Transparency: Benefits of Video Surveillance in School Buses

School buses are well known for their safety and reliability. In fact, they represent the largest form of public transportation in the country. Parents trust school transportation programs to keep their kids safe, and video surveillance is helping school districts do just that.

Keeping Students Safe

The obvious reason for placing cameras on buses would be to monitor the action of students, drivers and transportation support staff. However, more and more districts are utilizing video surveillance in the form of stop-arm cameras.

This monitoring tool captures images of drivers who fail to stop when a school bus does. Failure to follow traffic laws regarding school buses endangers the lives of students and poses serious risks to both drivers and pedestrians. Some regions are even introducing legislation that would make this form of video surveillance mandatory for school bus transportation programs. Stop-arm cameras allow footage of offenders to be shared with law enforcement, cutting down significantly the likelihood of this dangerous practice.

Monitoring Students

Bus drivers can easily be responsible for 60 or more students at any given time. Ensuring that all students are behaving appropriately can be a challenge, especially while safely operating a large vehicle.

Video monitoring provides protection for students and peace of mind for parents. From bullying to theft, incidences of inappropriate behavior between students decrease when the camera is turned on. Dealing with the occasional disruptive student is not uncommon. Providing footage of student behavior helps districts to appropriately handle these situations and develop consequences, as needed.

Cameras also keep students safe from crime by documenting any significant location changes. When paired with real-time GPS software, deviations from an assigned route can be reported quickly and danger communicated with law enforcement officials.

Monitoring Drivers

While driver misconduct is not unheard of, video surveillance can actually be used to protect drivers from false claims. Many drivers, aides and teachers appreciate the security of having cameras aboard. They can also protect the interests of drivers when an accident occurs that is not the fault of the bus operator.

To learn more about student bus transportation safety, and how targeted technology can keep the students in your district safe, contact our team.

Does your school district have video surveillance installed on its buses? How has this improved your transportation operations? Please share your comments with us below.