Background
North Scott Community School District covers approximately 220 square miles and is spread across Eldridge, IA; Long Grove, IA; Princeton, IA; and Donahue, IA. It consists of a high school, a junior high, and five elementary schools. The district’s mission is to produce successful graduates by taking advantage of its blend of rural and metropolitan opportunities. The school district offers a broad-based curriculum in a safe environment.
Customer Needs
North Scott Community School District’s transportation system includes 38 school bus radios, one base station, four maintenance vehicle radios, and four handheld units. Its existing 800 MHz radio system was having problems with dead zones, and didn’t have much reach or clarity. The school district needed a new system that was compliant with current FCC regulations. With tower rental becoming expensive, the district needed a cost-effective, updated two-way communications system.
Solution
To replace North Scott Community School District’s 800 MHz radio system, CEC implemented a digital two-way communications solution that conforms to new FCC narrowband requirements.
As part of this project, GPS technology was also added to the district’s bus fleet. This solution lets the school system accurately track school buses and streamline transportation operations. With this new solution in place, North Scott Community School District now has:
- A digital two-way communications system with no dead zones.
- GPS technology that tracks school buses accurately and provides students and families with better service.
- A self-contained two-way communications system that eliminates the district’s monthly tower charge, saving more than $9,000 each year.
- Better clarity and reach with digital two-way radios.
We chose to work with CEC due to their experience in working with another school district that had the same goals and objectives as we did. With the new two-way radio system, we eliminated our monthly tower charge, saving the district more than $9,000 annually.
