Installing cameras on school buses is necessary to ensure children’s safety, prevent students from being left behind on the bus, and minimize possible risks during pick-up and drop-off. At the same time, camera systems provide peace of mind for both parents and schools. So, how do you choose the best camera on school buses? GoTrack will help answer that question in the article below!
The importance of cameras on school buses
Monitoring drivers and students with cameras on school buses
Cameras installed on school shuttle buses provide dual supervision of both the driver and the students. Administrators can remotely monitor driving behavior to ensure that drivers adhere to schedules and safety regulations, maintaining a professional and responsible attitude throughout the journey.
Additionally, cameras record all student activities on the bus, enabling schools and parents to monitor their children, promptly detect incidents or inappropriate behavior, and take appropriate action.
Ensuring children’s safety with cameras on school buses
Leaving young children behind on school shuttle buses is a serious concern for many parents. With the support of surveillance cameras, teachers and staff can actively detect unusual situations, reducing the likelihood of unfortunate incidents. Parents can rest assured knowing their children are being closely monitored. The presence of cameras also increases accountability for drivers and supervisors, maximizing safety for students.
Providing journey evidence
In cases where it is necessary to verify bus routes, pick-up/drop-off times, or resolve complaints from parents, footage from the cameras serves as objective and transparent evidence. This facilitates effective coordination between the school, parents, and transport providers in student management.
Read more: Launching the GT-BUS child safety alert system
6 key criteria when choosing cameras on school buses
Compliance with regulations
To ensure legal compliance, choose a camera that meets the requirements in your country. The device must fulfill technical specifications, data storage and transmission capabilities, and include the essential features stipulated by law to ensure effective monitoring of school shuttle operations.
Image and video quality
The camera must offer clear, high-definition (Full HD) video quality to clearly capture the faces of drivers, students, and the entire vehicle interior throughout the journey. It should support multiple channels for monitoring various angles, including the passenger area. Select a device capable of night vision or low-light recording (with infrared or WDR technology) to enable 24/7 monitoring and immediate detection if a child is left behind. High-quality footage also greatly facilitates data retrieval when needed.
Storage and data transmission capabilities
Optimal choices are cameras that support memory cards or external hard drives for long-term data storage. It’s also essential to select cameras with real-time data transmission capabilities to ensure continuous remote monitoring and quick incident detection.
Modern and practical features
To ensure student safety and provide peace of mind for families and schools, choose a camera equipped with advanced and practical features.
Some basic and enhanced features to consider include:
- Live image and video streaming.
- Driver identification, behavior monitoring, and driving time tracking.
- Vehicle route and position tracking.
- Safety alerts.
- Anti-child-forgetting warning system.
These modern features not only help maintain a safe and regulation-compliant shuttle system but also support businesses in managing their fleet more intelligently and efficiently than ever before.
Smart management software
To support remote management and monitoring, school shuttle bus cameras must be integrated with a comprehensive management software system. This allows schools and transport companies to access and extract necessary data anytime, anywhere, and quickly handle dangerous driving behavior or onboard incidents. The software should feature a user-friendly interface, regular remote updates, role-based access (e.g., for teachers), and compatibility with multiple operating systems across computers and smartphones for easy remote tracking.
Warranty and technical support policies
Cameras are essential components of the student transport system. Therefore, it’s crucial to choose a reputable supplier that guarantees product quality and offers reliable warranty policies and technical support in case of malfunction. This ensures uninterrupted and effective monitoring at all times.
