JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Drivers will need to slow down and stop or they will be caught on camera and issued a ticket.
A new law now allows Florida buses to be equipped with stop arm cameras that will catch illegal passing. The law went into effect on July 1. The cameras allow the school districts to take pictures of drivers who pass buses while the bus stop arm is out.
Before the law was passed, the Student Transportation of America organization was involved in a pilot program for these cameras.
Related: Got a problem with your student’s bus? Here’s who to call.
The company, BusPatrol, outfitted 25 school buses with stop-arm cameras across Florida — 11 of those were in Duval County.
The cameras detected more than 4,300 illegal bus passings in Duval County alone over a 10-month period.
That equates to more than 3.5 violations for each bus every day.
Here is how the stop arm cameras work:
The camera “activates” when the bus stop arm is deployed. Then, they use artificial intelligence to capture video of cars that pass by, along with their license plates.
That information is sent to the police for review. After it’s approved, BusPatrol mails out those violations.
The tickets issued by the cameras will cost drivers $225, according to WCJB.
Bus Patrol’s Executive Vice President said its goal is to get these cameras on every bus and change drivers’ behavior.
“People start to realize, oh my God, if I pass a school bus anywhere in Duval County, I’m gonna to be held accountable for that, that school bus when I mess around on the roads and endanger a child’s life, it gives out tickets, right?” said Steve Randazzo the Executive Vice President of BusPatrol.
BusPatrol said more than 90% of people who get one violation never break the law again. It’s not yet clear if STA will expand the program and add cameras to more local buses.
BusPatrol said the program is predominantly violator funded. The company said that helps keep the burden off of taxpayers and the school budget.
News4JAX reached out to other local districts about their plans to add stop-arm cameras.
Clay County Schools said it is still working on logistics and potential funding.
The St. Johns County School District said many of its buses already have cameras that show exterior views, and it is not currently planning to add additional equipment.