Westchester Innovation Network Connects Local Innovator with Transportation Company for School Bus Safety Solution

The Westchester Innovation Network (WIN), an initiative of the Business Council of Westchester (BCW), recently facilitated a successful match between Ossining-based Right Route and County Coach in Rye Brook.

This collaboration allowed Right Route to conduct a crucial product test of its innovative digital display screen on a school bus, a development that could significantly enhance child safety in school transportation.

Right Route, founded and led by CEO Sergio Alfonso, aims to address a persistent issue in the school bus industry: inadequately labeled buses leading to children boarding the wrong route. Alfonso, who has worked in various capacities within the school bus industry since 2007, understands the daily challenges.

“If a bus is not labeled properly, a student or a child can board the wrong bus,” Alfonso explained. “Kids getting on the wrong bus happens almost daily in the morning in the district where I work, for example. We recognize who they are, and we’ll take them to the appropriate school. In the afternoon though, if that were to happen, it could lead to a different ending that’s not so positive.”

Modern school buses possess advanced telematics, GPS, and high-definition cameras, yet the method of labeling buses remains an antiquated system using sheets of paper. Right Route’s digital display screen modernizes this process, providing clear and accurate route information to help children and parents ensure they are on the correct bus.

The product test with County Coach involved installing the prototype screen on a school bus. The primary goals of the test were to assess durability, battery life, and gather driver feedback. While the initial test yielded valuable insights, including the need to potentially hardwire the device instead of relying solely on battery power and a minor adjustment to reduce screen glare, the overall feedback was positive.

“Our goal is to keep this as inexpensive as possible,” said Alfonso, who hopes to produce the signs for under $100 per unit.

Alfonso lauded the BCW’s role in connecting Right Route with County Coach.

“It happened quickly. It was a great experience,” said Alfonso, who learned about WIN while searching online for accelerators and incubators. “We initially met with a vendor that runs last mile shuttles, which really didn’t fit, but that gentleman suggested to reach out to County Coach and that process was seamless. He heard us, he liked the idea, and then within a couple of days we met in person to look at this.”

With the successful prototype test complete, Right Route is now looking to begin a friends and family fundraising round with the goal of initiating broader fundraising soon.

“The Business Council of Westchester is incredibly pleased that our Westchester Innovation Network initiative helped Right Route, a local inventor, connect with an established business like County Coach to evaluate a new idea,” said Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of the BCW. “This collaboration exemplifies WIN’s mission to foster innovation and economic growth in our county. A solution like Right Route’s digital display has the potential to lead to an industry-wide change that significantly enhances child safety, and we are thrilled to have played a part in bringing this concept closer to reality.”