Managing Schools
Schools in RouteBot represent the destinations for student transportation. Each school has a location that serves as the pickup or drop-off point for your bus routes.
What is a School?
A School in RouteBot is the central location where students are transported to and from. It includes:
- The school's official name and short name
- Physical address and map location
- Contact information
- Settings for features like QR code attendance tracking
- Report configuration
Accessing Schools
- Click Clients in the main navigation
- Select the Schools tab
- You'll see a list of all schools in your system
Creating a New School
To add a new school to RouteBot:
- Click the Create New School button
- Fill in the required information:
Basic Information
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Official Name | The full official name of the school | Yes |
| Short Name | An abbreviated name for display in lists | Yes |
Location
The school's location is critical for route planning:
- Enter the school's address in the address field
- Click Get Location from Address to geocode the address
- Verify the pin appears in the correct location on the map
- If needed, drag the pin to adjust the exact location
Important: An accurate school location is essential for route optimization and arrival time calculations.
Optional Settings
Depending on your plan and features, you may see additional options:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| QR Code Usage | Enable QR code scanning for student attendance |
| Send Reports | Automatically send daily/weekly reports |
| Report Email | Email address to receive automated reports |
| Phone Number for App | Contact number displayed in the mobile app |
| Distance to Arrive | Distance threshold (in km) for "arrived at school" notifications |
Saving
Click Create to save your new school. You can edit these details at any time.
Editing a School
To modify an existing school:
- Go to Clients > Schools
- Click on the school you want to edit
- Update the desired fields
- Click Update to save changes
School Settings Explained
QR Code Usage
If enabled, RouteBot can track student attendance using QR codes:
- Not Used - QR code feature is disabled
- On Vehicle Entry - Scan when students board the bus
- On Vehicle Exit - Scan when students exit the bus
- Both - Scan on both entry and exit
Send Reports
When enabled, RouteBot automatically sends summary reports:
- Daily route completion reports
- Student attendance summaries
- Any exceptions or issues
Enter the email address where you want to receive these reports in the Report Email field.
Distance to Arrive
This setting determines when the system considers a vehicle to have "arrived" at the school:
- Default is 0.5 km
- Range is 0.1 to 5 km
- A smaller value requires vehicles to be closer to trigger arrival notifications
Deleting a School
Warning: Deleting a school will affect all students, routes, and data associated with it. Consider carefully before deleting.
To delete a school:
- Open the school details
- Scroll to the bottom
- Click Delete
- Confirm the deletion when prompted
Best Practices
Naming Conventions
- Use the official school name for the Official Name field
- Create a short, recognizable abbreviation for the Short Name (e.g., "Lincoln Elementary" → "Lincoln" or "LE")
Location Accuracy
- Always verify the map pin is in the correct location
- For schools with multiple entrances, place the pin at the main bus loading area
- The location affects route optimization and timing calculations
Multiple Schools
If you manage transportation for multiple schools:
- Create a separate school entry for each location
- Use distinct short names to easily identify each school
- Students and routes will be associated with specific schools
Next Steps:
- Managing Parents - Add parent contact information
- Managing Students - Add students to your schools
- Vehicle Routes - Create transportation routes