART tag to update its records due to network connectivity.
Is the information regarding a student’s bus location in real time or is it delayed?
There may be a one-minute delay to process the exchange of information between the SMART tag tablet mounted on each bus and the SMART tag main server.
Can students be tracked anywhere else from their SMART tag ID badge?
No. Tags are programmed with the student identification number only. The RFID tag simply presents the ID number to the SMART tag tablet RFID reader which pulls from the student information associated with the ID number. The badge cannot be read/tracked anywhere else or be read/tracked by any other product.
Will I receive an alert regarding inclement weather, bus accidents other emergency notification through the SMART tag system?
No, the SMART tag system will not provide weather-related or emergency notification. Information regarding inclement weather, bus accidents and other emergency notifications will be provided by the NEISD administration via separate communication.
