What is SMART tag?
SMART tag is a full-featured system designed to ensure authorized ridership resulting in increased safety and security of students who utilize 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, a privately-held technology company located in Georgetown, TX, is the developer of SMART tag. Secured Mobility has more than a decade of experience in developing security software and hardware and deploying cloud-hosting infrastructure.

How does SMART tag benefit transportation departments and school administrators?
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 bus drivers and parents.

How does SMART tag benefit drivers?
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, maintenance requests, and other critical documentation.

What information will the bus driver be able to view when the student swipes his/her card?
The bus driver will be able to view the student’s picture, name, ID number, seat number, school, grade, and bus stop.

Is student information stored on the SMART tag ID?
No information is stored on a SMART tag ID badge.

Are SMART tag ID badges required to ride the bus?
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.

Will students be eligible to ride the bus if they lose or forget their SMART Tag ID Card?
Yes, students will still be eligible and allowed to ride the bus without their SMART Tag ID card. However, it’s extremely important that students make every effort to wear and use the SMART Tag ID card as they utilize Alief bus services to and from school. Please see below, for repeated offenses.      

What are the consequences of not having their SMART Tag ID card?

• If the student does not have the SMART Tag ID card at the bus, the student may still ride the bus (please see below, for repeated offenses), however, the driver must manually log that student in the system.
• Manually logging in each student, rather than utilizing the SMART tag ID card scans is more time consuming. Therefore, students who do not have their SMART Tag ID card will be loaded and unloaded after the students who have their SMART Tag ID card.
• Please make every effort to ensure that students have their SMART Tag ID card at all times, as manually logging in a student is time consuming and can delay a bus route, which in turn may cause anxiety and missed or late buses along the route.

Alief ISD discipline procedures for not having the card in your possession to tag in are as follows:

• Repeated loss or non-usage of the SMART Tag ID card may include disciplinary actions up to and including loss of bus riding privileges. 
• The SMART Tag ID cards are the property of Alief ISD. In the event that a SMART Tag ID card is lost or stolen, it is the parents’ responsibility to obtain a replacement tag at the cost of five dollars ($5.00). Parents must report to the main office of each campus to obtain a new Smart Tag ID Card.
  

Who should be contacted if a student loses his/her badge?
If students are in need of a replacement SMART tag ID badge, parents should contact their child’s respective campus front office. A replacement SMART Tag ID badge will cost $5.

Will students receive a SMART tag ID badge every year?
No, students will receive a new SMART Tag at the beginning of program rollout. There will be no additional fees for these cards.

Can I purchase additional SMART tag ID badges?
No. At this time we do not have additional Smart Tags for purchase.

How will SMART tag determine the correct route/bus for students with multiple and/or alternating destinations?
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. Can students get off at another stop in an emergency situation? Yes, we ask that parents please contact the child’s school directly so that a bus pass can be issued for the student.