Route Optimization
Turn student enrollment data into efficient school bus routes, stop assignments, rosters, and printable route sheets while reducing reliance on paper maps or staff memory.
Learn More →School Bus Route Mapping & Planning Software
UniteGPS helps K-12 transportation teams replace paper maps, Google Maps, and institutional memory with accurate, optimized school bus routes. Build rosters, route sheets, stop assignments, and safer transportation plans from student data, supported by free 90-day setup, SIS integration, clear planning tools, and live help from a founder-led team serving districts nationwide.
Our School Bus Route Mapping & Planning Software Services
Integrated school transportation tools for routing, mapping, optimization, data sync, tracking, and driver support.
Routing Essentials
Start with core routing tools for every district, including route planning, automated optimization, parent communication, field trips, and support with free 90-day onboarding.
Learn More →SIS Integration
Sync enrollment data from systems like PowerSchool, Skyward, or Infinite Campus so route assignments and rosters stay current without repeated manual uploads.
GPS Routing
Add live vehicle visibility, mileage tracking, geofence alerts, speeding and idle alerts, performance analytics, and basic parent bus tracking alongside routing tools.
Learn More →Driver Tablets
Equip drivers with onboard tablets for turn-by-turn school bus navigation, student ridership tracking, vehicle inspections, mileage categories, and advanced parent notifications.
Learn More →Route Study
Get a hands-on route optimization study from UniteGPS with route analysis, a documented savings plan, and an outside assessment for board decision-making.
Learn More →Our Route Planning Implementation Process
Review Your Current Routing Needs
UniteGPS starts by reviewing your fleet size, student enrollment data, existing routes, and operational goals. The team identifies where manual processes, outdated maps, or disconnected data are slowing transportation planning.
Sync Student And District Data
Student information is connected through SIS integration whenever available, reducing manual data entry and keeping route planning aligned with the district’s enrollment source. This helps routes stay accurate as students move or schedules change.
Build Optimized Route Plans
The UniteGPS team builds optimized bus routes, stop assignments, rosters, and printable route sheets during the free 90-day setup period. District staff can review outputs before using them in daily operations.
Launch And Improve Over Time
After routes are approved, districts can use Routing Essentials alone or add GPS tracking, parent visibility, driver tablets, ridership scanning, and IEP or Medicaid documentation as transportation needs expand.
Customer Success
K-12 districts and transit agencies trust UniteGPS to improve routing visibility, safety, and transportation operations.
Why Choose UniteGPS?
UniteGPS gives transportation teams practical software, responsive help, and a long-term partner.
Built specifically around K-12 routing, tracking, ridership, and transportation department workflows.
K-12 Focus
Built specifically around K-12 routing, tracking, ridership, and transportation department workflows.
Free Setup
Free 90-day onboarding includes route building, configuration, and hands-on help from UniteGPS.
Data Protection
FERPA-compliant tools help districts protect sensitive student transportation and ridership data.
Live Support
Founder-led support means direct, live help without ticket queues or private-equity pressure.
Meet The UniteGPS Team
Founder-led transportation software built from real district needs.
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 does school bus route mapping and planning software do?
School bus route mapping and planning software helps districts turn student enrollment data into efficient bus routes, stop assignments, rosters, and printable route sheets. UniteGPS replaces manual routing, paper maps, Google Maps, and one-person institutional knowledge with a structured transportation system built for K-12 operations. It also supports SIS integration, parent communication, and upgrade paths for GPS tracking and tablets.
How does UniteGPS optimize school bus routes?
UniteGPS route optimization uses student data, stop assignments, and district transportation requirements to build more efficient bus routes and route sheets. The goal is to reduce unnecessary mileage, save staff time, and create plans that are easier for drivers and administrators to manage. UniteGPS also offers a free professional Route Optimizer study with a documented savings plan for board review.
Does UniteGPS help build our routes during setup?
Yes. UniteGPS includes a free 90-day setup period with routes built for you by the UniteGPS team. During onboarding, the team helps configure routing, student data, SIS integration, and route outputs so districts do not have to start from a blank screen. This hands-on setup is designed to make adoption practical for small and large K-12 transportation departments.
How much does school bus route planning software cost?
School Bus Routing Essentials starts at $49 per month for 1–5 buses, $98 per month for 6–15 buses, and $196 per month for fleets of 16 or more buses. Pricing is annual and year-to-year. Higher tiers add live GPS tracking, parent bus tracking, driver tablets, student ridership tracking, inspections, and IEP or Medicaid invoicing capabilities.
Can UniteGPS integrate with our Student Information System?
Yes. SIS integration is included in every UniteGPS tier at no additional charge, with configuration handled during the free 90-day onboarding period. The integration syncs student enrollment data into routing and ridership tools, reducing manual roster uploads and keeping route assignments aligned when students move, change schools, or update transportation eligibility.
Is UniteGPS suitable for small school districts?
UniteGPS serves K-12 school districts nationwide, from small fleets to larger transportation operations. The platform is designed to scale from basic route planning to full GPS tracking and tablet-based ridership tracking. Districts can start with Routing Essentials and upgrade as they need parent tracking, live vehicle visibility, driver navigation, or student scan-on and scan-off records.
How does routing software improve student safety?
UniteGPS supports student safety by improving route accuracy, giving administrators better visibility, and reducing uncertainty for families. Optional GPS tracking updates every 5 seconds, while tablet-based ridership tracking can document which students boarded and exited each bus. FERPA-compliant data practices help districts manage sensitive student transportation information responsibly across routing, tracking, and reporting workflows.
What makes UniteGPS different from other routing systems?
UniteGPS stands out because it combines routing, optimization, SIS sync, GPS tracking, parent communication, driver tablets, ridership tracking, and Medicaid-related documentation in one platform. The company is founder-led, bootstrapped, profitable, and built around long-term customer relationships rather than private equity pressure. Districts also receive unlimited live support without ticket queues.
Still Have Routing Questions?
Get clear answers from a real transportation software specialist.
Awards and Recognition
Protects student transportation data and privacy practices.
Proven across K-12 transportation teams nationwide.
FERPA Compliant
Protects student transportation data and privacy practices.
100+ Districts Served
Proven across K-12 transportation teams nationwide.
Founder-Led Since 2014
Built independently for long-term customer value.
