Route Optimization
Turn student enrollment data into efficient school bus routes, rosters, stop assignments, and printable route sheets with software built to replace paper maps and manual planning.
Learn More →App for School Bus Routes & Navigation
UniteGPS gives K-12 districts a smarter app for school bus routes and navigation, combining route optimization, live GPS, turn-by-turn driver guidance, parent ETAs, and student ridership tools. Built from real district feedback since 2014, it helps transportation teams replace paper maps, reduce calls, improve safety, and keep routes accurate throughout the school year.
Our School Bus App Services
UniteGPS combines routing, GPS tracking, navigation, parent communication, and student visibility for K-12 transportation teams.
GPS Tracking
Equip buses with live GPS tracking that updates every 5 seconds, supports mileage categories, and provides speeding, idle, geofence, and timestamped location data.
Learn More →Driver Navigation
Give drivers on-board tablet tools for school-bus-specific navigation, route guidance, student rosters, vehicle inspections, mileage tracking, and daily operational visibility.
Learn More →Parent Tracking
Let parents see where their child’s bus is, view ETAs, and receive timestamped ride information when advanced ridership notifications are enabled.
Learn More →SIS Integration
Sync student enrollment data from district systems into routing and ridership workflows, reducing duplicate entry and keeping routes aligned with current student records.
Ridership Tracking
Track student scan-on and scan-off activity to confirm who rode which bus, support parent notifications, document IEP transportation, and strengthen safety records.
Learn More →Routes, Tracking, and Navigation Together
UniteGPS combines route planning, driver guidance, GPS tracking, and parent communication in one practical platform for K-12 transportation teams. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, paper route sheets, and disconnected map tools, districts get clean routes, live visibility, and navigation built for school bus operations—backed by setup help and support from the people building the product.
Customer Success
Districts nationwide use UniteGPS to simplify transportation operations and improve visibility for families.
Why Choose UniteGPS?
UniteGPS is built for districts that need reliable tools, clear support, and long-term partners.
Built since 2014 by founders focused on practical school transportation problems.
Focused Experience
Built since 2014 by founders focused on practical school transportation problems.
Integrated Platform
Route optimization, GPS, navigation, parent app, SIS sync, and ridership in one platform.
Data Protection
FERPA-compliant tools help districts protect student data while improving visibility.
Live Support
Unlimited live support means transportation teams avoid ticket queues and slow responses.
Meet The UniteGPS Team
Founder-led transportation technology built with real district feedback.
Christopher Bunnell
Co-Founder
Christopher Bunnell is a Co-Founder of UniteGPS, the company he helped launch in 2014 after watching his own children wait in the freezing Maine winter for a school bus with no arrival information. Driven by that firsthand frustration, Chris partnered with Steve C. Lanning and Steven J. Lanning to build a real-time GPS tracking solution that gave families the visibility they deserved. Before UniteGPS, Chris served as the on-site client representative in Baltimore for a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services project, while the technical team operated remotely from California. At UniteGPS, Chris has led client relationships and stakeholder engagement since day one, ensuring the platform continues to solve real problems for school districts and transit agencies nationwide.
Steve C. Lanning
Co-Founder
Steve C. Lanning is a Co-Founder of UniteGPS, bringing deep database architecture and enterprise-level technical expertise to the platform since its founding in 2014. Steve previously served as an Oracle database administrator on a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services project at the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego, where he first collaborated with Chris Bunnell. In the early years of UniteGPS, Steve balanced the project alongside other professional commitments until growing client traction made it a full-time pursuit. His database expertise has been instrumental in building a reliable, scalable platform that now serves over 100 school districts nationwide, supporting everything from route optimization to student ridership tracking and SIS data integration.
Steven J. Lanning
Co-Founder
Steven J. Lanning is a Co-Founder of UniteGPS and the primary architect behind the Crosswalk platform, which he has built and continuously refined since the company's founding in 2014. Steven began his career on the same Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services project as his co-founders, focusing on solution quality assurance and software testing for production readiness while simultaneously pursuing formal software development training. When UniteGPS launched, Steven committed full-time to product development, translating real feedback from transportation directors and drivers into practical platform features. His customer-driven approach to engineering has helped UniteGPS grow into a fully integrated transportation management solution trusted by K-12 districts and transit agencies across the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app to find bus routes?
For K-12 school transportation, the best app is one that does more than display a map. UniteGPS helps districts build optimized routes from student data, create rosters, print route sheets, guide drivers with turn-by-turn navigation, and keep routes aligned through SIS integration. It is designed for transportation offices, drivers, administrators, and parents.
What app tells you when the bus is coming?
UniteGPS includes a parent school bus tracking app when a district activates GPS tracking. Parents can see where their child’s bus is, view an estimated arrival time, and rely on timestamped ride history when available. The app reduces calls to the transportation office by giving families real-time visibility instead of leaving them guessing at the stop.
Does UniteGPS include turn-by-turn navigation for drivers?
Yes. UniteGPS provides school bus turn-by-turn navigation through the Tablet Suite, helping regular and substitute drivers follow assigned routes with confidence. Navigation works alongside rosters, ridership tracking, vehicle inspections, and route information, so drivers are not relying on paper maps, memory, or generic consumer navigation tools that were not built for school transportation.
How does school bus route optimization work?
UniteGPS routing tools turn student enrollment data into efficient bus routes, rosters, stop assignments, and printable route sheets. The system can replace spreadsheets, paper maps, Google Maps, and one-person institutional knowledge. The UniteGPS team also offers a free route optimization study with a documented savings plan and outside assessment for board review.
Can the app connect with our student information system?
UniteGPS supports automated SIS integration to sync enrollment data directly into routing and ridership workflows. This helps keep student records, route assignments, and stop information current when students move, change schools, or update eligibility. Integration setup is handled during onboarding and is included in every UniteGPS tier at no additional charge.
Is UniteGPS safe for student data?
Yes. UniteGPS is FERPA compliant and built for K-12 transportation environments where student privacy matters. The platform supports controlled access to route, ridership, and GPS information so districts can improve communication and safety without exposing unnecessary student data. Ridership records and parent notifications are designed to support school transportation operations responsibly.
How much does school bus routing software cost?
UniteGPS pricing depends on the feature tier and fleet size. Routing Essentials starts at $49 per month for 1–5 buses, $98 per month for 6–15 buses, and $196 per month for 16+ buses. GPS Tracking & Routing is $25 per bus per month, while the Tablet Suite is $39 per bus per month plus hardware and data costs.
How long does implementation take?
UniteGPS offers a free 90-day setup with routes built for the district, helping teams move from existing maps, spreadsheets, or legacy systems into a working routing platform. Onboarding can include route building, SIS configuration, GPS setup, and guidance from the UniteGPS team so transportation staff are not left to configure everything alone.
Still Have Questions?
Connect with our team for practical answers about your district.
Awards and Recognition
Protects student transportation data and privacy.
Trusted by districts across the country.
FERPA Compliant
Protects student transportation data and privacy.
100+ Districts Served
Trusted by districts across the country.
Built Since 2014
Founder-led company built for long-term support.
