Global Positioning System (GPS) Tracking

School Uses

School boards have begun using GPS technologies to track the location and speed of buses and other school vehicles. In such a system, vehicles are equipped with small transmitters that transmit radio signals several times a minute. District receivers can pick up signals within a 20-mile radius, thus allowing dispatchers to determine a vehicle's location, when and where it stops, and how fast it is traveling.

School board officials have espoused a number of reasons for using GPS technologies with school buses. School officials want to know where buses [Page 386]are at all times and want the ability to monitor school bus speeds and stops, both for driver monitoring and for increasing the time or fuel efficiency of bus routes. In another use of GPS systems, school Web sites or cell phone alerts for caregivers of children in dangerous neighborhoods can be used to notify parents exactly where children are and when they will arrive at their stops. Many GPS-equipped school buses have an emergency button that drivers can use in case of accidents or hijackings. The button alerts dispatchers while also identifying the exact location of school buses, making it easier for emergency vehicles to provide assistance. Moreover, some school GPS systems have a feature that alerts school officials when buses travel outside of their designated geographic zones.

Legal Issues

School uses of GPS technologies raise several legal issues. Some truck drivers and police officers have expressed concern about their institutions' right to monitor their driving habits. As school board GPS usage becomes more widespread, it is likely that there also will be some backlash from drivers of buses and other school vehicles, accompanied by union management discussions and/or grievances. Some analysts anticipate that federal and state agencies will begin requesting access to school GPS tracking data for a variety of purposes, including monitoring of compliance with wage hour and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

The admissibility of GPS tracking data in court currently is unknown, as is the liability of schools and other government entities for losses due to equipment malfunction or failure. Gross negligence claims against school boards and their employees may be possible as injured parties claim that failure to implement GPS-based safety systems falls below relevant standards of care.

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