Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

BusPlan

github.com

Free plan Self-hosted
Visit github.com
Spec score 8.3 #6 of 24 in School Bus Routing Software

What it is

BusPlan is a free, open-source tool for school districts that generates optimized routes from existing student, stop, and school-location data. It seeks to minimize bus driving time and can impose a maximum student ride-time constraint. The workflow accepts CSV files for locations, students, candidate stops, stop eligibility, and garage bus limits. Preparation instructions create candidate stops within one mile of each student and calculate walking-distance eligibility. OpenStreetMap extracts are used to build OpenTripPlanner routing graphs, which supply route costs. OptaPlanner provides the constraint-solving engine. Results are CSV files listing ordered stops for each route and assigning students to route-and-stop combinations. A script calculates student ride times, and a Jupyter notebook supports route analysis. BusPlan is distributed as source code and setup instructions on GitHub under the Apache License, Version 2.0. The repository does not list a packaged desktop or mobile download or a support service.

Spec sheet

Purpose
BusPlan generates school bus routes for existing students, stops, and school locations, optimizing for minimum bus drive time.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
The project describes its goal as reducing public school budgets and helping students spend less time riding to school.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integrations
The documented workflow uses OpenStreetMap extracts with OpenTripPlanner for routing and OptaPlanner for optimization.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security
The repository page does not state any product-specific security certifications or compliance claims.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The repository provides setup and usage instructions in its README; it does not state a support service.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
The repository provides the software under the Apache License, Version 2.0.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Headquarters
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USARead 28 Sep 2026 · github.com
Analysis
The repository includes instructions and a Jupyter notebook for analyzing student ride times and routes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Distribution
The repository provides source code and setup instructions, with no packaged desktop or mobile download listed.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Input data
The setup instructions use CSV files for network nodes, students, eligible stops, and garage bus limits.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Open source license
The repository provides the software under the Apache License, Version 2.0.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Optimization
Routes are optimized to minimize bus drive time and can be constrained by maximum student ride time.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Optimization engine
BusPlan uses OptaPlanner as its constraint solver.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Outputs
The solver produces CSV files containing ordered route stops and student assignments, which can then be converted into mappable routes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Potential constraints
The project page describes planned solver improvements for bus fleet size, capacity, student age, special needs and buses serving multiple schools.Read 8 Oct 2026 · fellowship.azavea.com
Project context
Azavea says it worked with the School District of Philadelphia to investigate algorithmically optimized school bus routing.Read 8 Oct 2026 · fellowship.azavea.com
Ride time constraint
Routes can be constrained to limit maximum student ride time.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Routing and solver
The project uses OpenTripPlanner to generate route costs and OptaPlanner as a constraint solver.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Routing engine
BusPlan uses OpenTripPlanner to generate route costs.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Setup requirement
The getting-started instructions require generating OpenTripPlanner routing graphs from OpenStreetMap extracts.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Stop eligibility
The data-preparation instructions generate candidate stops within a one-mile radius of each student and calculate walk-distance eligibility.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

BusPlan Free Open source; no hosted plan or usage limits stated Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every BusPlan plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan and Apache 2.0 license
  • Optimizes drive time and ride-time limits
  • CSV route and student assignments
  • Ride-time script and analysis notebook
  • OpenTripPlanner and OptaPlanner workflow

Limits

  • Self-hosted setup is required
  • Requires OpenStreetMap routing graphs
  • No packaged desktop or mobile download
  • No support service is stated

Who it suits

It suits school districts and teams comfortable preparing CSV data, generating routing graphs, and running self-hosted open-source software.

Verdict

BusPlan provides a defined, reproducible workflow for school-bus route optimization, with CSV inputs, constraint controls, and analysis outputs. Its self-hosted setup and routing-graph preparation make it a technical deployment rather than a ready-made hosted service.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to BusPlanAll alternatives →