Cameras Now on Buffalo School Buses

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Cameras have been installed on Buffalo school buses to detect drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with their lights flashing.

An awareness period will run from July 1 to September 30. During this period, warnings will be issued for violations. Justin Meyers of Bus Patrol says this is the longest warning period in New York State. “The program is set up so that the municipality can opt in,” Meyers says. He says divers will be notified if they commit a violation, but they will not be ticketed.

Meyers explains that the buses are equipped with 4K high-definition cameras that have an AI system that can distinguish between parked and moving cars. “Essentially, what it does is cut to the 32nd bundle of evidence from all these different camera angles to show that the violation occurred and upload it to the cloud,” Meyers says. But that camera doesn’t have the final say. “Humans review it, so city staff independently review the violation and determine whether or not a ticket should be issued.” If you receive such a ticket, like any other moving violation, you can contest it. “There will be a ticket that you can cut out, fill out your information, mail it in, and request a court date. You will then be given a court hearing at the City of Buffalo’s Office of Parking and Traffic Violations,” Meyers says.

Meyers is confident the program will reduce these violations. “We’re fortunate to work with over 450 school districts across America, and we know that in our largest programs, driver behavior is reduced by up to 40 percent in the first two years of this program. So the data shows nationally that when you catch the moment when a community implements a program like this, drivers pay attention, they recognize, and the roads slowly but surely become safer,” Meyers says. He adds that the primary goal, not ticketing, is to reduce the number of drivers who drive.

Meyers said several hundred buses will be running during the summer months to take kids to school or summer camp. There will be many more when school starts in September.