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Brevard County school buses now using AI cameras
Brevard Public Schools has become the first district in Central Florida to roll out AI-powered bus cameras designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, issuing $225 fines in an effort to boost student safety.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Brevard Public Schools has become the first district in Central Florida to roll out AI-powered bus cameras designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, issuing $225 fines in an effort to boost student safety.
What we know:
The BPS bus fleet is now equipped with Bus Patrol America cameras that record and monitor vehicles going around lowered crossing arms. While BPS is the first district in Central Florida to adopt the program, Bus Patrol America is the largest school bus camera operator in the state and is also being used in several other states.
The company is working with the sheriff’s office and school district to start the new program. People will be sent a $225 citation and have to pay the fine or fight the ticket in court. The company says every ticket is reviewed by a sworn deputy before being mailed out, but FOX 35 uncovered an issue with this process earlier in the year. A Volusia County driver was ticketed by the same company when it was being used in Miami-Dade before the system was being used in Brevard. FOX 35 was able to get that ticket forgiven, but seeing this worries drivers since the system is now in place on the Space Coast.
The company says their AI can be trusted, and there are checks and balances in place to ensure the program is fair.
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The backstory:
The new program comes after the city of Palm Bay eliminated another automatic school safety ticket program. They had cameras in school zones that were also ticketing drivers. However, a persistent stream of problems with the camera contractor RedSpeed and FOX 35 investigations prompted the city to remove the cameras for this school year. Some think it’s too soon to bring another similar program to the area after all the concerns.
What they're saying:
The company and BPS school leadership are confident their technology protects children and changes bad driver behavior.
"Around 400 school buses are now equipped with cutting-edge AI technology," said Steve Randazzo, who’s the chief growth officer for Bus Patrol America.
"This program gives us the opportunity to send a strong united message right out of the gate – student safety is non-negotiable," said Mark Rendell, who’s the superintendent of Brevard Public Schools.
"All the cameras put a sore taste in everyone’s mouth, and there’s no trust," said Christy South, who’s a driver in the county and is surprised a new program is being launched so soon after the issues with the Palm Bay school safety program.
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What's next:
Right now, the program is in a test and warning period, meaning no one is being ticketed. After Sep.17, citations in the mail are valid, and drivers will need to pay $225 or take it to court.
The Source: Sources for this article include Bus Patrol America officials (Steve Randazzo, chief growth officer), Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell, Brevard County bus driver Christy South, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, FOX 35 News investigations, and background on Palm Bay’s former RedSpeed school safety program.