Watch out: How school bus AI cameras are issuing millions in fines to drivers
Are school bus AI cameras keeping kids safe or just taking your money?
Image by Donald Mroczkowski | Shutterstock
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- BusPatrol has installed cameras on about 35,000 school buses across 24 US states.
- Montgomery County issued 375,000 tickets worth $92 million from 2019 to 2024.
- Investigators found violations and crashes near stopped school buses did not decrease in the county.
- Drivers support fines for illegal passing but question AI use.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
The goal of AI-powered cameras on school buses across the US was to ensure kids' safety. Somehow, it became a lucrative tool generating income from traffic tickets.
BusPatrol, a school bus safety program in the US, installs cameras on school buses to capture vehicles passing illegally, thereby ensuring kids’ safety.
However, the surge in traffic tickets raises the question of whether this method offers any safety advantages.
BusPatrol has already installed its cameras in approximately 35,000 buses in 24 states. After New York State enacted a law in 2019 allowing local governments to install automated stop-arm cameras on school buses, its business boomed.
375,000 tickets totaling $92 million in fines were issued to drivers in Montgomery County, Maryland, according to an investigation by Type Investigations and Bloomberg.
The funds were collected over five years, from 2019 to 2024.
The county received $18.5 million, while BusPatrol received around $40 million for camera installation and operation costs.
While these numbers look promising given the aim to minimize accidents, the investigation revealed that the number of violations or accidents near stopped school buses didn’t decrease.
How does the technology work?
The camera is enabled once the school bus starts moving. It then sends data to BusPatrol’s cloud servers.
Then, AI filters the footage before sending it to trained reviewers, who verify each video, create an evidence package, and send it to the police.
Once the police review the evidence, they inform the “violators,” or drivers, who can pay the fine, according to the Allentown School District.
BusPatrol isn’t the only company that provides such a service.
Verra Mobility, a company that provides automated traffic enforcement systems, struck a deal with Florida’s Osceola County school board.
The company and the district reached an agreement to split the revenue equally, TechSopt reported.
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Users agree with fines, but still question AI
“Seems like a fantastic use of AI. Don’t drive around a bus with a stop signal, it’s always been illegal,” wrote one Redditor.
Many users agreed that drivers who don’t stop when the school bus has stopped should be fined. However, some of them questioned why the technology has to be powered by AI.
“Why do you need AI? A sensor, a camera, and a computer can do that just fine,” noted one user, with others seeing it as a “sales tactic,” with AI used as a “buzzword” to attract more sales.
America's school buses are becoming AI-powered ticket machines, generating millions from drivers who fail to stop
by u/ArgentineBeauty in technology
One Redditor noted that “it only seems like a good idea until these faulty systems start writing tickets for imaginary occurrences.”
This led some users to share that they were fined even though it wasn’t their fault.
“I got a $300 ticket, and I didn't even see the bus. It was four lanes over, going the opposite way. I'm a safe driver and always stop for buses when they have their lights on and stop signs out,” shared one user.
“I got one as well, and the video clearly shows I was nowhere near the bus,” added another Redditor, revealing that they tried to contest the ticket, but to no avail.
