Better Trackers
Below is a list of methods mentioned by parents for tracking their own student while on the school bus.
The question comes up frequently because of flaws in the Via GPS “NYC School Bus App” that our taxes purchased:
Parents and drivers report that it glitches and buffers a lot
Your access also depends on the driver and the company
If the driver is out for the day, or no permanent driver is assigned, there’s no login
The app will go to sleep shortly unless you keep something else open and running on your phone (one parent gave youtube TV as an example; assume this requires high battery %age and a subscription…)
There are complications if you have an Outlook email account (so, any parent who works for the public schools or is on a council).
The student must have NYCSA to get to the app, see https://www.pistnyc.org/resources/nycsaguides
The server is ‘offshore’, not New York based, tracking is not its primary product.
Showing a website screenshot from July 2026, since the financial update we listed from July 2025 is no longer at https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/news/55304078/global-via-transportation-files-confidentially-for-wall-street-ipo Alternative text in image.
Screen from ridewithvia.com job listings. The roles for Backend Engineer, DevSecOps Engineer, Mobile (app) Team Lead, Senior Algorithms Developer, Senior Backend Engineer, Senior Backend Engineer for Routing Data, Senior DevOps Engineer, Senior Fullstack Engineer, Senior Platform Engineer, Senior Software Engineer for Routing, and Software & Data Engineer, all based in Tel Aviv, were all open as of July 10, 2026.
Here is the list so far —
Amcrest ($20/month plus $40 for device) keeps a log, use for complaints;
Angel Sense (you may be able to be reimbursed by OPWDD self-direction or by family reimbursement);
Life 360 application on cell phone - free! Tells when involved in a car accident, parent can see on the phone.
Air tag - users say it works inside the student’s backpack or shoes, that at least one sneaker brand has a built in pocket;
Jiobit;
Gizmo watch;
As of April 2025 One District 75 school was looking into getting Apple tag for each student, the youngest at least.
In Sept 2025, a parent suggested this form of communicating with their bus rider:
using an old small iPhone, with a cheap plan from visible $25/m unlimited data, or Helium $15/m 10G data.
Then set the phone to ring only when contacts call, and delete all contacts except family members.
Then under setting, accessibility, “touch”, you can set the phone to automatically answer calls. So only you and people on the contact list can call in to check what is going on.
Location wise, you can just use “find my” on your own iPhone, more real time than AirTag.
You could also set up FaceTime account for your kid, so it can take FaceTime Audio calls automatically too, not video calls.
To add, comment, or critique, please reach out at pistnyc@gmail.com
CHECK OUT My Bus Tracker:
https://emoticon.mouse.org/2025/my-bus-tracker
Students at 75M094 had a group assignment to design an application. One group in X04, Mr. Ian Feldman’s Class, decided they deserve an app to help them track the location of their own school buses! #StudentsKnowBest
STAY TUNED - In July 2025 we have heard that THE SCHOOL SYSTEM’S CONTRACT WITH THIS APP VENDOR ENDS BY 2026 - Parent and staff voices are needed in advance to make sure they do not default to throwing more millions away on any product which does not serve our NYC riders and schools adequately. Update June 2026: NYCPS first put out a Request for Proposals and was shopping around other vendors. Then they decided to give Via its final two year extension which was built into the existing contract, and turn away the others. Update December 2025: NYC Comptroller’s Audit of OPT shows the funds allocated to Via totaled about $57 Million from the original contract to that point.
JUST A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT - If ever a school bus fleet has more than enough trained and experienced staff — and instead of rough draft routes that have to be fixed student by student, has well thought out, stable routes — and faster ways to incorporate improvement suggestions from schools or bus companies analyzing reality — then parents will be better able to trust that the AM and PM buses are arriving in the same time window every day. give or take 10 minutes and can plan for it, tracker or no.
Technology is cool but we’d be less desperate to track the bus if routes weren’t experiencing wild variations and extreme delays, and days when a percentage of routes around the city have no permanent driver assigned. THIS IS WHY PIST FIGHTS FOR MORE HIRING INITIATIVES, AND FAIR BENEFITS TO RETAIN PEOPLE! Without achieving that, the best an app can do is tell you the result of staff shortages: namely, the bus is still miles away when you need it to show up.