school bus camera Archives

3 Key Benefits of Video Camera on School Bus

Posted on April 10, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Video cameras are becoming a necessity in society today. Video surveillance can reduce diverse safety risks on as well as off the bus. The American School Bus Council has reported that each year school buses are transporting more than 25 million children from and to school.

Continuous monitoring can improve safety. In most cases, server inside the video records and wirelessly transfers the recordings and the data to the administrative server, which school board members can check.

Govtech.com has recently reported that school districts are adding safety cameras to its new fleets; they are now considering a four-camera system on their buses where now they have a two camera system.

School-Transport-Software--Ensure-enhanced-student-safety

The school board will be placing those two additional cameras, on the front dash that faces forward and another on the stop arm that faces backward. These cameras help to capture stop arm violations, by improving Wi-Fi capability within the district.

Here are three important benefits of video cameras on a school bus

1. Ensures student safety

By monitoring students, drivers and other staff in the bus, school districts can ensure that their students are safe during their bus journey. In school grounds students are under observation.

Video cameras can improve safety of students from the time they leave the parents to the school campus till they reach home back. But when travelling in bus, chances for bullying and other wicked happenings are more, which often go unnoticed.

Awareness of the fact that they are being observed in bus too will discourage any such acts and if it continues they will be punished. Not only school authorities, it also help drivers to watch each kid closely, thus preventing any sort of accidents.

To ensure safe off-loading and on-loading of students, most school boards are now considering stop-arm cameras that can protect students even outside the bus.

Such cameras placed on the stop arm of school buses can automatically capture stop-arm violations along with key details such as date, time and GPS location, which helps in legal enforcement review. These cameras also capture license plate numbers of violators in high-definition and can download stop-arm events automatically via Wi-Fi.

Such measures also prevent on-board deaths. Incidents were reported earlier on such issues, where kids who go asleep are left behind in their school bus, leading to consequences.

UAE school buses have installed “sleeping child check buttons”, which works via a mobile app that parents can access. This app will work even if bus supervisors fail to do their duty perfectly. Video surveillance also helps to make sure that the child still in the bus.

2. Monitors driver behavior

Video footage also helps to monitor driver’s behavior and activities. Often drivers get involved in issues such as rash driving, sudden braking, improper behavior, over speed, getting late than usual pick-ups and drop-offs and more.

Any such activities inside and outside the bus can be easily captured with videos surveillance and school authorities can take action to prevent them. With video camera surveillance system, drivers will be careful about breaking the school bus safety rules.

3. Prevents other vehicle’s illegal passing

overtaking of vehicles are getting increased day by day, this can endanger the lives of students when they are getting in or out of the bus. Law in most countries recommends motorists to stop their vehicles when school buses are boarding students or getting them down.

Also bus drivers are recommended to stop buses completely at places like railroad crossings to ensure student’s safety. In its 2017 National Stop Arm Violation Count report, the National State Directors of Pupil Transportation Service (NASDPTS) has highlighted that over 104,000 school bus drivers reported that 77,972 vehicles passed their schools buses illegally all on a single day.

Many states and their school districts are now placing cameras outside the bus to record illegal passing and thus punish motorists who pass stopped school buses.

They don’t wait for the red lights to stop flashing which indicates that the motorists can proceed. Often drivers illegally passing stopped school buses will be issued tickets for which they have to pay heavy penalties.

Stop arm cameras can identify such motorists who are not obeying the law. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recommends most U.S. states including Georgia to post a warning sign on all school buses which has a monitoring system installed and this indicates the use of such a system.

In case of any accidents, video footage can provide evidence on who is responsible and statements from eyewitness can provide details on what actually happened. Stop-arm cameras can also provide high definition photos of any vehicles passing through and its license plate.

However, in each country usage of video cameras for school purposes or even individual needs should be adhered to certain standard rules and policies.

For instance, in Canada, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Newfoundland and Labrador – Donovan Molloy has recommended that installing and using cameras in schools and on school buses needs to be identified under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (ATIPPA, 2015).

If not it will be considered as a law violation, leading to punishments and penalties. School districts considering outsourcing their transportation tasks should also mention their video surveillance policies in the contract they sign with the partner company.

Futuristic School Bus Transportation

Posted on December 17, 2018 by TSB Super Admin

Future school buses are the one that combines technological features such as onboard Wi-Fi, telematics, camera, Global Positioning System, driver support tools, etc.

This is a versatile transport solution, which is a typical example of the Internet of Things (IoT) of today, combines security, safety, and network access while on the road.

These facilities accrue as benefits to students, fleet staff, school staff and the parents. Let us see what the benefits of future school bus are and how they are different from normal buses.

1. Bridge the digital gap of the underprivileged

Many American homes which have low income still do not the means to access a hi-speed broadband Internet connection. Many children from low-income households are thus unable to complete their daily homework assignments.

When school buses are equipped with Wi-Fi, it helps these and other students complete their homework while on a long ride back home.

In addition to helping students, parked connected school buses can double up as Wi-Fi hotspots offers internet access to the underprivileged when they are not carrying students. These buses can also find places in the case when schools sponsor programs or organize fundraisers.

The same wireless access as is on the campus is made available in the bus. Therefore the same web filtering rules are on and no dangerous content can be streamed.

A normal bus, on the other hand, does not offer this advantage. Though the fare may be less, other expenses such as Internet access costs through other means and associated costs may compensate for the savings made.

Moreover, the student travelling by a normal bus is denied access to information as compared to other students that travel in next generation school buses and therefore loses out on many related counts.

2. Anywhere learning is possible

A student travelling in the next generation bus is able to access learning management systems while on the road. They are able to chat with their teachers and mentors, check their grades, view their assignments, Moreover, the student can reach out and access Google Classroom to view and download or upload their homework.

This learning for students is not limited to those who attend classes and do the homework. Connected school buses help sports students to catch up with their missed lessons.

The greatest advantage here is that when such students travel on the normal bus they stand a great chance of losing their sleep hours.

A connected bus helps the students to get home and catch up with their sleep or attend to their part-time jobs or pursue other extracurricular activities with ease.

Another interesting example is the instance of Lockheed Martin creating the first ever immersive virtual reality vehicle, meaning it provides the students with a virtual reality experience on the way back home. The Mars Experience Bus was their one such creation.

For bus commutes that last for more than 45 minutes, instructors can present class lessons to the students in a remote fashion instead of extending the school timings. Travel in normal buses would deprive children and the tutors of this facility.

3. Smart video surveillance enhances safety

Untoward incidents that threaten the safety of children travelling to school in normal buses many a time go unnoticed. However, connected buses with smart video surveillance can be used to improve passenger safety and also aids in monitoring the student and driver behavior in real time.

Authorities can watch a live and real-time video that is being recorded in the bus. The surveillance system would monitor both the exterior and interior of the bus. Two-way audio facilities allow the authorities to act fast in case of unexpected emergencies.

A reckless driver can be tamed, both the bus driver and other civilian drivers that drive past the flashing lights of the school bus.

Normal buses’ drivers can travel at the speed they want and there can be no control whatsoever on the unruly behavior of the drivers. The passengers usually bear the brunt of such behavior.

4. Provide timely information to parents

The parents are allowed to have more visibility when their children travel on these school buses. They get information in real time telling them if the bus will be on time or delayed to reach a specified bus stop.

This is a big plus during winter days when the driver has to deal with ice and snow on the roads and suffers freezing temperatures.

GPS helps the system track the buses in real time and alerts authorities if the bus strays from the normally prescribed route or if the bus faces a breakdown.

The exact spot is notified via alerts through integration to social media. The authorities can enable geo-fencing, and even proactively monitor the maintenance of the school bus.

When children travel in normal buses, parents sometimes wait for hours on end at the bus stop and what it means is a colossal waste of resources. Sometimes children wait outside in the cold for hours if the bus is delayed.

5. Relay back maintenance issues in a timely manner

Futuristic school buses have the technology to relay back relevant information about the bus status to the concerned authorities.

Examples of variables that can be conveyed back are fuel economy, tire pressure, and engine fault codes. The authorities can then decide if the engine of the bus is running at its peak performance values.

Preventive maintenance action is made possible with these actions. The ultimate results are that costs are lowered and expulsions of gases that affect the environment negatively are reduced.

A normal bus would just end up breaking down suddenly in a majority of cases. This would mean upset of normal routines and eventually end up in unplanned extra costs.

6. Help to make up the academic shortfall of the country

According to statistics, students in the United States are academically behind students of many other nations. Therefore, it is a good idea to increase students’ access to resources via these buses. This would only serve to increase their intellectual awareness.

7. Improve the behavior of the students

Some students with behavioral issues many a time require a distraction that would keep them calm.

Wi-Fi in a connected bus is an educational distraction that would hold their attention. They would keep away from distraction the other children or even the bus driver.

Those children travelling on a normal bus can give vent to their feelings in any manner that they want to and there is no tether for this.

Conclusion

The true value of this kind of transport solution is the integration of the wireless, telematics, security, camera and other components which turn this into one single powerful platform. The uses are nearly unlimited.

5 Common Questions on School Bus Security Cameras

Posted on September 12, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

It is common view that modern day technological innovations bring in better control, safety and a number of questions to end-users. So, when implementing something like school bus security cameras, it’s natural for users to have lots of questions.

We have shortlisted the 4 most common and relevant questions and answered them here. If you have more questions, you can let us know in the comment section.

1. What can school bus cameras see?

First and foremost, questioning the purpose of a school bus camera helps you spot the many uses of these advanced watchful devices. Cameras fitted inside the school bus help the driver in more ways than one. While concentrating on the road ahead, he can steer clear of accidents. Recordings of the activities inside the moving bus can be helpful in spotting errant students along with attaching documentary evidence to an unforeseen event. Providing the driver an additional “eye-behind-him”, he can be vigilant towards the bad behavior of students.

The ability to freeze images and report the same to the law-making authorities and parents brings in much-needed support to the claims of the school or the driver when an accident occurs. Information is strength. And this comes in the form of cameras keeping track of the time, speed of the vehicle, date and other information that can strengthen a particular case.

Stop arm cameras are high-definition cameras fitted outside the bus to help better control the passing traffic. It is through the stop arm out feature that cameras ensure safety of school children. Focusing on the vehicles which are driving past a stationary school bus, these cameras record whether school students boarded/landed safely or not. Providing students with the best protection while crossing the road to reach their home or the door of the school bus, these cameras support with the “Safety First” ideal. In the event of a rash driver zipping past the school bus, his captured number plate helps law enforcement officials take corrective actions.

2. How do the school bus cameras work?

The next question is about the manner in which School Bus Security Cameras work. In addition to capturing images inside and outside a school bus, there are certain cameras that come with audio features as well. Audio monitoring comes as an important tool for a peaceful school bus ride.

Helping the school management to spot aggressive students, it is through an audio recording that bad behavior can be identified for remedial measures to be taken. Also audio surveillance when teamed with video monitoring helping to resolve issues concerning disagreements between students, this holistically reforms the unruly behavior of students.

3. How many cameras are on a school bus?

There are different types of cameras that a school bus can be fitted with. Different video cameras capture the inside activities along with what is happening outside when the bus is in motion.

The different types of cameras that can be fitted to school buses include:

Image source: http://www.smartwitness.com/vehicle-camera-applications/school-bus.html

1) A video data recorder which comes with a dash camera
2) A camera facing the driver or student
3) A rear camera also called as a “school bus backup camera” offers a safe environment to students in addition to safeguarding the lives of people on the road. This camera which monitors the rear activity thus comes as a boon to students and pedestrians as well.
4) A camera that provides the left side view to the driver
5) A camera to the right of the school bus helps the driver to have a clear look at the approaching traffic from his right

All these cameras do their bit in not only offering security to school students but also by providing support material to resolve conflicts effectively. The well-documented evidence when produced in the form of audio and video feeds of the activities concerning a school bus journey will offer clarity about how an incident actually took place, paving the way for an immediate corrective action. Helping to gauge the speed of the school bus, these cameras present the location and driving routes which can be useful in analyzing the faulty tendencies of drivers.

4. Are school bus cameras always on?

When life throws at us many surprises and shocks, it always comes as a wise move to be prepared at all times by not losing grip over security issues. Neglect is the reason behind many accidents that can be avoided. It is with this backdrop that it is important to not only keep the school bus cameras in working condition but also to always turn them on. You never know when you will need a video footage of an unforeseen event. It is for this reason that a school operating a fleet of buses plying on different routes day in and day out should turn on the school bus security cameras.

5. Live school bus surveillance systems

Students are always under the observation of teachers and authorities in school premises. But it is not the case when they travel. Normally, one or two teachers are in charge of a bus full of students, but it is quite difficult to manage everything happening in the bus. Bullying or acts related to this can happen in the bus which can harm the child but gets unnoticed. Installing cameras in the school buses can help find these acts.

Live cameras are not only used for these but also to monitor driver’s performance such as rash driving, unwanted activities inside the bus. These cameras ensure student safety while travelling to and from schools. Installing these cameras will help the authorities to receive instant updates regarding school bus resulting in settling issues and disputes. And moreover, parents will get notified via messages about the location of their child’s school bus.