Maryland County Installs Bus Cameras
- By Mike Hohenbrink
- 08/16/12
Students in Frederick County, MD who attend Frederick County Public Schools will be protected by the installation of security cameras that will watch loading and unloading of students as well as keep an eye on dangerous drivers who pass school buses illegally.
The cameras are part of a five-year deal between the county and Xerox through the company’s CrossSafe program. Xerox won the contract through competitive bidding and will provide the technology and maintain it for the duration of the contract.
With the technology, school bus drivers will not have to manually record information on violators while at the same time try to keep an eye on students. Instead, the cameras will capture the violations, with high quality video, including time stamp and GPS coordinates. The evidence is reviewed and then forwarded to law enforcement for a decision on whether to proceed with charges.
"Xerox understands our sense of urgency to address this very serious concern to student safety," said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, in a prepared statement. "Violators will now face serious penalties and be held accountable for their disregard for the safety of children traveling on buses."
The county will see 40 of its buses equipped with the technology with installation set to be completed before the end of the year. The school system serves over 40,000 students.
"The first priority for our bus drivers is the safety of our children," said Mac McLean, acting director of transportation, Frederick County Public Schools. "We support Frederick County’s commitment, through this program, to the safety of our children."