Grant Opportunities

Announcement and Introduction:

The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) and ZONAR Systems, Inc are pleased to announce and jointly sponsor a $50,000 grant competition to contribute to the improved safety, effectiveness[aa1]  and efficiency of the Pupil Transportation program in the United States and Canada. This grant provides state of the art, best practice, fleet management technology including Electronic Vehicle Inspection Reporting (EVIR), Global Position System (GPS), Real Time Engine Diagnostic reporting (J3) and Ground Traffic Control (GTC) web based software to a contractor providing transportation services to a School System. This will equip another school transportation system in the United States or Canada with this unique inspect, track, know technology to provide management information about their school bus operation. 

The Grant Sponsors:

NSTA and ZONAR Systems, Inc are dedicated to the enhancement of the all important and critical student passenger safety mission.  Further, the sponsors recognize the difficulty that transportation operations encounter in their efforts to acquire and implement leading edge technology systems designed to both save real dollars and present management and supervision opportunities leading to real improvements to the student safety prime mission.  NSTA will accept and evaluate applications from NSTA members for a single award of $50,000 worth of equipment/hardware provided by Zonar Systems, Inc. 

Purpose--The Grant Award Includes:

Zonar's patented Electronic Vehicle Inspection Reporting (EVIR) system including asset and zone tags to verify the completion of pre-trip, post-trip, child check and security sweep inspections, Zonar's cellular High Definition GPS system, J3 Engine Diagnostic module and GTC software. This important grant will permit a contractor to acquire the equipment/hardware necessary to utilize and provide a school system the "Inspect, Track and Know" tools that are quickly becoming best practice in North America. 

The Value and Impact:

This $50,000 capital acquisition grant will outfit school buses with the component hardware parts necessary to procure the benefits of Zonar's patented and highly acclaimed Electronic Vehicle Inspection Reporting (EVIR), cellular based High Definition GPS, J3 Engine Diagnostics and Ground Traffic Control systems.  Your Pre-Trip, Post Trip, Security Sweeps and Child Check inspections will be better managed, performed and verified in a paper free “now” and web-based online environment.  Innumerable operational street performance issues from idling, engine fault codes and speeds, to time management and location deviations will be right at your fingertips.  And so much more. 

Eligibility:

To be considered for this Grant Award, the contractor must be a current NSTA member at the time the application is submitted.  Applications will be considered that include matching funds to expand the program beyond the limit of this grant.  Applicants must document their ability to pay for the ongoing monthly service fee that includes all costs for the cellular transmission of the real-time data, hosting of all inspection and GPS data, unlimited access to the web-based application Ground Traffic Control™ for accessing GPS and inspection reports, and 24/7 telephone and online support.  This monthly service fee GPS and Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report (EVIR) is $23.00 per month per vehicle. 

Application Requirements:

All grant applications are to be submitted in printed and electronic format (Microsoft Word or PDF) to the National School Transportation Association.  Applications are to be mailed and addressed to: 

Include the NSTA membership number on the cover of the application.  Applications for this Grant Award will not be returned and will become the property of Zonar Systems, Inc. The application must provide a complete description of the pupil transportation operation. 

Grant Application Format:

A.  In General:  There is no specific format or application template to be used for your grant application.  This “open” ended method permits a more free flowing dialogue on your part about your school transportation operations and objectives.  However, there are required specifics and additional suggested content items that should be considered for inclusion in your application.  Of course, discuss and include topics and supporting documents that you consider important to this mission.

B.  Required Specifics:

            Contractor Name, State or Province, Principal Place of Business

            Contact Name         

            Email Addresses, Phone Numbers

            Number of Buses

            Number of Routes

            Annual School Bus Miles

            Number of Students Transported

            Annual Transportation Operation Expenditures

            School District (s) served and contact information 

C.  Suggested Content & Discussion Items:

1. Data Items

Number of A, B, C, and D Type Buses

            Number of district owned buses (if any)

            Number of contractor owned/provided buses

Five Years:  Expenses, Miles, Accidents, Preventable Accidents, Transported Students

Five Years:  Number of Special Needs Students Transported for IEP services

Bus Fleet Average Age

Percent of Buses Over 15 Years of Age

2. Discussion Items:

Current Inspection Records Management Process

Current Child Check System

Current Methods for Assessing Bus Personnel Hours

Current Automated Routing System, if any.

How will ZONAR help you achieve and enhance your goals?  Which goals?

Discuss district policy requirements or changes to current policy, if any, necessary to implement power of this technology

Discuss financial authorization and budget timing sequencing necessary to support school district annual fees estimated at $17,000 per year and initial equipment installment expenses estimated at $150.00 per unit for 70 units if the installation will not be done by district staff.

Additional items as the applicant determines.

3. Required Signatures: 

The Site Manager

The Purchasing Officer

Owner of the Company 

Selection Process:

The NSTA Board of Directors will appoint an evaluation team to determine the recipient of this Grant Award. The NSTA will evaluate the submitted proposals and select the appropriate winner from the submitted competitive applications.  Their selection is final and there is no provision for protesting the selection.