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Education Authority’s Online Transport App Features at Digital DNA Conference
The Education Authority (EA) recently launched a new Geographical Information Systems(GIS) based web application which allows parents to check if their children are eligible for School Transport Assistance and apply online.
The simple and convenient new online web application enables the completion of applications for home to school transport assistance anytime, anywhere via a range of devices. On completion of an application, parents will now receive instant notification in relation to eligibility for School Transport Assistance.
EA’s Dale Hanna, Assistant Director of Transport, was invited to the Digital DNA Conference to talk about the development of the new app. He told attendees;
“We wanted to make it really easy for parents to find out if their children were eligible for transport assistance and enable them to submit their application online. The new app works on the basis of precise maps and uses the coordinates of students' homes to verify their application.
When parents click the ‘Submit’ button, the app calculates walking distances to their child's school. If the child is clearly eligible for bus transportation, parents receive an instant yes response and their application is automatically forwarded to the EA’s Transport Office.
Since implementing the new online system, feedback has been very positive. Parents find the process faster and more convenient, they get better information and have confidence in the process.
For EA, we save time due to improved administrative processing and more accurate information to assist decision making.”
EA provides transport for around 90,000 pupils each year. Over 25,000 new applications are processed each summer in time for the start of the academic year.
The online application service is now live and can be accessed via the EA website at www.eani.org.uk/transportapp.