Tampa app developers tackle after-school pickup

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A new app is streamlining the way parents can pick up their kids from school. The app, PikMyKid, is gaining a lot of exposure around the world, but is headquartered right in Tampa.

"I was sitting in those car lines waiting for 30 to 40 minutes every single day to pick up my daughter, and I always wondered, there has to be a better way,” said the creator of PikMyKid, Pat Bhava.

Tired of waiting in long lines every day to pick up his daughter from school, the former veteran turned entrepreneur -- with no tech experience --  got to work. After looking for a product to help smooth the process of picking up his daughter, but not finding one, Bhava and some other frustrated parents decided to round up some funds and create an app that would benefit both the teachers and parents.

Through the app, teachers and parents can send important information like location notices notifying that the parent is outside, when a child hops on the bus, or when a child is walking home from school.

"They can actually manage the after-school process,” said Bhava. “They can delegate little Johnny to be picked up by the neighbor or in a carpool, or they can delegate him to go to an after-school program, or they can change the pickup mode from car to bus or bus to walker."

Bhava hopes that the app will help smooth line the exchange between teachers and parents who pick their kids up from school. Schools like Berkley Preparatory school in Tampa have already hopped onboard, too.

The app has already been launched in 15 states and is spreading into other countries, including Mexico.

The app is free for parents and cost schools about $20 a day for usage. There is also a free version of the application. For more information about the app and how it works, visit pikmykid.com.