Bushive Software Revolutionizes How School Bus Contractors Manage Field Trips & Charters

GO Riteway Transportation of Gobles, Michigan has been providing safe and reliable transportation to schools throughout southwestern Michigan and northwestern Indiana with decades of experience.

The company currently transports approximately 3,600 students on a daily basis to 18 school districts.

While the bulk of their business is comprised of home-to-school transportation, GO Riteway also handles a significant number of field trips, athletic trips and other special transportation needs for their school clients. But until recently, coordinating and managing the logistics of those field trips was challenging and time-consuming for the company.

That new system is the busHive software that GO Riteway transitioned to.

How GO Riteway uses busHive

According to GO Riteway General Manager Chris Mastenbrook, their school districts complete trip requests through the busHive platform. The districts enter all relevant trip details including departure times, destinations, number of students and any special requirements.

“The process for the schools requesting trips is very clean. We can see exactly what they need for each trip and can schedule accordingly,” said Mastenbrook.

Once a trip request is submitted through busHive, it arrives in GO Riteway’s system where dispatchers can review the details and assign appropriate drivers and vehicles.

The software automatically takes into account driver hours-of-service requirements and vehicle availability to prevent double-booking and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

For the drivers, busHive provides detailed trip itineraries that include all pertinent information about the trip, including pickup and drop-off locations, times, contact information and special instructions.

“Our drivers really appreciate having all the trip details clearly laid out for them,” Mastenbrook said. “Everything they need to know is right there in the system.”

Benefits of the busHive system

According to GO Riteway Operations Manager Larry Paque, the busHive system has delivered significant benefits for both GO Riteway and the school districts they serve.

Streamlined communication: The integrated platform has eliminated much of the back-and-forth communication that was previously required to coordinate field trips. Schools can submit requests with all necessary details, and GO Riteway can respond with confirmation and scheduling information all within the system.

Improved scheduling accuracy: With automated checks for driver availability and hours-of-service compliance, the system has virtually eliminated scheduling conflicts and double-booking issues. 

Better record keeping: All trip details, including costs, driver assignments and vehicle usage, are automatically tracked and stored in the system for easy reference and reporting. 

Enhanced customer service: Schools have access to real-time updates about their trips and can easily modify requests when needed.

“The schools really like having everything in one place,” said Paque. “They can see the status of their trips and make changes if necessary without having to make phone calls or send emails back and forth.”

Streamlined billing: The system automatically tracks all trip-related costs and generates accurate invoices for school districts.

Driver compliance: busHive helps ensure that all drivers meet hours-of-service requirements and maintains records of driver certifications and training.

Future opportunities

Both Mastenbrook and Paque see opportunities to leverage the busHive platform even further as GO Riteway continues to grow and serve more school districts.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our service and efficiency,” said Mastenbrook. “busHive gives us the tools to do that while maintaining the high safety standards our school districts expect.”

The company is exploring additional features within busHive that could further streamline operations, including enhanced reporting capabilities and additional integration options with their school district partners.

About busHive

busHive has been improving safety and efficiency for years by providing comprehensive software solutions designed specifically for the transportation industry. 

The platform includes features for trip management, driver compliance, vehicle maintenance, billing and reporting – all designed to help transportation providers deliver safe, reliable service while managing their operations more efficiently.

busHive serves both school districts and private transportation contractors, offering flexible solutions that can be customized to meet the unique needs of each organization.

For more information about busHive software solutions, visit www.bushive.com.