PHILADELPHIA, N.Y. (WWTI) — With 59 bus routes, Indian River Central School District bus drivers are already hard at work.

But the app First View is helping parents communicate with the transportation department. This was launched by the district at the beginning of the school year and allows parents and legal guardians to track their child’s bus.

“It’s utilized for the parents so that way they can get information for their estimated pickup and dropoff time for their students,” IRCSD Transportation Supervisor Sisson explained.

However, only authorized individuals can use the platform. Parents or legal guardians must use unique codes and logins that are specific to their students.

These codes are developed by the District’s partner First Student.

“There’s no way really that somebody can fake a code or make up a code,” First Student Location Manager Brian Jefferds said. “That’s what makes the security of it. Along with the student number that is provided from the school district. Those two have to go together as a secret handshake kind of item that will allow the parent to have access to their student’s whereabouts.”

Jefferds said this system will reduce the number of parent phone calls, allowing the department to focus on driving.

“It helps a lot,” Jefferds said. “Because a lot of times, our buses aren’t running right on schedule, they might be a little behind, they may be doubled up, they may be, one run after another or something like that.”

Indian River transports about 3,000 students on buses every day. It’s also the district that has the highest percentage of military families due to its proximity to the Fort Drum military base.

Both Jefferds and Sisson expressed that they hope this app will give these families peace of mind.

“Indian River is a huge school district, almost three hundred square miles. So to try and grasp that as a new family member is sometimes difficult,” Jefferds stated. “Depending on where your child goes, you might be going quite a distance to get there. This app will help them feel a bit more comfortable where their child’s at.”

“As a parent that’s here at work every day, if I have the accessibility to know that, hey even though my kids are teenagers, I know they’re going to be home in ten minutes,” Sisson added.

The FirstView app can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Parents who are registered in the app and have questions are directed to call 1-888-889-8920 or email support@firstviewapp.com.