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Stanly County Schools introduced a new mobile app Monday that helps address the issue of student safety while kids wait for the bus each morning.

Titled “Here Comes the Bus,” the free app, which can be used on smartphones, tablets or computers, allows parents to track when the buses — equipped with GPS — arrive to pick up their children. Parents can set the bus range from 50 feet up to two miles. Parents will also receive a push notification or email when the bus is near their child’s stop or when important information needs to get out.

Available in English, Spanish and French, the app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once downloaded, parents will need to enter the school code (87728), complete the “User profile box” and enter their child’s student ID number before they can begin using the app.

With Here Comes the Bus, according to a SCS press release, “you will have the information you need to send your children to the bus stop at just the right time, helping to protect them from inclement weather and other roadside dangers. What’s more, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your children haven’t missed the bus.”

“Safety now begins at the bus stop for school systems,” Superintendent Dr. Jeff James said. “We will continue to look at innovative ways to protect our most precious resource, our students.”

SCS piloted the app at Millingport Elementary last school year. The app is part of a series of safety initiatives recently implemented, including adding more security cameras and introducing the LobbyGuard visitor information system into the schools — thanks to the quarter cent sales tax.

The app is powered by Synovia SolutionsTM, makers of the GPS-tracking technology used by SCS to increase safety and cost savings as it relates to school transportation. 

For more information, visit herecomesthebus.com.