One of the leading school bus stop-arm enforcement companies announced customers will soon have a new video camera option to choose from.
American Traffic Solutions said it is now partnering with Radio Engineering Industries to offer an additional stop-arm camera to the CrossingGuard solution to address the issue of motorists who illegally pass school buses that are in the process of picking up or dropping off students.
“REI has been developing products for the school bus industry for the last 25 years,” said James Tuton, ATS CEO. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to partner with an industry leader that shares our commitment to customer service.”
An STN survey of transportation directors conducted last September revealed that REI was the second most specified video camera manufacturer for school bus applications. ATS added that it also continues to partner with AngelTrax, which came in third in the STN survey. Combined, the two companies represent nearly 45 percent of the school bus video camera market, according to the 200 magazine readers who responded to the survey question.
“REI is thrilled to partner with ATS, the leading experts in stop arm enforcement, to further safety for students and communities,” said Scott Hays, REI’s president. “Together, we are delivering the industry’s most advanced and reliable automatic stop arm violation detection equipment and resources, which minimizes the staff hours required by school districts and law enforcement.”
View a U.S. map of states with stop-arm enforcement laws
An REI spokeswoman said the company’s new four-camera, stop-arm system is available immediately through ATS. Meanwhile, an ATS spokesman said the company integrated its Axis violation processing software with the video and images delivered from REI’s cameras.
Also according to ATS, stop-arm enforcement customers in Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and Texas have seen a decrease in the number of illegal passers with use of video cameras to record incidents and follow-up investigations with local police as well as the issuing of citations to guilty parties. For example, Cobb County School District near Atlanta saw violations fall 41 percent to 767 last April from 1,300 in August 2013. ATS also said its own analysis found that less than 1 percent of drivers who receive a first ticket go on to receive a second.
