Olentangy Schools families can track their child's school bus in real time through a free app the district launched for the 2026-27 school year.
The app, called My Ride K-12, shows estimated pickup and drop-off times, live bus arrival updates, bus numbers, driver information and morning and afternoon stop locations, according to a district announcement. It is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play at no cost.
The district said in its announcement that student safety is its highest priority and described the app as a tool to give bus-riding families better communication, visibility into routes and more convenient access to transportation details.
Each student's account can be linked to up to four authorized users, including parents, guardians or other approved family members.
How to set it up
To get started, families download My Ride K-12, create an account and verify their email. They then search for "Olentangy Schools" within the app and link their student using a Student ID number and Access ID. The district is sending those credentials through a ParentSquare Secure Document.
Families who use district transportation but do not see their student in the app should contact the Transportation Office at 740-657-4080 or [email protected].
What the app does not do
Pickup and drop-off times are estimates. Traffic, weather, construction and other factors can shift arrival windows. The district advises students to arrive at their stop at least five minutes before the scheduled time.
The app does not handle closings or delays. Those notifications will continue through the district's existing communication channels.
A growing transportation network
Olentangy Schools, which the district describes as Ohio's fourth-largest by enrollment, spans more than 95 square miles across Powell, Liberty Township and Lewis Center. Enrollment topped 24,000 students as of winter 2025, and the district operated 27 schools as of February 2026.
The app is built by Tyler Technologies, a Plano, Texas-based company. Its Google Play listing states that no user data is shared with third parties and that data is encrypted in transit.
Amy Morgan, a transportation supervisor with Olentangy Schools, said during emergency preparedness training reported by NBC4 that about 200 drivers and transportation employees took part in pre-school-year safety exercises. "These are some of the finest drivers in the state of Ohio … They are here for the right reasons, for the Olentangy students, and we're so proud of them," Morgan said at the Aug. 4 training.
Families with questions about the app can reach the Transportation Office at 740-657-4080.
