VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Starting Monday, parents and students will be able to track on their smartphone when their school bus is getting close, before and after school.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools launched Here Comes the Bus app which can send emails or push alerts to let students or parents know when the bus is getting close to the assigned stop.
Here Comes the Bus also includes customizable features such as English, Spanish or French language preference or bus substitutions alerts.
The app is free to download from the App Store or Google Play.
"We have 630 buses on the road each day transporting 45,000 students across 3,400 routes in the city," said Executive Director of Transportation David Pace. "While we are almost always on time, this app will provide our riders, as well as their parents, real-time tracking information - something which can be particularly helpful during inclement weather."
The school bus tracking is only available for regular education transportation and academy routes. The app might not be accurate when different buses or drivers are covering different routes.
Students are still expected to be at their bus stop 10 minutes before the designated time, regardless of the bus tracking app.
Parents and students should click here to sign up for an account.