JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin Schools’ transportation department recently received a Versatrans 2014 Public Sector Excellence Award from Tyler Technologies during the Tyler Connect user conference.   

The department was recognized for its creative use of the Versatrans transportation management system following a May 2011 tornado and for overcoming numerous challenges and changes since the disaster.

In the hours immediately following the tornado, Joplin Schools' bus drivers used buses to transport patients to area hospitals. Officials said that within days, they were using the Versatrans system to help identify students affected by the disaster and to create new routes around the damaged areas.

Over the course of the recovery, the transportation department has added and adjusted routes to accommodate temporary facilities, split campuses, new schools, and to help ensure that students continue to experience some normalcy and routine, according to the district.

“Tyler’s Public Sector Excellence Awards program is our chance to publicly recognize clients who embrace our technology and use our solutions to solve unique problems at their district, agency or municipality,” said Chris Hepburn, senior vice president of Tyler’s enterprise resource planning and school division.

There were seven other award recipients, including two more school districts: Barrow County School System in Winder, Ga., and Mission (Texas) Consolidated School District.