SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

CalAmp Honored for School Bus Contact Tracing Solution

The company’s Bus Guardian solution receives the 2020 IoT Excellence Award presented by Technology Marketing Corp. and Crossfire Media.

by SBF Staff
February 11, 2021
CalAmp Honored for School Bus Contact Tracing Solution

The Bus Guardian contact tracing solution from CalAmp received the 2020 IoT Excellence Award presented by Technology Marketing Corp. and Crossfire Media.

Photo courtesy CalAmp/Synovia Solutions

2 min to read


CalAmp announced that its school bus contact tracing solution, Bus Guardian, has received the 2020 IoT Excellence Award presented by Technology Marketing Corp. (TMC) and Crossfire Media.

The IoT Excellence Award honors innovative products that support the availability of information being deduced, inferred, and directly gathered from sensors, systems, and anything else that is supporting better business and personal decisions, according to a news release from CalAmp.

Ad Loading...

Bus Guardian, developed by CalAmp’s subsidiary Synovia Solutions, is a combination of CalAmp’s hardware, software, and telematics technology that delivers contact tracing, driver wellness checks, and hygiene verification to help schools manage student transportation challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company. The solution allows school administrators to create instant reports around each student's bus ridership history based on contact tracing, which is particularly important if a student or bus driver becomes ill.

Growing Ridership Tracking Capabilities Offer More Onboard Safety

"Safety and peace of mind have always been at the heart of our technology and it's gratifying to know we were able to creatively evolve during this pandemic to deliver a new kind of safety solution for our customers," said Jeff Gardner, CEO at CalAmp.

More than 100,000 of the roughly 500,000 school buses in the U.S. are equipped with Synovia's GPS-powered fleet tracking technology, according to the technology solutions provider.

"It is my pleasure to recognize Bus Guardian with an IoT Excellence Award for its excellence in innovation," said Carl Ford, CEO and community developer for Crossfire Media. "As a leader in this rapidly evolving industry, I look forward to seeing CalAmp's future successes."

Ad Loading...

Crossfire Media is an integrated marketing company that focuses on future trends in technology. The company has a partnership with TMC to produce events and websites related to disruptive technologies, according to CalAmp.

8 Products to Help Combat COVID on the Bus

More Management

A close-up side view of a yellow Switzer-CARTY school bus parked in a bus yard, with the contractor's name displayed on the side panel and additional school buses visible in the background.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseAugust 7, 2026

Switzer-CARTY Enters the U.S. with New Acquisition

The Canadian contractor’s acquisition of Minnesota-based Agnes Corporation marks its first cross-border expansion into the United States and adds 350 vehicles.

Read More →
Students wearing backpacks line up to board a yellow school bus, each holding an NFC-enabled student ID card to scan as they enter. The image illustrates student ridership tracking technology that records boarding activity in real time.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseAugust 6, 2026

BusRight Adds New Rider Tracking Technology

Safety Pass is an NFC-based student ridership tracking solution that provides real-time boarding and drop-off data to improve school bus safety and family communication.

Read More →
A red and white image of someone holding a cell phone with text reading "EverDriven Launches RideAware App With Student Ride Visibility."
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 5, 2026

EverDriven Launches RideAware App With Real-Time Student Ride Visibility

The updated platform’s new features improve communication among caregivers, districts, and drivers while streamlining trip updates.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Students boarding a school bus with text reading "New Riders, Strong Starts. Help every student feel confident on day one."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 5, 2026

How School Transportation Departments Can Help Acclimate New Riders to the Bus

Here's how transportation departments can turn first-day jitters into confidence for students and parents alike.

Read More →
Multiple generations of the Kobussen family posing in front of a school bus.
ManagementAugust 3, 2026

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Nearly 90 Years of Safely Transporting Wisconsin Students

From one farmer's act of service to a fourth-generation family business, Kobussen Buses reflects on nearly 90 years of earning the trust of Wisconsin families.

Read More →
Graphic for School Bus Fleet's "Changing Lanes" July 2026 personnel roundup featuring headshots of six industry professionals: Jamie Smith (AMF Buns), Dan Strock (Pro-Vision), Kyndra Webb (HopSkipDrive Council), Jared Schnader (CALSTART), Alycia Gilde (CALSTART), and Micah Enterz (Kooner Fleet Management Solutions), displayed on an orange geometric background.
Managementby StaffJuly 31, 2026

Changing Lanes: AMF Bruns, Pro-Vision, CALSTART, HopSkipDrive, & Kooner

Check out who's been hired, promoted, and appointed to leadership positions at various school transportation industry suppliers and nonprofits.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Promo graphic for the 18th National Congress on School Transportation, featuring a conference audience background and text reading “May 4–6, 2029, St. Louis, Missouri,” alongside the NCST logo.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsJuly 29, 2026

NCST Announces 18th Congress Event Dates, New Committees

The National Congress on School Transportation moves to St. Louis in May 2029, convening delegates and industry representatives to discuss new best practice recommendations. Now, the new committee chairs have been named.

Read More →
Two school buses parked in front of the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 28, 2026

Key Moments from the 2026 NSTA Annual Meeting in the Mile High City

From federal policy updates and OEM presentations to speed networking and industry awards, see photos and highlights from the contractor association’s summer conference in Denver.

Read More →
A HopSkipDrive caregiver waits by an open car door in front of a house.
Managementby Elora HaynesJuly 27, 2026

HopSkipDrive Launches Spanish-Language App Update, Plans Additional Language Support

The update aims to improve communication with multilingual families by offering ride tracking, notifications, and support in Spanish, with more languages planned for the 2026-2027 school year.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A yellow school bus is parked outside a school beneath a large oak tree with blooming white blossoms, framed by white buildings and a bright blue spring sky.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 27, 2026

Where the Yellow Bus Takes Us: School Bus Fleet's 2026 Photo of the Year Winners

See the winning photos from School Bus Fleet's 2026 Photo of the Year contest, featuring stunning school bus images from across the U.S., from scenic landscapes to everyday moments.

Read More →