On April 15, MCPS canceled the release of the bus tracking app Edulog due to concerns regarding student privacy.

MCPS began development of the app at the beginning of the second semester. However, after manufacturing and testing the pilot mobile application, MCPS discovered vulnerabilities within the system. Although there were no leaks, creators identified potential risks that could compromise students’ privacy.

Edulog aimed to enhance the school transportation system by giving users live updates on bus schedules and locations, offering significant potential for two-way communication, according to MCPS.

MCPS Chief Operating Officer Brian Hull oversees the school district’s transportation and issued a community message discussing the annulment and the future of the self-service tracking app. 

“Parents didn’t understand. Is the bus coming? Is it just late?” Hull said. “There was a desire to have a bit more transparency with our transportation department.”

MCPS submitted a Request For Proposal (RFP) to create the app, spending over $25,000 taxpayer dollars on its development, according to Hull. MCPS selected two vendors and evaluated the prices and services of each, to choose a company to create Edulog.

Sophomore Kendley Miller rides the school bus consistently in the mornings and afternoons and is frustrated with the unpredictability of bus arrivals, she said.

“Sometimes the bus is late, so then I’m just standing outside,” Miller said. “I could have been spending that time doing something else. Instead, I don’t know when the bus is coming.”

The MCPS Department of Transportation (DOT) provides transportation to roughly 200 schools and 103,000 students in the county, managing over 1,300 buses.

Junior Hannah Skipper believes the bus tracking application would be a convenient addition to the school transportation process. 

“It would help so many students in their everyday life because a lot of students rely on buses to get to school,” Skipper said.

Despite Edulog’s annulment, the app’s company installed GPS hardware on all MCPS buses, enabling continuous tracking of their speeds, mileage and current locations.

In his community message, Hull wrote about the next steps of tracking buses for the county.

“We want you to know that we are continuing to pursue options to allow families to monitor bus locations in real-time,” Hull wrote. “This will include exploring alternative solutions and technologies that align with our commitment to providing safe and efficient transportation services for our students while also ensuring data security.”