Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about using RouteBot.

Getting Started

How do I create my account?

Visit the RouteBot website, click Sign Up, and enter your information. You'll receive a verification email to confirm your account. See Getting Started for detailed steps.

Can I try RouteBot before purchasing?

Yes! When you first sign up, you can explore the system with demo data. This lets you see how all features work before entering your own data.

How do I reset my password?

Click "Forgot Password" on the login screen, enter your email, and follow the instructions sent to your inbox.

What browsers are supported?

RouteBot works best on modern browsers:

  • Google Chrome (recommended)
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Safari

Managing Data

How do I add students or employees?

Go to Users in the navigation, select the appropriate tab (Students, Employees, Parents, or Drivers), and click the "Create New" button. See our user management guides for detailed instructions.

Note: The "Employees" tab was previously called "Passengers" in older versions.

Why isn't my student showing in the route assignment?

Check that the student:

  1. Has verified pickup and drop-off addresses
  2. Is set to "Active" status
  3. Is assigned to the correct school

See Managing Students for more help.

How do I link a parent to a student?

  1. Open the student record
  2. Find the "Parent Information" section
  3. Click "Add Parent"
  4. Search for an existing parent or create a new one
  5. Save the student record

Can one parent be linked to multiple students?

Yes! Parents can be linked to multiple students (like siblings). Each link is created from the student record.

How do I verify an address?

  1. Open the student or employee record
  2. Enter the address in the address field
  3. Click "Get Location from Address"
  4. Check that the map pin is in the correct location
  5. Drag the pin if needed to adjust
  6. Save the record

Stops

What are stops and when should I use them?

Stops are predefined pickup/drop-off locations for personnel transportation. Use stops when:

  • You want employees to gather at central pickup points (e.g., metro stations)
  • You need to simplify routes by reducing individual addresses
  • You're managing large numbers of employees in similar areas

See Stops for detailed information.

How do I create a stop?

  1. Go to Stops in the navigation
  2. Click "Create New Stop"
  3. Select the company/client
  4. Enter a name and address
  5. Verify the location on the map
  6. Save the stop

How do I assign an employee to a stop?

  1. Open the employee record in Users > Employees
  2. Find the stop assignment fields
  3. Select the appropriate pickup (Get On) and drop-off (Get Off) stops
  4. Save the employee record

Shifts and Shift Management

What's the difference between Shifts and Shift Management?

  • Shifts page: Create and configure shift definitions (times, days, names)
  • Shift Management page: Manage daily operations, service assignments, and employee distribution

Use Shifts to set up your shift structure, then use Shift Management for daily operations.

How do I assign employees to a shift?

  1. Open the employee record
  2. Enable "Uses Shifts" option
  3. The employee can now be added to shift-based services
  4. Use Shift Management to assign them to specific services

Why don't I see the Shift Management page?

Shift Management requires the Shifts permission. Check with your administrator if you need access to this feature.

Routes and Services

What's the difference between a route and a service?

  • Vehicle Routes are for student/school bus transportation
  • Personnel Services are for employee/shuttle transportation

Both work similarly but are designed for different use cases.

How do I optimize a route?

  1. Open the route
  2. Add students/employees
  3. Click "Show Map"
  4. Click the "Optimize" button
  5. The system reorders stops for efficiency
  6. Save the route

Can I manually reorder stops?

Yes! You can drag and drop passengers in the list to change the order. The map updates to show your changes.

What's the difference between pickup and drop-off routes?

  • Pickup routes: Collect passengers from home, deliver to school/company
  • Drop-off routes: Collect from school/company, deliver to home

Set the route type when creating the route.

Notifications

How do SMS notifications work?

Parents/passengers with valid phone numbers receive automatic notifications when:

  • The vehicle is approaching their location
  • Their passenger is picked up or dropped off
  • There are delays or changes

Why isn't a parent receiving notifications?

Check that:

  1. The parent is linked to the student
  2. The parent has a valid phone number
  3. The phone number is in the correct format
  4. The route is set to Active

Can I send manual SMS messages?

Yes! Open any route and go to the SMS Management tab to send custom messages to parents/passengers on that route.

Accounting

How do I create a contract?

  1. Go to Accounting > Contracts
  2. Click "Create New Contract"
  3. Select the student
  4. Choose a service template
  5. Apply any discounts
  6. Save the contract

How do I record a payment?

  1. Go to Accounting > Receipts
  2. Click "Create New Receipt"
  3. Select the contract
  4. Enter the payment amount
  5. Save the receipt

The contract balance updates automatically.

Can I apply discounts?

Yes! Create discount types in Accounting > Discounts, then apply them when creating contracts.

Live Tracking

How do I track vehicles in real-time?

Click Live in the navigation to see all active services and their current locations on a map.

Why isn't a vehicle showing on the map?

Check that:

  1. The service/route is set to Active
  2. The vehicle has GPS tracking enabled
  3. The service is within its operating hours
  4. There's a good GPS signal

Team and Permissions

How do I invite a team member?

  1. Go to Settings > Team
  2. Click "Invite New User"
  3. Enter their name and email
  4. Select their school access and permissions
  5. Send the invitation

Can I limit what a team member can see?

Yes! When setting up permissions:

  • Choose which feature categories they can access
  • Select which schools they can view
  • They only see data for their assigned areas

How do I remove someone's access?

  1. Go to Settings > Team
  2. Select the team member
  3. Click "Remove User"
  4. Confirm the removal

Technical Issues

The map isn't loading. What should I do?

Try these steps:

  1. Refresh the page
  2. Check your internet connection
  3. Clear your browser cache
  4. Try a different browser
  5. Contact support if the issue persists

Data seems slow to update. Why?

  • Large datasets may take a moment to load
  • Check your internet connection speed
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Wait a few seconds and try again

I'm seeing an error message. What should I do?

  1. Note the exact error message
  2. Try the action again
  3. Refresh the page and try again
  4. Contact support with the error details if it persists

Best Practices

How often should I review my data?

We recommend:

  • Weekly: Check data validation for issues
  • Monthly: Review routes and assignments
  • Each term: Full review and updates

What's the best way to set up a new school year?

  1. Create a new service period
  2. Review all student status (Active/Inactive)
  3. Update any address changes
  4. Review and update routes
  5. Create new contracts

How do I keep addresses accurate?

  • Always verify addresses when entering them
  • Check the map pin is in the correct location
  • Update addresses when families move
  • Run data validation regularly

Support

How do I contact support?

Email us at support@routebot.com with:

  • Your account email
  • Description of your issue
  • Screenshots if helpful
  • Any error messages you see

Where can I find more help?

  • Browse this help center
  • Check specific feature guides
  • Contact support for personalized help

Related Pages:

Last updated: March 23, 2026