Bringing Peace of Mind to Rural School Transportation
Located in the heart of rural North Dakota and surrounded by endless stretches of cornfields and soybeans, Northern Cass School District faces a unique transportation challenge: 90% of their students ride the bus.
Serving six rural communities (Hunter, Arthur, Erie, Grandin, Gardner, and Argusville) alongside open enrollment students from more urban areas like Fargo and West Fargo, the district spans a large geographic area with diverse road conditions. “We’re literally surrounded by cornfields or soybeans on all sides,” says Dr. Corey Steiner, Superintendent. “Getting students to and from school safely is our number one priority.”
But beyond just the logistics of transportation, Steiner and his team knew they needed a way to ease parent anxiety. “Parents want to know where their kids are, especially during the harsh North Dakota winters,” he explains. “If a bus is running late, they shouldn’t have to leave work early or wonder if their child made it home safely.”
After extensive research and conversations with other school districts across the country, Northern Cass chose Razor Tracking.
“Razor had a local touch; they understood what it’s like to drive on dirt roads and in sub-zero conditions. But more than that, they offered amazing support from the very beginning.”
The impact was immediate.
Kristin, a parent of two elementary students, shares how the system has transformed her mornings:
“It was really foggy this morning, and I knew the bus might be late. I checked the app, saw she was five minutes behind, and told the boys they had more time. They threw the football around until I saw her turn down the gravel road. I just called out, ‘She’s coming!’ and they ran out. It makes my life easier.”
For parents, it’s not just convenience, it’s peace of mind. They can check where the bus is at any time, even in inclement weather, and adjust their schedules without constant calls to the school office. “It’s reduced anxiety,” Steiner adds. “We’ve taken some of the unknowns and made them known.”
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More than just a tracking tool, Razor Tracking has become an essential layer of safety for the district.
“Bussing is one of the most complex parts of a school system,” Steiner explains. “You’re moving people’s most precious cargo every day. Razor gives us one more way to say, ‘We’re doing everything we can to keep your child safe.’”
To other districts considering the system? Steiner puts it simply:
“If someone called me, I’d ask them, ‘Why aren’t you doing it?’ It’s become a necessity.”
To learn more how Razor Tracking can