Discussion of the matter began last month, but some board members, specifically Ashley Custer and Jim Lapic, questioned the installation costs.
Subsequently, Business Manager David Nester convinced the company, Eagle Wireless, to shave about $2,000 off the cost, bringing the price down to initial installation price down to $15,323.
Nester told School Board Member Tina McIntyre that the district did no-t have to sacrifice any service in exchange for the reduction. "I think they were really interested in our business," said Nester.
There will also be a monthly charge of $571.20 to access the web-based program that allows Pottsgrove to track the buses.
To be clear, only the district will be able to track the buses. Unlike in Boyertown, where a system was adopted in June that would allow parents, or anyone with the appropriate phone app, to located any bus, parents will not have that option in Pottsgrove.
Parent Stacy Herbert wanted to know why.
Pottsgrove School Board President Robert Lindgren offered several reasons, the first of which is that such a system is more expensive.
The second was that Pottsgrove has a culture of taking things slowly. "In fact, we're only doing this because the state said it does not like us tracking our bus mileage with pen and pencil anymore," said Lindgren.
"Conservative, cautious, stupid, take your pick," he said.
More specifically, Lindgren said, is student safety.
"There are issues of custody rights, who has the ability to track the bus. Anybody can have that app, and we want to limit that ability to people who work for the school district, who have passed background checks and have been vetted," Lindgren said.
He said in the future, if it becomes evident that access to the system can be extended to parents, the district will take another look.
And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting:
The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round
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