FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County Schools will show off Tuesday its new high-tech way of dealing with a shortage of school bus drivers.
Two county school buses have been equipped with technology that allows them to communicate with traffic signals.
Drivers can request a green light as they approach a signal, allowing them to run their routes with very little stopping at intersections. The technology was developed by Applied Information in Alpharetta.
The company's president, Bryan Mulligan, said it has helped drivers reduce their time on the road by at least 10%. Fulton County is utilizing it as a way to do more with fewer drivers.
"If you save 10% of the school bus drivers that makes it a really large difference to the school bus shortage," Mulligan said. "And the school bus transportation folks are really struggling to keep their transit system going on time, and that has all kinds of implications."
The benefits, according to the company and school officials, include not only helping getting students to school on time more easily, but also saving money on gas.