Student RFID Bus Card Pilot Program

Having student bus-riders use an identification card is crucial to HCPSS’ work to provide safe and efficient bus transportation. The use of the student bus card will:

• Ensure students on the bus are quickly identified in an emergency situation
• Allow parents to track when students enter and exit a school bus
• Assist if a student is reported lost
• Identify if an unauthorized rider tries to board a school bus

In addition, the use of student bus cards will help HCPSS increase the efficiency of bus service. The information will assist with the optimization of school bus routes by providing accurate ridership and capacity data so that the school district can make adjustments to routes and service. HCPSS does not currently have a mechanism to track student ridership information, which, at this time, is gathered by counting students loading and unloading buses.​​

The pilot program is being conducted at Bellows Spring and Forest Ridge elementary schools, Ellicott Mills Middle School and Atholton High School through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.

Zum bus cards are plastic cards the size of a credit card and use the same contactless RFID technology found in metro transit passes, corporate access cards, and other commonly used ID cards. Tapping the bus card records only the student boarding or disembarking the vehicle. The Zum RFID bus cards are not GPS-enabled and cannot track or follow a student’s movements outside of getting on or off their bus.

Following the pilot program, HCPSS staff will evaluate the ridership data, as well as feedback from school administrators, students and families, bus drivers and Zum staff. Expanding the student bus cards program will be dependent on the pilot evaluation, funding, and other criteria.

Families of eligible bus riders at Bellows Spring and Forest Ridge elementary schools, Ellicott Mills Middle School and Atholton High School will receive additional information via email prior to the start of the program at their school.

Parents/guardians will have access to their student’s ridership information via the Zum app, which many families already use for bus pickup/drop off information. The Zum app is available for free download on the Apple Store and Google Play. Additional details on downloading and using the Zum app are available online.