Here Comes The Bus

Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is a bus-tracking app that allows parents to view the real-time location of their child's school bus using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Most school buses are now equipped with GPS trackers, and the app uses this data to display an easy-to-follow, customizable map showing where the bus is and how close it is to your home. The app is available at no cost to our families.

After registering through the app, parents can customize settings such as the alert radius, frequency of notifications, and other preferences.

Please remember the app tracks the bus number for alerts. If your child is not riding the bus one day, you will still receive alerts about the location of the bus. 

Student ID Cards

We are excited to introduce Student Ridership, a new safety feature in the HCTB mobile app. With this system, students will use a card to scan on and off the bus each morning and afternoon. Each time your child scans, you will receive a notification through the HCTB app. 
New Student ID Cards

Student Cards 

  • All students, regardless if they ride a bus to or from school, have received a card.
  • Students need to carry their card daily on a lanyard, backpack, or in a wallet. 
  • If your child does not have a card, please contact the front office of your child's school.

 

Lost or Forgotten Cards 

  • If a student forgets or misplaces their card, they will still be permitted to board the bus in the morning and afternoon.
  • Parents will not receive an alert if students do not scan on and off the bus.
  • Replacement cards are $5.00 each. Please contact your child’s school if a replacement card is needed.  

 

Privacy & Safety 
Only parents/guardians connected through the secure HCTB app will see scan alerts. This tool is designed to improve student safety and keep families informed. 

App Update Coming Late March 2026

What’s changing
By the end of March, the updated version of the Here Comes the Bus app will be released to all users on Android and iOS. Android users may already be familiar with this version, as it has been available in the Google Play Store as a Beta release for the past few months. Once the update is released, parents and caregivers will automatically see the new experience when they update the app.

Why this update is happening
As part of our Software Modernization Initiative, the HCTB app is being refreshed with a more modern design and improved functionality to make it easier and more intuitive for parents and caregivers to use.

What parents will notice
The updated app includes:

  • A refreshed interface with bottom navigation
  • Faster account creation – using a secure 4-digit code
  • Optional student photo upload
  • New Single Sign‑On (SSO) options, including Clever, ClassLink, Microsoft, and others
  • An optional setting to limit bus visibility to a defined stop radius

What parents need to do
For most users, no action is required beyond updating the app when prompted through the App Store or Google Play. Parents will then follow the on‑screen steps to sign in and continue using HCTB.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here Comes the Bus uses HTTPS, just like a bank or online store, which means that all communications between your web browser and the site are encrypted and secure.  (That's what the S in "HTTPS" stands for - secure).

In order to register for the app, someone must know the child's last name and school ID number.

The code for all schools in Houston County is 29158. 
At this time, the card will be used for scanning on and off the bus.  In the future, all students will use it for other items within the school. It's important all students keep up with the card.
Each student was provided with a lanyard and a badge holder. The most success has been found by tying these to the book bags and then placing the card in the pocket of the book bag. The badge will scan through a phone case if your student carries a phone in their book bag. 

No. Students may only have one active RFID card issued at a time, and the bus reader will only scan one badge. Any damaged or bent badges should be shredded. If a student finds an old, previously lost badge, they should turn it into the school for disposal. 

No students will be denied transportation for not having their badge.  

If a student forgets or loses their badge, the driver can manually enter the student’s ID number at the bus ramp of their school, but not at stops on the road. This means they can only manually enter student information from the bus ramp in the afternoons. Manually entering student information slows down the route and can easily get the bus off schedule if the driver had to manually enter every student.   

If the driver manually enters the student ID, parents will receive an alert when riders board the bus at school, but the driver will not be able to manually enter when the child leaves the bus at their bus stop. Instead, they will manually clear out all riders who did not have a badge at the end of the route. Parents will not receive a notification when the driver clears all rider information at the end of the route.  

Parents will still be able to track the bus’s location through the Here Comes the Bus app but will not receive a notification when their child leaves the bus.  

Drivers will remind these students to bring their badge or order a replacement from the front office if the badge has been lost.   

If a student repeatedly fails to have a badge, the driver can issue a bus referral. 

The cost of the replacement badge will be $5.00. Students who need a replacement badge should let their front office know.  

The schools will let parents know if the badge is lost or damaged. Parents may also call the school office if they know a replacement badge is needed.  Replacement badges are $5.

There are a small number of students who haven’t received their badge yet. They should receive their badges when we return from Fall Break. If your child does not have a card by October 15, please contact the front office of your child's school.

No. The card follows the child, not the school.  As long as the student stays in Houston County, the card will still work.  

The Here Comes the Bus Knowledge Base is the best place for parents to find answers to common questions about the new app experience. It includes step‑by‑step guidance and FAQs you can share with families in advance to reduce confusion and support requests.

For other questions or concerns, please contact Transportation at hctb@hcbe.net.


  App Installation Instructions for New Users:

  1. Student must be registered to ride the bus at school level
  2. Download Here Comes the Bus app or visit www.herecomesthebus.com online.
  3. Click the “Sign Up” button.
  4. For Regular and Special Education transportation enter the Houston County code 29158. 
  5. Click “Next” followed by “Confirm.”
  6. Complete the “User Profile” box.
  7. Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number.
  8. Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin customizing your settings.

Back to Transportation