TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — In due time, nearly 900 school buses will hit the pavement throughout Hillsborough County. A big resource for parents like Diamond Wilson.
"I am worried sometimes. I'll say 'Okay, maybe not the bus today'," she said.
Her concern is valid.
78,000 kids rely on Hillsborough County public school buses. HCPS discovered that every day, an average of three cars blow past activated stop signs. That's per bus, totaling roughly 2,580 violations a day.
Hillsborough County School bus driver Carlos Gonzalez has seen just how scary those close calls can be.
"My own brother, he was a down syndrome kid. And the bus driver had a situation that came the opposite way and he had to cross the street. And a driver went around the bus because he didn't want to wait. And she literally almost almost hit him"," he recalled.
That's why every single school bus will feature cameras, ensuring no matter where the bus goes, those cameras will follow with the ability to capture up to eight lanes of traffic.
"Our AI engine, when the arm comes out, when the red lights are flashing, she's hooked into the telemetry of the school bus. And that's what helps to create that video evidence package," said Steve Randazzo, the Chief Growth Officer for BusPatrol.
BusPatrol is a stop-arm enforcement technology provider committed to making roads safer for students. The company is equipping all HCPS school buses with cameras that capture the license plates of vehicles that illegally pass stopped buses, along with video of the infraction.
From there, the Sheriff's office reviews the video. A notice of violation will come in the mail for any and all offenders.
"Before, when we opened the stop arms, if a car pass by, we needed to try to get the plates. With all we do, watching the kids, driving, it was almost impossible to get the information," Gonzalez said.
Take a look at this video BusPatrol sent us. It shows multiple instances of children almost getting hit by the offenders in Hillsborough County.
Traffic approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus either on a two-lane road or multi-lane road divided by a paved median.
On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, drivers behind the bus must stop while vehicles moving in the opposite direction are asked to use caution but do not have to stop.
A first-time stop-arm violation will have a fine of $100, but additional fees will be added. The tickets will be issued by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
There are also upgrades to the camera systems inside the buses.
"Let's say a fight or security incident breaks out, that bus driver can press a little button that he or she has access to. And what that does is it sends a text message to a designated official at the school that has a live view that's time-stamped right into the bus," said Randazzo.
The district will be launching a 30-day public awareness campaign and warning period beginning on August 12 – the first day of school. The program will then officially go live on September 12.
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