Real-time bus tracking now available for families who qualify for transportation
The School District of Lancaster announced on Tuesday, July 29, the launch of Stopfinder, a new app that will allow parents and guardians to track their children’s school bus in real-time. The secure, easy-to-use app will be available only to families whose students qualify for district transportation services.
Stopfinder, created by the district’s routing software company, Transfinder, is free to parents and guardians and allows users to customize when they receive alerts about their children’s bus location. The app is also a two-way communication tool, providing parents with an easy way to communicate quickly with district transportation officials and receive notifications instantly.
While this feature adds convenience, families are advised that messages sent through Stopfinder will be addressed within 24 to 48 hours. Time-sensitive transportation changes, such as same-day stop requests or immediate concerns, must still be directed to the transportation office by phone.
“Our goal is to increase transparency and offer peace of mind during the busiest parts of a family’s day,” said Vanessa Colón, Transportation Specialist. “The question we get most often is, ‘Where is my child’s school bus?’ Stopfinder helps us answer that more clearly and quickly, while keeping lines of communication open.”
Because Stopfinder is fully integrated with Routefinder Plus, it allows SDoL’s transportation team to send alerts targeted to specific neighborhoods, bus routes, or schools. For instance, if a road closure impacts one bus route, only the affected families will receive a delay notification cutting down on confusion and unnecessary messages.
“We believe families deserve accurate, timely information about their child’s school day and that starts at the bus stop,” said Dr. Keith Miles, Superintendent of Schools. “Stopfinder is one more way we’re working to make our district more connected, more transparent, and more responsive.”
Invitations to use the app will be emailed beginning August 4. The email will come from Stopfinder-Lancaster and will include a personalized link for families to create an account. Only invited users will be able to access the app, ensuring the safety and privacy of student transportation information.
Families can begin viewing transportation schedules in the app once routes are finalized and published on August 15. We encourage all invited families to download and activate the app as soon as they receive their invitation so they are ready for the first day of school.
To learn more, visit https://stopfinder.com or contact the SDoL Transportation Department at 717-945-1440 or transportation@lancaster.k12.pa.us.