Samuel Tsui 1 and Quincy Stokes 2, 1 USA, 2 University of California, USA

This paper addresses the problem of unpredictable school bus arrival times, which often results in missed buses, unnecessary waiting, and safety concerns for students. To solve this issue, we propose a mobile application that provides real-time bus tracking along with student check-in and check-out features. The system is developed using Flutter for the user interface and Firebase services for authentication, data storage, and live GPS synchronization [5]. Its key components include role-based navigation, a real-time database that stores bus and route information, and continuous GPS updates from drivers to ensure accurate tracking. During development, several challenges arose, such as preventing false check-ins and maintaining correct route assignments when students or buses change locations. Experiments were conducted to test estimated arrival time accuracy and the reliability of the automated check-out system, both confirming the importance of accounting for real-world variability in GPS data and network updates [6]. Overall, the results demonstrate that a software-based solution can significantly improve school transportation by enhancing safety, reducing stress from uncertainty, increasing convenience, and strengthening communication between students, parents, and school staff.

Safety, Tracking, Location, School bus