Bus Patrol packages the video evidence into a 20-second clip and uploads it to the the cloud for law enforcement to access for potential violations. Bus Patrol also collects payment on behalf of the school districts and are paid out of that collected violation revenue. Uniformity through the states will allow automated


enforcement to expand. “We’ve received a tremendous reception in New York


state, for example,” said Randazzo, who hails from Long Island, in answering a question about whether auto- mated enforcement violates motorist’s privacy. “As an industry leader in this technology, we’re often called upon to testify in front of state legislators and policy makers about this issue. Typically, in states where this is the most successful, there is some limitation in the use of the cameras.” He explained that often these laws are narrowly tai-


lored to address the ability of the camera to capture the license plate clearly. Or the video does not need to iden- tify the driver, and the registered owner of the vehicle is ticketed by default. “At the end of the day, whether you’re the driver or


not, when that ticket comes, it’s a conversation piece at home and in the community. Word gets around that the law is being enforced,” Randazzo said. BIL also contains funds for a public messaging cam-


paign. “Automated enforcement is still very new in many areas,” Randazzo said. “Part of our value proposition is the community buy-in. Culturally, many people are sim- ply used to breaking this law, so it is fair and reasonable that the community has a head’s up.” A Canadian company that is dedicated to improving


the lighting on school buses is excited about the new bill going into effect. “My eyes lit up when I heard about the infrastructure bill,” said Brett Kuchciak, the specification and compliance executive for First Light Safety Prod- ucts. “A few years ago, there was the bipartisan Stop for School Buses Act, but it didn’t gain any traction. I’m very pleased that it has been reintroduced and added to the infrastructure bill.” Kuchciak recalled the 2018 tragedy in Rochester,


Indiana, where a motorist killed three children and in- jured a fourth because she thought the stopped school bus with flashing lights and stop arm extended was a garbage truck. “At First Light, we are designing pro-active solutions


with our illuminated school bus signs and fully illumi- nated stop arms that can be seen from very far away, no matter the conditions,” he added. “States have different laws regarding the use of cameras and penalties for passing a stopped school bus. If a national standard is set with data from the studies mentioned in the bill, it will


help keep the children safer.” Kuchciak also mentioned the confusion surrounding


lighting on various vehicles. For instance, some new- er police vehicles have been upgraded and may have different colored lights, and many vehicles that are not school buses have amber lights. “I was at a conference in Alberta and there were signs on the road that said, ‘Flashing Red Lights Mean Snowplow Ahead,’” said Kuchciak. “To me, flashing red lights mean a school bus is stopped.” He added that the industry can’t do enough to be


proactive when it comes to the nation’s children. “In Canada, on Prince Edward Island, passing a stopped school bus has up to a $5,000 fine, 12-points on the license, and license suspension for three months,” he noted. “So, the second part of the bill that addresses driver education and public awareness is very good. We’ve all made driving mistakes. Making the public more aware, along with the review of lighting on the school buses, hopefully stops many of the deaths and injuries that occur at the bus stop. Drivers need to fully under- stand what lights identify certain vehicles and know what to do when they see an emergency vehicle or a school bus on the road.” Lori Jetha, vice president of marketing at Safe Fleet, said any research and legislation that shines a light on keeping students safe in and around school buses deserves support. “We applaud their efforts to evaluate school bus technology and look forward to participat- ing in any technology trials or providing data based on our in-depth experience in video systems, lighting and detection systems,” she said. Jetha agreed that a public awareness campaign is necessary to change attitudes and behaviors. “It takes a village, whether it’s lighting, detecting danger with predictive stop arm technology, capturing and enforcing using cameras, or training students,” said Jetha. “At Safe Fleet we have audible messages that are customizable in different languages that will tell students ‘Danger, Get Back’, or ‘Stop, Do Not Cross.’ Let’s not put them in the roadway if we can prevent it.” Jetha said she looks forward to the outcome of the school bus technology report and hopes the legislation makes funding accessible so that the available innova- tive technology becomes standard equipment. “At Safe Fleet, we marry the mechanical and technical side of school bus safety, especially with the Predictive Stop Arm technology, and that multi-pronged approach is the way to have zero student injuries and deaths due to illegal passing,” she shared. “That, combined with driver education and evidence management to support ticketing by law enforcement will go a long way toward


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