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SMART tag

SMARTer and Safer

The SMART tag system records when students load and unload the bus, providing real-time information to the District transportation department, and you, the parent. We use SMART tag bus passes to ensure bus riders get on and off at their correct stops, as well as provide parents and guardians a way to confidently track their students progress on their way to and from school.

example ID card

 

HOW IT WORKS

STEP 1 – ID CARD: Each successfully registered student will be issued a SMART tag bus pass card, similar to the one below, equipped with an RFID chip.

STEP 2 – SCAN CARD: Students will scan this card on a tablet card reader when they get on the bus and when they get off. SMART tag will authorize the student, or alert the driver through the onboard tablet computer if:

  • A student attempts to get on a bus that does not go to their school
  • A student attempts to get off at a stop that is not their assigned stop
  • The SMART tag Parent Portal will allow parents to view their children’s riding activity, current riding status (on bus, dropped off, or has not ridden), manage text notifications, and more.

STEP 3 – STUDENT TRACKING. The SMART tag system wirelessly transmits information to our transportation department staff to include the location of each bus, the names of the students on board each bus, notification of an approaching bus, and the ability to view a student’s ridership activity.

 

PARENT PORTAL

STEP 4 – PARENT PORTAL (  SMART Tag Parent Portal)  The SMART tag system also offers parents a bus tracking feature through a secure Parent Portal. Parents can register to receive ‘SMART Alert’ text messages notifying them their child is 10-15 minutes from his/her bus stop. The 'SMART Alert' will also notify parents in the event of a bus delay or interruption in service due to a mechanical issue, traffic, inclement weather or crash. The portal may be accessed from any device with a web browser. 

You only need to register ONE child. If you have multiple children, the system will attempt to add them to your account. To register and create your account, you will need:

  • The school your child attends
  • Your child's student ID #
  • Your child's date of birth 
 
Add a Parent Portal shortcut to your phone:  iPhone | Android
 

 

BUS PASS ID CARDS

SMART tag bus passes are required to ride the bus. All MLSD students that wish to ride the bus will be required to produce their bus pass each time they ride their assigned school bus. The first card will be issued for free.  Lanyards and card cases will be supplied with the first ID issued to your student. Bus passes are the property of Moses Lake School District and to be used for school district purposes only.

PLEASE DO NOT PUNCTURE! Purposefully damaging the pass card by punching holes, chewing or defacing the card in any way and may result in disciplinary actions, in addition to the purchase of a replacement pass. All costs associated with replacing a pass are the sole responsibility of the student and parent or legal guardian.

If your child has lost their ID/pass please contact their school. 

FAQs

SMART tag provides the driver with a student profile with a photo ID. The system enables drivers to perform their duties more efficiently and effectively while improving overall safety and security. It also automates seating charts, maintenance requests, and other critical documentation.
 
SMART tag not only provides immediate information regarding which students are on which bus, it also automates a number of reporting functions for transportation department personnel, such as state headcount and mileage reports. SMART tag also provides efficient communication between the transportation department, schools, and parents.
 
Badges
Yes, in order to foster increased student safety and security as well as to provide a more efficient process of loading and unloading our buses, SMART tag ID badges will be required for all riders. Additionally, in order to minimize the manual review of students who misplace or forget SMART tag ID badges at home or school, those students possessing SMART tag ID badges will be allowed to board the bus first.


If a student does not have their smart tag at the bus, the driver must personally log them in. This is more time consuming than students tagging in, and can delay a route causing anxiety or late buses down the line. This is the reason why those not having their tags are loaded and unloaded last. Manually logging in is time consuming and the compliant students should not be held up.

 

No. Tags are programmed with the student identification number only. The RFID tag simply presents the ID number to the SMART tag tablet RFID reader which pulls from the student information associated with the ID number. The badge cannot be read/tracked anywhere else or be read/tracked by any other product. 
The bus driver will be able to view the student’s picture, name, ID number, seat number, school, grade, and bus stop. No personal student information is stored on a SMART tag ID badge, only the student ID number.
 
 
Parent Portal & Text Notifications
Parents will be able to track their child’s bus once his/her student swipes his/her SMART tag ID badge upon boarding the bus. There may be a one-minute delay to process the exchange of information between the SMART tag tablet mounted on each bus and the SMART tag main server.

SMART tag will deliver an electronic notification (text) approximately 10-15 minutes prior to pick-up and drop-off.
 

Parents can also view a student’s ridership activity for the entire school year.

Please note, parents must be registered to use the Parent Portal to view bus activity.

 



Yes, electronic notifications (text alerts) are available through SMART tag. The parent must be registered for the Parent Portal to receive a notification. There is no cost to parents to utilize the SMART tag Parent Portal. The portal may be accessed directly at https://parent.smart-tag.net/%4013161
No, the SMART tag system will not provide weather-related or emergency notifications. Information regarding inclement weather, bus accidents, and other emergency notifications will be provided by MLSD administration via a separate communication.
 
In the event your bus route is canceled, you will receive a notification from SMART tag. 
SMART tag Support
(855) 604-6344
 
Transportation Department
940 E Yonezawa Blvd
(509) 766-2676
HELP GUIDES - English
HELP GUIDES – Spanish