Parent Notifications

RouteBot sends notifications to keep you informed about your child's school bus journey. This guide explains the different types of notifications parents receive and what they mean.

Types of Notifications

Parents can receive several types of notifications:

Notification Type When It's Sent
Approach to Pickup Driver GPS enters your pickup notification distance
Arrived at School Driver GPS reaches the school's arrival-distance threshold
Left School Driver confirms departure after reviewing the passenger list
Approach to Drop-off Driver GPS enters your drop-off notification distance
Did Not Board Driver records your child as not boarding

Morning Notifications

1. Bus Approaching for Pickup

What it means: The school bus is getting close to your pickup location.

When it's sent: When the bus enters your configured notification distance (e.g., 500m, 1km).

Why it's useful:

  • Gives you time to get your child ready
  • Ensures you don't miss the bus
  • You can walk to the stop at the right time

2. Bus Arrived at School

What it means: The school bus has reached the school.

When it's sent: When the driver's GPS position enters the arrival distance configured for the school.

Why it's useful:

  • Tells you that the bus has reached the school
  • Gives peace of mind
  • Helps you know the morning journey is complete

Note: Arrival alerts are skipped for children the driver has marked as not boarding. This is a vehicle arrival alert; it is not a separate scan confirming your child's boarding or exit.

Afternoon Notifications

3. Bus Left School

What it means: The school bus is starting the afternoon drop-off route.

When it's sent: When the driver marks departure from school.

Why it's useful:

  • Lets you know your child is on the way home
  • Helps you estimate arrival time
  • Alerts you to prepare for pickup

Note: The driver reviews the passenger list before confirming departure. Children marked as not boarding do not receive this departure alert.

4. Bus Approaching for Drop-off

What it means: The school bus is getting close to your drop-off location.

When it's sent: When the bus enters your configured notification distance.

Why it's useful:

  • Time to be at the stop to receive your child
  • Ensures you don't keep the bus waiting
  • Know exactly when your child will arrive

Status Notifications

5. Did Not Board Notification

What it means: Your child did not board the school bus.

When it's sent: When the driver marks your child as "not boarded" during the route.

Why it's useful:

  • Alerts you that your child isn't on the bus
  • Allows you to verify their whereabouts
  • Important for safety and awareness

When this happens:

  • Your child wasn't at the stop
  • Your child is absent from school
  • Your child is using alternate transportation

Notification Delivery

The trip events described above are delivered as push notifications to the app. Your transportation office can also send SMS messages through its separate messaging tools.

Push Notifications

  • Appear on your lock screen
  • Show in your notification center
  • Can produce sound and vibration (based on your phone settings)

Push delivery requires the app's notification permission, a registered device, and an internet connection. A recorded trip event does not guarantee that a phone has displayed or read its alert.

Configuring Notifications

You can enable or disable each notification type:

  1. Go to Settings tab
  2. Tap Notification Settings
  3. Select which child (if you have multiple)
  4. Toggle each notification type on or off
  5. Tap Save

See Notification Settings for detailed instructions.

Notification Distance

For approach notifications, you can set how far away the bus should be when you're notified:

  1. Go to Settings tab
  2. Tap Notification Distance Settings
  3. Select which child (if you have multiple)
  4. Choose your preferred distance
  5. Tap Save

See Notification Distance for detailed instructions.

Understanding Notification Indicators

The driver's passenger list has separate approach and did-not-board indicators:

Indicator Meaning
Yellow bell beside the passenger's name An approach event is recorded
Yellow bell beside Did Not Board An absence is selected or recorded; before departure, it can still be a local selection
Red crossed-out bell Corresponding alert disabled or skipped

After the driver reopens a route, records made with an alert enabled or disabled can both show a yellow bell. Its color does not prove that an alert was sent, delivered, or read. If you've disabled a notification type, you won't receive it even when the event occurs.

For Multiple Children

If you have multiple children on school buses:

  • Each child can have different notification settings
  • Notifications identify which child they're about
  • Configure settings for each child separately

Configuring Per Child

  1. Go to Settings > Notification Settings
  2. You'll see a profile selection screen
  3. Tap on the child you want to configure
  4. Set their specific preferences
  5. Repeat for other children

Best Practices

Recommended Settings for Parents

For comprehensive monitoring, enable:

  • ✅ Bus approaching for pickup (morning)
  • ✅ Bus arrived at school (morning confirmation)
  • ✅ Bus left school (afternoon alert)
  • ✅ Bus approaching for drop-off (afternoon)
  • ✅ Did not board notifications (safety)

Setting the Right Distance

Choose a notification distance that gives you enough time:

Distance Good For
250m - 500m You're usually ready and close to the stop
750m - 1km You need a few minutes to get to the stop
1.5km - 2km You need more advance notice

Troubleshooting Notifications

Not receiving notifications

  1. Check notification permission is granted (Settings > Apps > Servistesin)
  2. Verify you haven't disabled the notification type
  3. Ensure "Do Not Disturb" isn't blocking alerts
  4. Check your internet connection
  5. Verify the route was active when expected

Receiving late notifications

  • GPS signal may have caused delay
  • Network congestion can slow delivery
  • Check if the bus actually passed earlier

Receiving unexpected notifications

  • May be a test by your transportation provider
  • Driver may have started route early
  • Contact your provider if notifications seem wrong

Next Steps:

Last updated: October 9, 2026