Faced with a dire shortage of bus drivers, a school district in Colorado, United States, opted to use artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the efficiency of its transportation service.
District 11 in Colorado Springs only managed to hire 60 drivers out of the 110 sought, despite high training and salaries. So, to improve its offering, the school district turned to RouteWise AI, a system created by HopSkipDrive, CBS News reported.
The operation of this AI-powered system is already being used in other areas, such as healthcare and emergency services, to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Thus, thanks to AI, the software analyzes all available vehicles, whether buses, sedans or vans, as well as the needs of each school to provide the most efficient routes, explained to the American media Joanna McFarland , co-founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive.
With RouteWise, District 11 was able to limit its service to 55 buses. This is complemented by a carpooling service with trained, background-checked drivers.
In terms of money, this system would be beneficial for school districts. In Colorado Springs, more than half a million US dollars were saved. This money made it possible to secure the jobs of at least 10 teachers according to District 11 Superintendent Michael Gaal.
