For parents, passengers and customers
What is this tracking link?
The school transport company texted you a link, you opened it, and now you are watching a minibus move across a map. This page explains what that link is, what it shows, why it sometimes stops working, and what happens to your information.
Who sent it
The link comes from the company running the vehicle: a school transport operator, a delivery firm, a contractor coming to your house. They track their own vehicles with Yipii, and they chose to share one of them with you. Their name and logo are usually at the top of the page.
The operator decides everything about the link: which vehicle it shows, when it works, who can open it and what appears on it. Questions about the route, the driver, a late pickup or a missed stop go to them. Yipii, a company registered in Malta, supplies the tracking system and runs the page on their behalf.
What you can see
| On the page | When |
|---|---|
| Where the vehicle is now | Always. It moves on the map as new positions arrive, and the page says how long ago it last updated. |
| The road it has taken | The current trip only, and never from before the link started sharing. The operator can turn it off. |
| Moving, idle or stopped | Always. "Stopped" means the engine is off. |
| The vehicle’s name | Always. |
| Number plate and speed | Shown unless the operator hides them. |
| The driver’s name | Hidden unless the operator chooses to show it. |
| How long until it arrives | Only when the operator has set a destination. It is worked out from the distance and the current speed, so treat it as a guide, not a timetable. |
| Stops on a school or staff run | Shown as "Stop 3 of 8" unless the operator chooses to show the stop names. |
| Buttons to call or message the operator | When the operator has added them. |
"Show how far it is from me"
Some links offer this button. Your phone asks for permission first, then puts you on the map next to the vehicle and shows the distance between you. If you do not tap it, the page never asks.
Why does it ask for my email?
The operator chooses who can open a link. Some links open for anybody who has them. Others ask for:
- your email address
- your email address and an access code the operator gave you
- an email address the operator already has on its list, such as a parent registered for a school run. The page emails that address a six-digit code, which lasts 15 minutes, and then remembers your browser for 30 days.
If your email is not on the list, the page tells you your request is being reviewed and the operator decides whether to let you in.
Why is the map empty, or the link not working?
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| “Tracking not available” | The link only works on certain days or hours. The page shows when it opens again, unless the operator keeps the times private. |
| “Link expired” | The link reached its end date, the vehicle arrived, or the operator switched it off. The page shows the same message for all three. |
| “Waiting for location data” | The tracker has not reported a position yet. It usually appears once the vehicle starts moving. |
| The vehicle sits still with “Engine off” | It is parked. You are seeing where it was last reported. |
| “Link not found” | The address was typed or copied incompletely. Open the link from the original message again. |
Only the operator can switch a link back on or send you a new one, so ask them.
Your child’s personal ride page
Some school transport operators give each family its own ride link instead of one link for the whole route. It opens a page with your child's name and pickup stop. While a run is on, "Follow live" opens the map. From the same page you can tell the operator your child is not travelling, and undo it, and switch the operator's messages on or off. Other children's names are never shown.
The link itself is what lets you in, so treat it like a key and do not post it in a group chat. If it stops working, the operator may have issued a new one.
Arrival alerts
On links with a destination, "Notify me when it arrives" sends your phone an alert when the vehicle is nearly there and again when it arrives. On an iPhone, add the page to your home screen first. Apple only allows these alerts from a home-screen page. The alerts are most reliable with the page left open in a tab. You can turn them off from the same button.
Your information
The company that sent you the link decides what it asks for, such as your email address, and is responsible for that information. Questions about it, or requests to see or delete it, go to them.
Questions
- Can I see where the vehicle was yesterday?
- No. The link shows the current trip only. The operator keeps the history in their own account.
- Can I share the link with someone else?
- If it opens for anybody, whoever you send it to can open it too. Links that ask for an email on the operator's list will not open for them until the operator adds them.
- Do I need to install an app?
- No. The link opens in your phone's browser. Adding it to your home screen is only needed for arrival alerts on an iPhone.
- Who do I call if the bus is late?
- The operator. Many links have a call or WhatsApp button for them at the bottom of the page.
Run school transport yourself?
This is the link the families on your routes would get. See how operators set up routes, stops and parent access.
See school transport trackingQuestions about a link, a trip or your information go to the company that sent it.