“The Zonar system has provided us with a level of security and confidence I didn’tknow was possible. I want others to know how information-rich the system is andthat you can take it anywhere you go.”

Dallas RackowDirector of TransportationFreeport Schools

“With Zonar’s Electronic FleetManagement System we have beenable to achieve real dollar savingsand make improvements that increasethe overall safety of our students.

The ZPass student ridership trackingsystem has provided us with a level ofsecurity and confidence I didn’t knowwas possible.

I want others to know howinformation-rich the system is and thatyou can take it anywhere you go.”

Freeport Schools: About 4,200 students come to Freeport Public Schools eachday. Located in the northwest corner of Illinois, Freeport School District 145(FSD145) uses Zonar’s entire electronic fleet management system includingZPass™ student ridership tracking. www.freeportschooldistrict.com

Dallas RackowDirector of TransportationFreeport Schools

Freeport School District Saves $19,560 and Increases Student Safetywith Zonar’s Fleet Management SystemLocated 100 miles west of Chicago, Freeport, IL is a rural city with a populationof 26,500. The Freeport School District maintains ten busy school buildings withan enrollment of about 4,300 students supporting the city and neighboringcommunities.

The student transportation operation in the Freeport district consists of 36 vehiclescovering over 99 square miles. Many of the routes are rural and the district wantedto ensure child safety. They also wanted to improve their operation. The district wasconcerned about incomplete vehicle inspections, excess idling and out-of-routemiles.

“I wanted to transform our pupil transportation department into a model of safety,security and operational leadership," stated Dallas Rackow, Director of Transportationfor the district. "For example, before Zonar I randomly placed sticky notes onvehicle inspection points to increase compliance. I had little visibility to theeffectiveness of inspections or driver behavior.”

In 2009, Freeport School District won a grant through NAPT and Zonar to installZonar electronic inspection devices, onboard GPS computers and student trackingsystems throughout the fleet. Stephanie Helms, Grantwriter for District 145 stated,“The district’s relationship with Zonar has been a fruitful one since it began in 2009.This great technology continues to increase our safety and efficiency.”

Fuel Savings and Maintenance Efficiency with Zonar V2J™V2J is a high definition GPS and real-time vehicle diagnostics device that installseasily on each vehicle. The onboard computer captures four dimensions of GPSdata including latitude, longitude, time and odometer. In addition, V2J connectsdirectly to the engine’s data control module to capture and transmit fault codesand performance data.

Freeport accesses this information through Zonar’s secure web-based GroundTraffic Control™ software. Reports generated through the software provide a wealthof information including fuel efficiency, stops, vehicle speeds, route maps andtimelines, idling time and more. Freeport School District utilizes this information toimprove driver and vehicle operation. In the first year of use, the district reporteda savings of 6,102 gallons of fuel, or $19,560 due to idle time reductions andimproved route management.

“Using information from Zonar, I put together teams of drivers and tracked theiridle times. The information was posted on a data board in their lounge on a monthlybasis, and the team with the fewest or the largest drop in idle times got lunch,"stated Rackow. "We’ve cut down on our fuel consumption because we’ve beenable to track and monitor idling. We let drivers know when they are idling and tellthem to reduce it.”

The Zonar system also lets the district track inspection times, defect rates, and driverhours, as well as monitoring bus stops, travel speeds and fuel mileage.

One of the most beneficial uses of the GPS technology is the ability to track thelocation and report on all of the buses in real time from the Freeport office. "I usethe 'Path Report" in Ground Traffic Control to track 'padding' which is when driverslog more hours by taking a longer than necessary route. By tracking how and wherethey were driving, I am able to keep them on route and total miles down," saidRackow. "Another advantage is that mechanics and office staff can instantly seeif there are any reported problems with the bus fleet and fix them quickly.

“Data captured during vehicle inspections and fault code information sent in real-time allows us to intervene so we can protect the operation from equipment failureand safety of the riders” continued Rackow.

For example, Rackow is notifiedimmediately when the check engine lightcomes on and has the details from theengine fault codes to diagnose theproblem remotely and determine the bestcourse of action. If repair work isnecessary, she can schedule shop time,coordinate technicians and order partsbefore the vehicle arrives. This reducesvehicle downtime and increases thebottom line.

Ensure Compliance with ElectronicVehicle Inspection Reports (EVIR®)The recent implementation of the FederalMotor Carrier Safety Administration's(FMCSA) of Compliance, Safety,Accountability (CSA) has increased thesignificance and impact of pre- and post-trip inspections. Prior to EVIR, Freeportbus drivers were required to manuallyinspect their vehicles and fill out reports at the beginning and end of each shift.These reports were not always complete and often were inaccurate.

Zonar’s EVIR is a hand-held device that automates and verifies inspections. Driversscan RFID inspection tags placed in specific 'zones' around the vehicle. As theyscan, drivers are prompted to inspect the various 'components' in the zone andidentify the 'condition' of those components with the device. The results of theinspection are transmitted at the conclusion of the inspection back to the FreeportSchool District and available immediately through Ground Traffic Control.

“EVIR verifies that pre-and post-trip inspections are getting done. Thanks to EVIR,the days of placing reminder sticky notes on inspection areas are long gone,” statedRackow.

Even more important, the Freeport District can store, report and set up alerts basedon EVIR inspection data. Rackow can make informed decisions based on theinspection results including the drivability of the vehicle. EVIR saves inspection time,improves report accuracy and provides greater control for maintenance operations.

Dallas Rackow, Director of

Transportation, uses the EVIR hand-

held device to scan an inspection

sensor as part of the CSA 2010

inspection process.

REV: 10/25/2011

ZONAR: IT PAYS TO HAVE THE RIGHT FLEET MANAGEMENT PARTNERZonar provides electronic fleet inspection, tracking and operations solutions for public and private fleets.Our products are effective, driven by customer satisfaction and affordable by design. We’ve made it ourbusiness to do right by our customers. You will notice the difference.

Improve Child Safety with ZPass™The Freeport School District also uses Zonar RFID technology to track student riders.With ZPass, students receive bus rider cards. As students enter and exit the bus, apatented RFID device logs the time, date and location of the scan. The systemrequires no additional action on the part of drivers or students.

The information available to the Freeport district helps track students and providesanswers to calls by parents. The district can also track ridership trends over time tohelp optimize routes.

“Student ridership tracking with ZPass has provided us with a level of security andconfidence I didn’t know was possible. It has eliminated the anxiety associated withlocating a child that didn’t get off thebus. What used to take 15 minutes isnow 30 seconds with ZPass,” saidRackow. “We can also produce ourMedicaid reimbursement paperworkautomatically for special needs studentsriding the bus with ZPass”

Freeport is in the process of adding evenmore value with the addition of ZPass+.With ZPass+, the same informationavailable to the district is now availableto parents and guardians instantly overthe Internet. Parents who sign up for theprogram can log in to a secure websiteto view the times, dates and locationsof their student’s transportation to school.They can also elect to receive instantnotifications of this information by e-mailor cell phone text message.

“ZPass+ is an excellent tool for parents,”stated Rackow. “Calls to the transportation department are no longer necessary,because parents have that information on their cell phones.”

The Right Information at the Right TimeThe Freeport School District has achieved real dollar savings and made improvementsthat increase the overall safety of their students with the Zonar system.

“I continue to find savings and value with Zonar. For example, the vehicle dataallows me to monitor speeds and eased the paperwork burden by providing proofof safe railroad crossings as required by state law,” said Rackow. “The Zonar 'PathReport' even tells me every time the stop arm on the bus door is activated. Theflexibility to monitor activities such as field trips, on my Blackberry, is something Ican no longer live without. This has been a win for the schools, parents, studentsand the community.”

Zonar’s ZPass system automatically

scans cards provided to students

for tracking the time, date and

location of each entry and exit from

the bus.