Case Study: Bemidji Area Schools achieves reduced issue-related calls and on‑bus Internet access with Tyler Technologies' Versatrans and Telematic GPS

Versatrans Onscreen with Wireless Tyler Telematic GPS Transmission Reduces Issue-Related Phone Calls and Gives Students Internet Access on Long-Distance Trips

Bemidji Area Schools, a large rural Minnesota district that transports over 6,200 students across a wide geographic area, needed a way to provide Internet access on long after‑school trips and to reduce time‑consuming, sometimes unresolvable complaints about bus performance. Activity buses often traveled beyond radio range, leaving the transportation office without definitive data to verify issues or quickly assist drivers during breakdowns and emergencies.

Tyler Technologies deployed Versatrans Routing & Planning and Versatrans Onscreen integrated with Tyler Telematic GPS units and onboard Wi‑Fi (Verizon hotspots) to transmit GPS data and provide student Internet access. The solution improved schedule accountability, sped response to emergencies, reduced issue‑related calls by supplying objective tracking data, and gave students connectivity for homework and better on‑board behavior; the district is now piloting Versatrans My Stop and considering wider GPS/Wi‑Fi rollout.

Bemidji Area Schools

Ken Stevens

Special Ed Manager