# First View — user reviews > 162 indexed App Store user reviews of First View by Firstgroup America Inc, rated 4.80/5 from 14,221 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-view/id6477656451/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-view/id6477656451.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 12,422 · 4★ 1,124 · 3★ 361 · 2★ 85 · 1★ 229 ## What do users think of First View? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Nice clean app - 👍 Smooth bus tracking - 🙏 Helpful for parents of nonverbal autistic kids **Cons** - 🐛 Inconsistent route and notification issues - 🤔 Confusing with multiple app versions - 🤦‍♀️ Worse than previous app in many ways - 🤔 Unclear how to set up and use properly - 🔒 Password reset issues **Commonly reported bugs** - Routes disappearing from app - Login and password reset problems - Glitchy user interface **Most requested features** - Estimated time of arrival for bus - Simpler setup and configuration - Consistent performance across all users ## Newest reviews (11 of 162) ### 3/5 — Different bus *2026-09-08, version 8.1.0* I will if first view can notify me when a different bus is picking up or dropping off my son, because I don’t see that on the app ### 3/5 — Sometimey *2026-09-04, version 8.1.0* Sometimes the app tracks my kids buses sometimes a bus does not even show up on the tracker. When there are changes to the usual route or bus driver, changing drop off/pick up time, you may not get any notifications. ### 4/5 — Kindergarten bus *2026-08-31, version 8.1.0* App doesn’t always update current location. But definitely appreciate the service when working well. ### 2/5 — Poor time for GPS update *2026-08-27, version 8.1.0* This app worked pretty well last year, with just a few glitches. Unfortunately, this year they chose the start of the school year to update their GPS system so I am unable to track my child’s bus and will not be able to until an unspecified time later in the fall. The beginning of the school year is when the bus schedule is the most uncertain, so this is the absolute worst time for the company to have decided to update their GPS system. They had all summer to do so. Very disappointing. ### 4/5 — Love *2026-08-24, version 8.1.0* Love to be able to see where her bus is at and located . ### 2/5 — Always broken *2026-08-19, version 8.1.0* About for 1-2 days every month, the bus does not show up and I have to get outside and to my stop very early. ### 3/5 — Bus *2026-08-17, version 8.0.0* The bus doesn’t match the bus that picks up ### 4/5 — Continuing to Improve *2026-05-14, version 7.0.0* I began using this app when our district changed evaporation vendors about a year ago. The app has mostly worked well but did have challenges with map location updates for a while. My major message is that they are continuing to develop and improve the app, which matters a lot to me. Something I especially like is that it has a geofence alert as the driver nears your home. One area I wish they could extend a bit are either to support life events, to avoid having to having to relaunch to check location and perhaps to have a running ETA estimate. One very recent change that prompted me to write this is that they have successfully added arrival notifications! No one wrote us to advise it was coming but it was very noticeable when it happened this morning. THANK YOU! ### 5/5 — Great App *2026-04-21, version 7.0.0* Really great in the morning so we are not too early or late. Really helpful in the evenings I’m not at the stop too early ### 3/5 — Freezes way too much *2026-04-16, version 7.0.0* This app is always freezing and takes forever to update the location after freezing. I hate this app that’s why I make my kid take her phone so I can track her on life 360. ### 5/5 — I love first view *2026-03-24, version 6.2.0* I love it so so much ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — The app never works *2026-09-08, version 8.1.0* The app never works anymore. We have no news on our kid if they arrive to pick them up if they are late, the dispatch never answers the phone no matter how many times you try calling. Promises a lot and delivers nothing. ### 1/5 — Not Responsive to Issues *2026-09-08, version 8.1.0* I have had no issue with this app in the past but now that I do no one returns my emails regarding my issue. It’s been over 2 weeks and no response. I have sent over 4 emails and even used the contact support feature in the app another 4 times. Definitely wouldn’t recommend an app that does not respond to the consumers. ### 1/5 — Useless app *2026-07-13, version 8.0.0* Don’t bother downloading. Been adding trips that don’t get tracked at all. No resources to learn how to. ### 1/5 — Useless notifications *2026-06-13, version 7.1.0* Notifications on this app are hilariously useless. When I tap on a distance notification it brings me to the settings page instead of the map: why?? In that moment when I’m trying to see if I have time to get shoes on my kid I need to see where the bus is, not change my settings. While my kid sleeps upstairs at 10 pm I get push notifications that his bus has arrived. 6 hours after it arrived. This app has one job to do and it can’t do it. Stay away if at all possible. EDIT: Developer responded saying I can view notifications within the app by pressing the bell. Yes, I’m aware. My issue is tapping a push notification from my lock screen brings me to a settings page rather than the literal thing the notification is alerting me about (namely, the map aka the only thing that matters). ### 1/5 — No Accuracy. Never On Time. *2026-05-08, version 7.0.0* 0% Accuracy. Bus Never comes on Scheduled time. Everyday Different Drivers. No set Drivers. They take Different Routes. GPS doesn’t work many times. Drivers Take Different routes and come from different times and different directions. Most of the time bus don’t come on scheduled time, and sometimes they don’t wait and leave without picking up. They used to be very good in timings till last year. But this whole year is a mess. Can’t be Trusted. ### 1/5 — Junk *2026-05-06, version 7.0.0* Unreliable junk ### 1/5 — Terrible app *2026-05-04, version 7.0.0* Terrible app. It is not a live tracking app. It is NEVER showing the exact location of the school bus. It always says the location was 5 or 10 minutes ago. I have to pay more attention my child’s school log in then this stupid app. ### 1/5 — New York *2026-04-24, version 7.0.0* This program is in dire need of numerous modifications, and it fails to bind its management and operators to safety standards. ### 1/5 — Sucks *2026-04-14, version 7.0.0* More than half of the time the GPS tracking is not working, so the app is pointless. You never know where your child is. You never know where the bus is. You never know what time they come. They’re either always super early or super late. I hate the app. I would love for it to work so that I can actually track my child. I hate the bus company they use all around. It sucks. 95% of the time the GPS trackers never working so you have no idea and you and your child in the middle of winter time. Have to sit out there for over 45 minutes to wait for the bus cause you just don’t know when they’re gonna come. ### 1/5 — Useless notifications *2026-03-23, version 6.2.0* Notifications on this app are hilariously useless. When I tap on a distance notification it brings me to the settings page instead of the map: why?? In that moment when I’m trying to see if I have time to get shoes on my kid I need to see where the bus is, not change my settings. While my kid sleeps upstairs at 10 pm I get push notifications that his bus has arrived. 6 hours after it arrived. This app has one job to do and it can’t do it. Stay away if at all possible. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — First view *2026-09-03, version 8.1.0* 10/10, makes it super easy for me to be on time for the bus ### 5/5 — Genial *2026-09-02, version 8.1.0* Mediante esta app puedo saber la distancia precisa del bus, aunque la hora que provee la escuela de llegada del autobús no concuerda con la llegada del bus, la app te permite hacer un seguimiento real. ### 5/5 — Must have *2026-09-01, version 8.1.0* Lets me know where my children are when they are on the bus! This app really gives me a peace of mind! ### 5/5 — Great Application *2026-08-27, version 8.1.0* Great App, save time and effort. I like it ### 5/5 — First View *2026-08-22, version 8.1.0* Travel ### 5/5 — It is great I love it *2026-08-11, version 8.0.0* But don’t be on time ### 5/5 — Great School Bus app! *2026-06-26, version 8.0.0* I’m a parent of a child who is so grateful for getting to know where her child is in the school bus system. It shows me the route of picking up and dropping off. Thank you so much for making this app great! ### 5/5 — I love it so much *2026-06-18, version 7.1.0* It tells me if my kids bus have arrived or left I love it but I would love if the added a 4 minute 3mins warning ### 5/5 — My grandson’s bus schedule *2026-05-12, version 7.0.0* This is wonderful! I wish we had it when his mom was his age and riding the bus! ### 5/5 — Doesn’t work all the time *2026-04-23, version 7.0.0* Only works when it wants to which it sucks because the bus has never been on time since last school year sometimes won’t come until an hour after drop off time so would help a lot if app was working and not stuck on gps hasn’t update in 10 + minutes 90% of the time hopefully they fix that issue soon especially for special needs students --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-10.*