Transportant Uses Their Startup’s Tech In Ways They Never Intended During Coronavirus Pandemic

“Closing the schools makes everybody think differently and shift and say, ‘OK, how are we going to solve these problems?’” Styers, co-founder of Transportant, said of how the startup’s customers — school districts — are approaching the unprecedented impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the education system. 

Transportant is a Kansas City based startup and Missouri Technology Corporation Portfolio Company that works to provide safe and efficient rides to and from school. Their technology allows for comprehensive, real-time management of school buses, live camera views, fleet tracking, and a bus compass to inform parents on when the bus is arriving and when their child gets on and off the bus.

However, with the recent school closures, many buses aren’t running anymore and several students are left without lunches. Since the startup already offers routing solutions to schools, they were able to take the entire list of students that require free and reduced lunches. Transportant is now serving as a sort of drive-thru for brown paper bag lunches to the kids who need them.

“One [request] was for the students that don’t have access to the internet at home. [They asked,] ‘Is there a way we can take the buses and create sort of moving study halls?” explained Styers. Transportant rose to the task and immediately got to work on plans to make this request happen. Transportant is also turning their school buses into mobile WiFi hotspots which will have defined times to be at certain locations so students can log in and do their homework.

When life as we know it has changed drastically and everyone is faced with uncertainties, Transportant is stepping up to help in any way they can.

Read the full article on Startland News.