20 cameras on School District of Philadelphia buses part of new pilot program

PHILADELPHIA (WPHL) — The School District of Philadelphia is testing a new system to crack down on cars that illegally pass school buses.

There are now 20 buses equipped with cameras as part of the Stop Arm Pilot program. Selected buses have routes along major highways and busy intersections. BusPatrol and Gatekeeper Systems are providing the cameras at no cost to the district.

Here is how the system works: When a school bus stops, cameras automatically activate when the bus stop arm is extended. The camera then captures the vehicle and license plate of any driver who illegally passes the school bus. According to BusPatrol President Jason Meyers, the system cuts a 30-second “evidence package,” then uploads it to the cloud, where it is reviewed by a BusPatrol employee. After verification that the law was broken, the evidence package is sent to local law enforcement.

Citations will not be issued during the pilot, which runs through the end of the school year, but weekly violation reports will be shared with the district.