Overview

Rob Schutte, a transportation director in Clark County, Missouri, faced one of the most stressful events of his career—a tornado warning with all district buses still on the road. Thanks to Transportant, he was able to keep every student and driver safe.

The Situation

During a tornado warning, severe weather moved across the county while school buses were en route. Rob monitored the storm using a local TV station and simultaneously tracked the location of every bus through Transportant’s mapping system. Traditional fleet systems often have 30-second tracking delays, which would have posed a challenge to Rob. But thanks to Transportant's real-time bus location, he could accurately pinpoint which buses were in danger and respond immediately.

The Challenge

Two buses were directly in the tornado's path. Without real-time location tracking, communicating with drivers in time could have been impossible. In a scenario where seconds matter, the district needed instant situational awareness. 

The Response

Using Transportant, Rob quickly identified the at-risk buses and contacted the drivers. At the next stop, both drivers were able to shelter students in nearby homes with basements until the tornado passed. Rob also used the platform to confirm the safety and reroute of other buses, ensuring all students got home before the next wave of storms.

The Outcome

Every student and driver made it home safely. Rob later shared the incident during a board meeting, noting that the investment in Transportant paid for itself that day. Without it, he said, “We’d have been guessing… it would have made things a lot worse.”

“It was probably the most stressful half hour I’ve ever had as superintendent… but we were able to keep all of our kids safe. Transportant made a huge difference that night.” – Rob Schutte, Transportation Director

For Rob and his district, Transportant proved to be more than just a routing tool—it was a critical part of their emergency response system, enabling quick decisions and safe outcomes during a natural disaster.

Built for K-12 districts, Transportant enhances safety, streamlines operations, and builds trust with parents. With an all-in-one system, districts can enhance safety, improve response times, and streamline transportation with real-time GPS, live-streaming cameras, automated ridership tracking, and route optimization.