Muscat: Introducing the Smart Bus platform, set to be unveiled within the upcoming academic year across government schools, is a cutting-edge electronic solution engineered to manage, track, and ensure the safety of students during their journey to and from school.
This innovative system extends monitoring and tracking services from the moment a student sets off from their home, through to their safe return. It delivers a comprehensive suite of functionalities that benefit not only guardians but also school administrations and bus drivers alike. The Smart Bus platform stands as the pioneering system in the field of artificial intelligence-driven management and tracking of school transportation.
The process of implementation is swift, with the setup taking mere hours. It encompasses the registration of the school on the Smart Bus platform, the uploading of necessary data, and the dispatch of activation messages to parents.
Conceived in 2019 by Ahmed bin Hamad al Kharousi, the founder and CEO of Smart Bus, initially the project utilized traditional tracking devices. However, recognizing their limitations, particularly in managing young children, Al Kharousi sought to innovate and improve upon this approach.
By the end of 2020, extensive planning and trials had been conducted, setting the stage for the official launch of the Smart Bus platform in 2022. This date marked the system's global debut, which has been met with widespread acclaim and ease of use.
Benefits are plentiful for guardians, who enjoy real-time updates on their child's bus journey, including the moment of boarding and disembarking, as well as any schedule adjustments. The Smart Bus application facilitates direct communication between guardians, school administrations, bus supervisors, and drivers.
The platform streamlines the reporting of absences, thereby optimizing bus routes and conserving time and resources. Furthermore, guardians are able to upload their child's photos and will soon have the capability to submit excuses for absences and behavioral notes via the app.
Schools gain access to the Smart Bus platform through a user-friendly web interface, enabling them to track bus locations, manage student attendance electronically, and generate detailed reports on bus trips, absences, and bus operations. The platform facilitates immediate communication with both parents and bus staff, and it features a QR code safety system to ensure the unsupervised disembarking of children from buses. Additionally, the system offers a smooth management of bus assignments, allowing for easy redistribution of students.
The feedback from both parents and school administrators has been overwhelmingly positive. Zainab al Kharousi, a parent, expresses her appreciation for the comprehensive information provided on the trips of her child. Khawla al Harthy, an administrator at a school in Muscat, emphasizes the significant reduction in time and effort required by school staff.
Looking ahead, Al Kharousi has plans to expand the reach of the Smart Bus system internationally. Currently, the system is available in Arabic and English, with further languages set to be integrated in the near future. By leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure, including data centers in Oman, and services from Google Cloud and Oracle, Smart Bus is poised to deliver a robust and responsive solution on a global scale, positioning Oman as a leader in the field of smart school transportation.
