Created exclusively for the Saf-T-Liner® C2, BusWise affords unparalleled innovation in safety, efficiency, serviceability and fleet management
At the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) 41st Annual Summit today, Thomas Built Buses unveiled its revolutionary new BusWiseTM Technologies. BusWise Technologies is a state of the art platform of factory-installed options for the Saf-T-Liner C2. These options will be available on all new orders received on or after November 11, 2015.
A robust platform that combines the latest innovations in safety, efficiency, serviceability and fleet management, BusWise integrates the industry’s leading components from proven brands like Zonar® and Mobileye® into a customizable suite of advanced technologies.
“At Thomas Built Buses, we are always looking for new ways to make our products better and safer,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “BusWise equips our vehicles with more safety and efficiency features than are available on any other school bus on the road.”
BusWise technologies including those from Zonar on the Saf-T-Liner C2 will integrate with Zonar’s tracking and operations solutions to provide critical real-time information to transportation directors and technicians. Standard from Zonar is a driver monitoring system that provides real-time alerts for speeding, excessive idling, hard acceleration, braking, cornering and out-of-route miles, which can lessen fuel economy.
“A cornerstone of BusWise, Zonar will provide actionable telematic data on the performance and health of our Saf-T-Liner C2 vehicles,” said Edgerly. “Regardless of which system BusWise is monitoring, whether vehicle performance or driver behavior, Zonar will allow with real-time alerts, the identification of corrective actions needed”
Key among the BusWise features is a state-of-the-art warning system from Mobileye that helps drivers avoid a forward collision, pedestrian collision, and lane departure, and which also includes a speed limit indicator and headway monitoring function.
Additionally, BusWise provides drivers with unprecedented visibility through a multi-camera system with a 360-degree exterior view, allowing a view of everything surrounding the C2. The 360-degree camera allows drivers to monitor other vehicles on the road while driving and especially when children are boarding and exiting the bus. It also provides better visibility for difficult maneuvering such as backing up.
Among the optional functions of BusWise is Z Pass, a ridership visibility solution that allows parents and school officials to view when a child has entered or exited a bus. Additionally, is Zonar’s MyBusVue, a mobile and web application that provides peace-of-mind to parents and school administrators as children are being transported between school and home. MyBusVue communicates up-to-the-minute school bus location directly to parent, caregiver and school administrators’ smart phones and computers via interactive maps.
BusWise has dozens of other bus functions can also be tracked including driver seat belt use, door opening and closing, wheelchair-lift activation, stop-arm operation and the parking brake. All BusWise components will be recorded electronically.
BusWise can even make buses WiFi ready, giving students the option to focus on homework en route.
Through Zonar, BusWise includes remote diagnostics that can view fault codes to help proactively identify potential issues before they become serious. For example, BusWise monitors tire pressure, alerting drivers of any pressure changes in a matter of moments and allowing for enhanced driver and passenger safety, efficiency, and reduced downtime. The system also automates routine maintenance scheduling and even integrates with third-party maintenance systems.
“At Thomas Built Buses, we have developed numerous state-of-the-art engineering techniques that make our buses strong and durable, and we have introduced a variety of features that better protect children and enable drivers to operate in a much safer manner,” said Edgerly. “We are proud to report that BusWise takes us a giant leap forward by raising the bar of the industry expected standards.”
