New GPS system gives West Central Valley parents peace of mind on bus routes

From KCCI.com / Oct. 29, 2025

West Central Valley School District (IA), located in sections of Adair, Dallas, and Guthrie Counties, has implemented Stopfinder, a GPS system that allows parents to track their children’s bus locations in real-time and provides drivers with updates.

“We’ve got several schools in several towns. So it does provide some peace of mind, and it allows us to operate more efficiently and effectively, again, to improve student safety and allow parents to be able to kind of, you know, a peace of mind,” said Ethan Calvert, Dexter Elementary principal.

“It’s a great resource, just to be able to see where your kids are, how close the bus is, and just keep track,” said district parent Rebecca Holt.

There are a handful of other schools, including Des Moines, that use a similar system.