While student safety is the top priority for anyone in
student transportation, defining those safety priorities differs by external, internal factors
Written by Taylor Ekbatani |
taylor@stnonline.com
R
egardless if you are a contractor, school district or industry vendor, the ultimate goal remains the same: Student safety. However, where to improve student safety differs based on location, student
populations served, and even individual experience. An urban environment like New York City is focused
on improving predestination safety, especially since sidewalks and streets are cluttered with people walking in all directions. Matt Berlin, chief executive officer of NYC School Bus
Umbrella Services (NYCSBUS) the city formed after a contractor went out of business, explained that his non- profit’s newest project includes working with Together for Safer Roads on the School Bus of the Future pilot. Be- cause NYCSBUS transports students with special needs (door-to-door service with an attendant) at relativity low speeds in urban environments, he said school bus drivers are less concerned with aspects associated with loading and unloading, like student crossings, bus stops, students running after the bus, and visibility. Instead, they are most concerned about overall pedestrian safety. He said New York City is challenged with dense cross- walks, people running out from between parked cars and motorists running red lights. Berlin shared that in early March, a NYCSBUS school bus was involved in crash. The school bus driver was proceeding through a crosswalk with his eyesight di- rected out the left side of the vehicle as children rode by on scooters. But a pedestrian on the right side of the bus was knocked down by the mirror. Berlin said the bus was traveling at a very slow speed and the woman was not injured, but “it could have been awful. “I don’t think any bus drivers come to work wanting
to hit a pedestrian,” he continued. “That’s not their goal. But you can imagine, this is a beautiful, clear day when
this happened, and I know this driver … they’re a super conscientious driver.” He said providing cameras is part of the solution, but
the driver still must look in every direction. Technology from VisionTrack is being piloted on three vehicles and includes surround cameras that provide a display on the dash as well as audible alerts if a pedestrian is in the vicinity and audible turning indicators. “A lot of school bus safety, we think is really designed
for suburban and rural areas, and there’s less focus on urban roads and turning indicators might be an exam- ple,” he explained, adding that buses in New York City turn crowded corners all the time with potential blind spots. The turning indicators will alert—very loudly—to the pedestrians that the bus is turning. The pilot started last spring with sensors, turning and
backup alerts, and exterior cameras. Last summer, it expanded to 360-degree cameras and recently added integration of AI sensors. Berlin said early results show the audible alerts have been “horrible” for students with Individual Education Programs and who are sensitive to loud noises. He said he’s providing feedback to the com- pany asking for a better way to alert pedestrians without upsetting the students in the bus. Another aspect that NYCSBUS is working through is setting the camera parameters, as pedestrians and bicyclists are often right next to the buses. “That’s just the nature of driving in a crowded city,” he said, adding that NYCSBUS and the company are working through setting the sensors and level of alerts at a certain perimeter. They even are discussing different measurements based on if the school bus is in a crosswalk, or if the pedestrian or cyclist is traveling in the same direction of the school bus. Berlin added there is some concern on if the tech- nology will create more distractions, and NYCSBUS is
What equipment should be standard on school buses?
During STN EXPO East in March, consultant Denny Coughlin hosted a session discussing what safety solu- tions attendees thought should be standard on school buses. Send your thoughts to
taylor@stnonline.com.
www.stnonline.com 45
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