SMARTtag Rider ID

The Sequim School District Transportation Department is excited to announce that it will be launching Phase One of a new rider management feature for bus riding students in late May. The name of the program is Secured Mobility Authorized Ridership Technology also known as the SMART tag system.

Implementation of SMART tag will:

*Improve student bus riding management and security through accurate and real-time updates from students riding the bus

*Alert bus drivers if a student is exiting at the wrong stop or attempting to board the wrong bus.

*When parents inquire about where their students are, this system will provide the transportation staff with timely information.

All Sequim School District students will be issued a SMART tag student ID badge and lanyard with a unique number sequence on the embedded RFID chip card. Any time a student rides the school bus (including field trips and sporting events), students will wave the card past the SMART tag card reader to log on and off the bus.

Transportation can keep track of all of students loading/unloading and bus locations. This is an excellent tool for keeping track of our younger students and making sure everyone is on the right bus and using the correct stop.

The Sequim School District Transportation Department will be launching Phase Two in Fall 2024, which includes a parent app. Please watch the video below to learn more about what SMART tag has to offer.

SMART tag Frequently Asked Questions

How Does SMART tag Work?

STEP 1 - Student ID

All students are issued passive, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards which do not store student information nor emit any tracking information. RFID technology is used in many industries such as medical (patient, equipment & supplies tracking), libraries (book tracking), and even amusement park access. These IDs are read when students get on or off the bus by an RFID reader.

STEP 2 - Bus Tablet

SMART tag™ school buses are equipped with a tablet computer and RFID reader. When riders get on or off, they present their ID onto the reader and the tablet displays if the rider is boarding the correct bus or are getting off at their correct stop. The tablet uses its GPS information to report its location and speed, ridership activity and other safety-related information.

STEP 3 - Transportation Administration

While buses are in service, their location and ridership information are available for the transportation administrators, so they can oversee all school bus activity.