With Bushive, Hilliard City Schools Finds a User-Friendly Field Trip Solution

Managing field trips for a large school district requires juggling multiple priorities: ensuring student safety, maintaining fair driver rotation, tracking costs, and coordinating with numerous school staff members. The larger the district, the more complex these challenges become.

Hilliard City Schools in Ohio knows this reality well. With over 16,600 students across 32 schools and a fleet of 158 buses, the district manages over 2,000 trips per school year. For many years, Transportation Supervisor Christy Wilson and her team handled this substantial workload using a manual system that had become increasingly cumbersome.

The decision to switch to busHive’s digital field trip management platform has transformed how Hilliard manages its extensive trip schedule. The results have been significant: improved efficiency, better communication, enhanced driver satisfaction, and streamlined financial processes.

“busHive has made our job so much easier,” Wilson says. “Everything is more organized and efficient now.”

Fleet Facts: Hilliard City Schools

• Students: 16,642
• School buses: 158
• Drivers: Approximately 160
• Schools: 22 traditional + 10 choice schools
• Field trips per year: 2,000+

PROBLEM: Manual System Struggles with Scale

Hilliard City Schools had been managing field trips manually for many years. While this approach worked when the district was smaller, the system struggled to keep pace as the district grew and trip volume increased.

The manual process created several significant challenges:

Driver tracking complications: Managing driver rotation fairly across more than 160 drivers was a complex task. The manual system made it difficult to track which drivers had received which assignments, leading to potential inequities and administrative headaches.

Wilson identified three specific problems with the old driver tracking system:

• Difficulty ensuring fair rotation among a large driver pool
• Time-consuming manual record-keeping to track driver assignments
• Challenges in quickly identifying available drivers for last-minute trips

Communication inefficiencies: Coordinating trips involved numerous phone calls and paper-based communications between the transportation office, schools, and drivers. This created opportunities for miscommunication and required significant administrative time.

Financial tracking challenges: With over 2,000 trips annually, tracking costs and generating accurate invoices for schools was a substantial undertaking. The manual approach made it difficult to provide timely, detailed financial reporting

SOLUTION: Comprehensive Digital Platform

After evaluating options, Hilliard chose busHive for its comprehensive feature set and user-friendly design. The district started with summer trips and then went full-scale for field trips the following school year.

busHive provided the digital tools needed to address all of Hilliard’s challenges:

Automated driver management: The system handles driver rotation automatically based on customizable rules, ensuring fair distribution while reducing administrative burden.

Streamlined communication: Electronic trip requests, automated notifications, and digital itineraries eliminate much of the phone-based coordination that previously characterized the process.

Integrated financial tracking: Trip costs are calculated automatically, and professional invoices can be generated and distributed electronically.

Comprehensive reporting: The platform provides detailed analytics on trip activity, driver utilization, costs, and other key metrics.

User-friendly interface: The intuitive design makes it easy for transportation staff, school personnel, and drivers to use the system effectively.

The phased implementation approach allowed Hilliard to test the system thoroughly before full deployment, ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders.

BENEFITS: Substantial Improvements Across Multiple Areas

Since implementing busHive, Hilliard City Schools has experienced significant improvements in field trip management efficiency and effectiveness.

Enhanced Driver Management

One of the most significant improvements has been in driver management. The automated rotation system has eliminated the complexities of manual driver tracking while ensuring fair assignment distribution.

busHive’s advantages in driver management include:

• Automatic rotation that ensures equity among all drivers
• Easy identification of available drivers for trip assignments
• Transparent system that drivers can access to see their assignment history

“The driver rotation feature has been a game-changer,” Wilson explains. “Drivers can see that assignments are being distributed fairly, and we’re not spending hours trying to track who should get the next trip.”

Streamlined Financial Processes

The integrated financial tracking capabilities have dramatically improved Hilliard’s billing processes. Trip costs are calculated automatically based on factors such as distance, time, and driver rates.

The system generates professional invoices that can be customized with district branding and sent electronically to schools. This has improved cash flow by reducing the time between trip completion and invoice delivery.

“The invoicing feature saves us so much time,” Wilson notes. “We used to spend hours calculating costs and creating invoices manually. Now it’s all done automatically.”

Improved Communication and Coordination

Electronic trip requests have eliminated much of the phone-based coordination that previously characterized the field trip process. Schools can submit detailed requests through the online portal, ensuring all necessary information is captured upfront.

Drivers receive detailed electronic itineraries that include route information, destination details, timing, special instructions, and contact information. This comprehensive approach reduces questions and ensures drivers have all the information they need.

Outstanding Customer Support

Hilliard has been particularly impressed with busHive’s customer support team. The company provides responsive assistance and demonstrates a deep understanding of school transportation challenges.

“Their support team really knows the transportation business,” Wilson says. “When we have questions or need help with something, they understand exactly what we’re dealing with and can provide relevant solutions.”

The quality of support has been especially valuable when training new staff members and implementing new features.

Strong Value Proposition

From a financial perspective, busHive has delivered excellent value for Hilliard City Schools. The efficiency gains and time savings have more than justified the investment in the platform.

“When you consider the time we save and the improved efficiency, busHive more than pays for itself,” Wilson explains. “It’s been a great investment for our district.”

Enthusiastic Recommendation

Based on their positive experience, Hilliard City Schools enthusiastically recommends busHive to other districts considering field trip management software.

“I would definitely recommend busHive to other districts,” Wilson concludes. “It’s user-friendly, comprehensive, and the support is excellent. It’s made managing our field trips so much easier and more efficient.”

About busHive

busHive develops user-friendly software platforms for tracking virtually all aspects of transportation. The company offers solutions for both school districts and school bus contractors, including field trip management, personnel training, and maintenance planning. Learn more at www.bushive.com.