OSSE testing new school bus tracker

OSSE testing new school bus tracker

The District of Columbia’s education department is testing a new bus tracking app designed to help thousands of special needs parents and students across the nation’s capital.

WASHINGTON - The District of Columbia’s education department is testing a new bus tracking app designed to help thousands of special needs parents and students across the nation’s capital.

What we know:

Officials plan to have the system fully functional for families soon. FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez reports the effort is aimed primarily at students with special needs.

OSSE, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, is rolling out testing on an app called BusWhere. While most DC students rely on mass transit, OSSE provides bus transportation for about 3,800 students with disabilities.

The agency has been installing updated GPS trackers on those buses. Through the app, authorized parents and guardians would receive alerts on bus arrival times, track routes, and see if a child is delayed or detoured, with updates refreshing every 60 seconds.

The system addresses long‑standing concerns. Parents filed a class‑action lawsuit several years ago, claiming OSSE was failing to provide safe, reliable transportation for special needs students, a service required by federal law.

Families say there have been improvements, but challenges remain. One parent told DC Councilmembers during a December oversight hearing that her husband left his job partly because their 15‑year‑old’s inconsistent bus drop‑offs required a parent to be home.

OSSE is aiming to have the app available for parents and guardians by the 2026–2027 school year.