Concerns have emerged over the effectiveness and fairness of a Virginia-based company's automated school bus safety cameras after parents and drivers challenged their accuracy in legal confrontations. BusPatrol, a tech firm claiming to improve safety for school children by outfitting buses with AI cameras, is facing scrutiny in Massachusetts and ethical questions in Pennsylvania, where its system has been accused of being revenue-driven rather than safety-oriented.
In Peabody, Maria Scheri took the initiative to protect children from reckless drivers by proposing a statewide enforcement program that would ticket those breaking the law around school buses. This push for safety brought BusPatrol into the picture, offering Peabody Public Schools a fleet of ten buses with high-tech surveillance as a pilot program, as stated in Boston 25 News. However, the cameras have yet to lead to any citations in Massachusetts due to the absence of local legislation that would permit their evidentiary use.
While the company's mission is to create safer routes for students, several Pennsylvania drivers have reported being erroneously ticketed by the same system, which allegedly handed out fines based on faulty detections, according to reports by WPXI in Pittsburgh. In one instance, driver Lance Duggar called the process a "rip-off" after successfully disputing a citation in court.
An Allegheny County judge suggested that nearly 90% of BusPatrol related cases were dismissed due to inconsistencies like the delayed deployment of the stop-arm. Despite the contention, BusPatrol remains steadfast in their initiative, acknowledging challenges but defending the rigor of their review process before law enforcement issues any fines. This sentiment is echoed on their official website, which outlines their violator-funded model that is said to come at no cost to school districts.
Amidst the controversy, a legislative push by State Senator Michael Moore aims to sanction the use of such cameras in Massachusetts while ensuring proper oversight. "There needs to human oversight of the technology," Moore told Boston 25 News, advocating for a validation process before any penalties are issued to drivers. For parents like Scheri, the ultimate goal remains clear: safety for children over any potential revenue. "I want to see people stop passing the bus, that’s what I want to see," Scheri expressed, recognizing the limitations of relying solely on law enforcement for compliance.
