Camera system captures illegal bus passing incidents

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A new product from American Traffic Solutions (ATS), the CrossingGuard School Bus Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System, is designed to help catch motorists who illegally pass stopped buses. 

"With roughly 26 million children riding school buses each day, CrossingGuard is a valuable tool for school districts, bus drivers and local law enforcement to use to deter these violations and ensure child safety," said James Tuton, ATS president and CEO. "This new technology service was in direct response to customer needs and requirements for an automated, accurate and robust solution for detecting and enforcing these dangerous violations, which threaten the safety of our children."

The CrossingGuard system consists of high-resolution cameras mounted to the front and rear driver's side of a school bus. When the school bus extends its stop arm, the system automatically detects if a vehicle passes the stopped school bus within the enforced zone.

The camera system is able to monitor for violations in up to three lanes of traffic on the driver’s side of the bus and capture violations from both directions while the bus is stopped.

To allow the bus driver to stay focused on the road and the children in the bus, the CrossingGuard system does not require any action by the bus driver to activate it. High-quality images capture the vehicle's license plate, the vehicle’s make, model and color and the bus’ extended stop arm. A video captures the entire violation event.

Moreover, every violation image is accompanied by a detailed violation data bar that indicates the violation time and date, as well as the bus’ number and GPS coordinates.

The violation data and images are wirelessly uploaded to ATS’ Axsis Violation Processing System for validation, processing and notice issuance. A final review of the violation image and video is conducted by law enforcement personnel, who approve or reject the violation. If the violation is approved, a citation is issued and mailed to the vehicle owner.

"Road safety cameras nationwide have helped make our roads safer by reducing red-light running and speeding," Tuton said. "CrossingGuard can have the same impact, protecting the lives of the children who ride a school bus to and from school every day."