Fort Bend ISD parents who rely on school buses will get real-time tracking of their children's rides starting Oct. 1 through a relaunched version of the StopFinder app.
The district announced on X on Tuesday, Sept. 22, that StopFinder is returning with upgrades to functionality and reliability. The biggest visible change: every student who rides the bus will receive an ID badge to scan when getting on and off. Families at Ridge Point, Elkins and Marshall high schools and their feeder campuses in Missouri City and Stafford are among those affected.
The badges are not optional.
Once activated, students must wear them at all times at school and on buses, according to the district's StopFinder page. Fort Bend ISD (FBISD) said all students have already received badges, protective sleeves and lanyards for the 2026-27 school year. The badges also work in cafeterias for meal purchases and in libraries for book checkouts.
What the app does
StopFinder lets parents see their child's bus schedule, get push notifications about route changes and track the bus location in near-real-time. Families with children on different routes can monitor multiple buses. The app also offers two-way communication with the FBISD transportation office.
The app, built by Transfinder Corporation, is a free download on iOS and Android. Parents cannot sign up on their own. The district must send an email invitation first.
When parents get access
FBISD is rolling out invitations in three waves:
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 — first round of email invitations
- January 2027 — second wave
- April 2027 — third wave
The district has not explained why the rollout is staggered or how many bus-riding students are affected. FBISD said the app has been operational since the start of the school year for route information, but the relaunch adds the badge-scanning feature and other improvements. The district described StopFinder as a safety tool for students during and after the school day.
FBISD provides bus transportation for students who live two or more miles from their school. Families can look up their student's route through the district's online Bus Route Locator by entering a home address.
Parents in the first wave should watch for an email from the district on or around Thursday, Oct. 1, with a link to download the app.
