Tracking the Bus

The live tracking feature allows you to see exactly where your child's school bus is in real-time. This guide explains how to use the map view effectively.

Accessing Live Tracking

  1. Go to the Services tab
  2. Tap on an active service/route
  3. You'll see the tracking screen with two tabs:
    • Map - Live tracking view
    • Shuttle Info - Driver and vehicle details

Map Tab Overview

When the service is active, the Map tab shows:

  • An interactive map of your area
  • The current bus location (when running)
  • Your pickup/drop-off location
  • The school location
  • Traffic information

Map Markers

The map uses different markers to show locations:

Marker Description
Green House Your pickup or drop-off location (your stop)
School Building The school location
Yellow Bus Current bus position (updates in real-time)

Your Stop Marker

The green house marker shows:

  • For pickup routes: Where the bus will pick up
  • For drop-off routes: Where the bus will drop off
  • This is based on the address registered with your provider

School Marker

The school marker shows the final destination (morning) or starting point (afternoon).

Bus Marker

The bus marker:

  • Shows the real-time position of the vehicle
  • Updates automatically every few seconds
  • Moves along the route as the bus travels

When Tracking is Active

You can track the bus when:

  • The service status shows as Active
  • The driver has started the route
  • The route is in progress (not completed)

Status Types

Status What It Means Can Track?
Going to School Morning route in progress Yes
Left School Afternoon route in progress Yes
Inactive Route not running No
Completed Route finished No

Auto-Follow Feature

The map can automatically follow the bus location:

Enabling Auto-Follow

  1. Look for the tracking button in the bottom-left of the map
  2. Tap "Enable Automated Follow" or "Follow Vehicle"
  3. The map will now center on the bus automatically

When Auto-Follow is Active

  • The map continuously centers on the bus
  • Icon shows as "GPS Fixed"
  • Text shows "Automated Follow Active"

Disabling Auto-Follow

  • Simply drag the map to look around
  • Auto-follow turns off automatically
  • Tap the button again to re-enable

Location Time Indicator

At the top-left of the map, you may see:

  • "Last Location: [time]" - When the last position was received
  • This helps you know how current the information is

Fresh vs. Stale Location

Indicator Meaning
Blue clock icon Location is recent and accurate
Orange warning icon Location may be outdated (2+ minutes old)

Why Location Might Be Outdated

  • Bus is in an area with poor GPS signal
  • Temporary connection issues
  • Driver's phone has signal problems

The location will update when signal is restored.

When Service is Inactive

If you open the Map tab when the service isn't active:

  • You'll see a message "Service is not active"
  • Pull down to refresh and check for status updates
  • The map won't show a bus position

This is normal when:

  • It's not transportation time yet
  • The route hasn't started
  • The route has already completed

Map Controls

Zooming

  • Pinch outward to zoom in and see more detail
  • Pinch inward to zoom out and see more area

Panning

  • Drag the map to move around
  • Note: This disables auto-follow if enabled

Traffic View

  • Traffic information is shown automatically
  • Colored overlays indicate traffic conditions
  • This helps you understand if delays are traffic-related

Pull to Refresh

If you want to manually refresh:

  1. Pull down on the screen
  2. Wait for the refresh to complete
  3. Location and status update

The map also updates automatically every 5-10 seconds.

Understanding Route Progress

As the bus travels:

  1. Starting point - Driver begins the route
  2. En route - Bus travels between stops
  3. At your stop - Bus arrives at your location
  4. Continuing - Bus moves to next stops
  5. Completed - Route ends at destination

Tips for Effective Tracking

Timing

  • Check 10-15 minutes before expected arrival
  • The bus position shows in real-time
  • Account for traffic variations

Interpreting the Map

  • The bus should be moving along roads toward your stop
  • If it appears off-road, it may be a GPS inaccuracy
  • Zoom in for more precise positioning

Notifications vs. Map

  • You don't need to watch the map constantly
  • Set up notifications to alert you when the bus is near
  • Use the map for real-time verification

Troubleshooting Map Issues

"Bus not showing on map"

  • Verify the service is Active
  • Check that tracking has started
  • Wait a moment for data to load
  • Pull down to refresh

"Map not loading"

  • Check your internet connection
  • Close and reopen the app
  • Ensure you have a good signal

"Location seems frozen"

  • GPS signal may be temporarily lost
  • Wait for the connection to restore
  • Check the location time indicator

Next Steps:

Last updated: March 23, 2026