SMART tag is a full-featured system designed to ensure authorized ridership resulting in increased safety and security of students who use school bus transportation. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and cloud-connected tablet computers in each school bus provide accurate, near real-time information. Secured Mobility, LLC is the developer of SMART tag.

All middle and high students will receive a SMART tag ID for various uses at school as the tag also will serve as the student’s ID, replacing current student ID cards.  Only those students who qualify for transportation services will be identified as such when using their new SMART tag as they board their assigned bus. At the elementary level, students who qualify and register for transportation will be issued a SMART Tag.

The SMART Parent Web Portal is designed to enhance communication between the Transportation Department and the parents of student bus riders. Parents may see if their child is on the bus and approximately when the bus will arrive at the stop.  Additionally, parents may opt to be notified via text of the estimated bus arrival time to their stops.

SMART tag provides a student profile with a photo ID to enable school bus drivers to perform their duties more efficiently and effectively while improving overall safety and security. It also automates seating charts, safety inspections, 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 daily ridership counts, state-mandated headcounts, maintenance requests and required mileage reports. SMART tag also provides efficient communication between the transportation department and parents.

The DSISD Transportation Department researched companies that provide ridership management systems by reviewing available features and seeking input from other districts using these systems. After identifying the companies, the DSISD Technology Department also helped with the research process. SMART tag ultimately was selected based on this research and the fact that the system provided the features best suited to the district's needs. Some other options provided similar capability to ensure students were riding the right bus to the right stop, however the SMART Tag system offered some key components to assist the Transportation staff with features such as electronic seating charts.

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, students possessing SMART tag ID badges will be allowed to board the bus first.

Yes, our drivers will not leave students unattended at their bus stop if a student forgets or loses his/her SMART tag ID badge. Efficiencies from SMART tag are realized when every student uses an ID Card. If a student does not have an ID card at the bus, the driver must delay the route by personally logging the student in. Route delays cause anxiety for everyone and can alter the remainder of the bus route. Students who have their ID cards will load first, those without their ID card are loaded and unloaded last. This avoids delaying students who have their cards. A lost or damaged smart tag ID badge must be replaced immediately.

Tagging in using SMART tag is required to ride district buses. When students repeatedly fail  to persent their student  ID  card,  the district  procedure is as follows: students who have received three manual loadings by the driver for not having their card over a period of 10 days shall  be  counseled  by  the  driver.  An  e-mail  may  be  sent to parents reminding them  that children are required to have their SMART tag student ID card to board the bus. If  the student  continues to not use an ID card, parents and the school will be notified that they may lose their riding privileges until they comply with the SMART tag program.

Yes, students must be registered for transportation services each year. In the event of relocation during the school year, parents will be required to re-register their child for transportation services in order to obtain updated bus routes and bus stops.

Yes, a child may be registered for transportation services at any time during the school year. To register a child for transportation services, please contact the Dripping Springs ISD Transportation Department @ 512.858.3501 or transportation@dsisdtx.us.  SMART Tag ID will be issued to elementary students after registering to ride.

The bus driver will be able to view the student’s picture, name, ID number, seat number, school, grade, and bus stop.

No information is stored on a SMART Tag ID badge. The SMART Tag system uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and cloud-connected tablet computers. The technology is passive, meaning that the ID card does not have a continuous signal so students will not be tracked when they are not on the bus. The student’s name and associated bar code for the student’s ID number will be printed on the ID badge at the elementary level. SMART Tag will also serve as the student ID card at the secondary school level and displays the same information as the current student ID card. 

Tags are manufactured with a 14-digit code. The RFID tag simply presents the 14-digit code to the SMART tag tablet RFID reader, which only pulls from the student information associated with the code stored on the computer tablet. The badge cannot be read/tracked anywhere else or be read/tracked by any other product.

Secondary students will be provided one SMART tag ID badge at no cost at the beginning of each school year during back-to-school activities in August. Elementary students will not be issued new cards each year and will be required to maintain their SMART tag from year to year. Replacement/additional badges may be purchased at $5 per badge at any time during the school year through the district webstore.

To purchase a replacement SMART tag ID badge, parents should contact the Dripping Springs ISD Transportation Department at 512-858-3502 or transportation@dsisdtx.us.  Replacement badges are $5 each and must be paid through the district webstore. Once payment is received, a replacement ID will be issued and forwarded to the student’s campus.

Yes, however, parents must go online to the Parent Portal and add the individuals who are approved to receive the student (Kindergarten-second grade) from the bus. This is an additional safety feature for students. This information will be part of the student information that the driver can immediately view. Parents can change the list as needed up until 11:00 a.m. the same day. (Note: The Alternate Pick-up List is for students in kindergarten through second grade who cannot get off of the bus without a parent, guardian, older sibling, or alternate person approved by the parent.)

A SMART tag app is currently under development. Parents will be notified once the app becomes available.

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 use the SMART tag Parent Portal. The portal may be accessed directly at: https://parent.smart-tag.net/Home/SelectDistrict or by visiting the SMART tag website (click the Parent Portal link at the top right of the page to be redirected).

The parent must be registered for the Parent Portal to receive an alert/notification. SMART tag will deliver an electronic notification (text) approximately 10-15 minutes prior to pick-up and drop-off.

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. Bus activity/tracking will remain active until the child swipes his/her SMART tag ID badge to get off the bus. Parents must be registered to use the Parent Portal to view bus activity.

Yes, the parent can view a student’s ridership activity for the entire school year. If the parent wants to review the daily history, it will take a minute from the most recent loading/unloading the bus for SMART tag to update its records.

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.

The driver will be able to manually override the information and add the student to the ridership roster from the student’s SMART tag ID badge. Therefore, the student will only need one SMART tag ID badge.

No, the SMART tag system will not provide weather-related or emergency notification. Information regarding inclement weather, bus accidents and other emergency notification will be provided by the Dripping Springs ISD administration via separate communication.

Many school districts in Texas use the SMART Tag system, including neighboring districts Lake Travis ISD, Eanes ISD, Hays CISD, Round Rock ISD, Georgetown ISD, and Liberty Hill ISD.