News & Events

From Pahrump Valley Times / By Robin Hebrock / Dec. 20, 2024

Winter break for Nye County School District (NV) students begins today and when classes resume on January 6, those who utilize school district transportation in the Pahrump Valley will be working with a new tracking program.

“NCSD is implementing a new system to improve student safety and bus tracking,” a statement issued by the school district on Dec. 16 announced. “All students will receive ID cards to scan when boarding and exiting the bus. This helps us ensure every student gets on the correct bus and arrives at the right stop.”

The new program, Stopfinder, will go into effect on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. As students enter their bus each day, they will be asked to swipe their ID card and as they exit, to swipe again. This will allow their information to be logged and ensure that all students are where they are supposed to be. It will also make it easier for parents to keep track of their child’s location. As the saying goes, there’s an app for that.

“You can download the free Stopfinder app to track your child’s bus in real-time and receive notifications about their arrival and departure,” the NCSD Transportation Dept. explained. “If you don’t have access, email SchoolBus@NyeSchools.org.”

In the first two weeks of the new program, students who don’t have their ID with them will be reminded to get one from their school and will then need to provide their name so the bus driver can log them on and off manually. No students will be refused a ride unless it is determined they are not assigned to that bus or route, the school district noted.

Things will change on Tuesday, Jan. 21 when swiping IDs will be required for everyone and consequences can come from not keeping IDs at the ready.

“No student will be refused a ride if they forget/lose their ID, however, students who repeatedly forget/lose their IDs will be reminded three times verbally, three times using bus tickets and then three times using incident reports and may be suspended from utilizing the school bus,” the transportation department detailed.

The new Stopfinder program is rolling out in Pahrump first and will eventually expand into the other areas of Nye County.

“For communities outside of Pahrump, the program will be rolled out once all of the new buses are delivered to each location and the Pahrump program roll out completely, which is expected to be during the third quarter of the 2024-2025 school year,” the department stated. “We’re committed to ensuring the safety and efficiency of our school bus transportation. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school or the transportation department.”

Parents who want to get familiar with the new program can view an introduction video and an app tutorial by visiting nye.k12.nv.us/page/trans-stopfinder

The NCSD Transportation Dept. can be reached at 775-727-2443 or SchoolBus@NyeSchools.com.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com.