All schools and districts that applied for funding for eligible safety features ranging from seatbelts to collision avoidance to additional lighting through the $10 million Ohio School Bus Safety Grant received an award.
An Ohio Department of Education spokesperson confirmed that it received 371 applications from schools, districts and county boards of developmental disabilities for the School Bus Safety Grant. Of those applications, 56 requested funds for “Occupant restraining devices that conform to the school bus seat belt requirements of 49 C.F.R. 571.”
The other authorized safety features are external school bus cameras, fully eliminated stop arms, crossing arms, illuminated school bus signs, lane departure warning systems, collision avoidance systems, and electronic stability control.
The school bus safety grant program was created in response to recommendations made by the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which Gov. Mike DeWine convened to review all aspects of student transportation, following an August 2024 school bus crash that resulted in a student fatality.
Among its 17 recommendations made in January 2024, which did not include the use of lap/shoulder seatbelts — a main reason Gov. DeWine called together the working group — were strategies for improving bus safety features, driver training and emergency response.
Safety rant funding may be used for the repair, replacement or addition of the eight authorized safety features on school buses in active service or for safety enhancements on new school bus purchases.
Indian Hill EVSD in Ohio, applied for the safety grant. Diane Spurlock, transportation director, said they asked for collision avoidance systems and lane departure warning system.
“The program we selected is an AI camera that can notify the driver if either of the instances occurs while they are on the road,” she said. “The main reason is that we recently had an incident happen with a driver where this could have kept it from happening thus ensuring a safer drive. A secondary reason is that our current cameras are getting outdated quickly and I hope this opens the door to purchase more products from this company.”
Additionally, Indian Hill applied for the ground wash lights “because our district does not have street lights and some streets are very narrow. We have added the LED lights near the back tires but believe the ground wash lights will be especially helpful for turnarounds,” she continued.
Gov. DeWine, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin announced via a press release that, “the grants will help ensure safer travel for Ohio students through safety upgrades to existing buses and the addition of advanced safety features on new buses.”
“Whether students are in the classroom or on the school bus, we owe it to parents and families to do everything we can to keep them safe,” said DeWine. “We’re raising the bar for student safety on Ohio’s buses, and these grant awards demonstrate our dedication to making school transportation safer.”
Dackin added, “Student safety is our top priority, and Ohio is investing in critical safety improvements to equip school buses with proven technology that keeps children safe.”
According to a recent NASDPTS survey, more than 218,000 illegal stop-arm passings occurred daily in the U.S. during the 2024/2025 school year. For bus drivers who witness these violations then press event markers to capture them, the tasks can be overwhelming. In addition, the few seconds spent activating stop-arm cameras can distract drivers, pulling their attention away from students and the surrounding traffic. These crucial seconds could mean the difference between safe stops and serious events.
The AI Solution
To reduce drivers’ daily tasks, alleviate distractions and improve violation detection, the AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera provides an innovative, effective solution. Using vision based artificial intelligence, this IP camera sees motorists enter its detection zone while the stop arm is extended. Here’s how it works:
Once the camera detects a vehicle passing the extended stop arm, it automatically prompts the REI DVR to flag and record the violation.
REI’s license plate camera(s) simultaneously captures the violator’s plates.
The marker then prompts REI’s ARMOR Software Suite to auto-download the video clip, plate images and metadata from the DVR.
ARMOR receives and stores the video and data shortly after the violation, making it easily accessible to administration.
Administration reviews the violation, then emails law enforcement a secure link to the video evidence if necessary.
Driver Benefits
Drivers no longer need to observe and press event markers to capture violations. The AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera does it for them. This reduces stress and allows drivers to stay focused on students as they board and exit rather than violation detection. What’s more, the camera helps reduce missed violations due to human error, improving accuracy.
Administration Benefits
For administration, the streamlined, automated detection and management process eliminates hours spent searching for violation video. It also ensures evidence and relevant data, like bus ID, date, time and location, are ready when needed for law enforcement. School officials access clear, indisputable video evidence in ARMOR within minutes, freeing up valuable time for other operational tasks.
Mounts mid-bus and sees across six lanes.
Community Impact
Beyond its benefits for bus drivers and operations, the solution signals to the community that school bus safety laws are enforced. Over time, consistent, reliable violation detection and prosecution have the potential to change motorists’ behaviors. Motorists who once took chances when they saw extended stop arms may reconsider if they know their actions are detected and recorded. This can help ease the minds of parents, students and the community.
More Than Detection
Besides its ability to detect illegal passings, the AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera assists in liability protection. The time-stamped video and license plate images it initiates can help verify violations and resolve disputes quickly. This minimizes lengthy investigations and supports accurate reporting to insurance companies.
Next Steps
While the survey revealed fewer violations occurred during the 2024/2025 school year than the previous year, illegal stop-arm passings remain a serious problem. By implementing REI’s AI-powered stop-arm camera solution, districts can take a proactive, automatic approach to detection. The result can lead to a safer environment for students and greater peace of mind for drivers and school officials.
If your district is ready to take the next step toward detecting and reducing stop-arm violations, REI can help. Call 800.228.9275, contact us or your REI sales representative for more details about this advanced technology.* Together, we can make a difference in student safety.
*Additional hardware and software required.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
Onboard school bus cameras have changed the game when it comes to school bus driver and student safety. Combined with proper procedures and training, they can be a pivotal part of an enhanced safety strategy for student transportation operations.
In North Carolina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has had cameras in place since area manager Monique Jackson joined the transportation department in 2018. Her passion for safety has been front and center throughout her career as an educator and now in student transportation.
“The number one reason for us to have those cameras is for bus safety and, of course, to capture whatever footage is necessary for reporting and documentation purposes,” said Jackson.
She noted the cameras originally used physical hard drives for video storage. Video is now cloud-based, so transportation leadership can make requests to view certain parts of the footage and be able to access it electronically in a more timely manner.
At the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference held in Frisco, Texas, keynote speaker and special education attorney Betsey Helfrich outlined common pitfalls when school districts and transportation departments don’t have clear policies and procedures for handling video footage. Lawsuits filed against the district can succeed if they prove there was insufficient training for employees and that the correct action wasn’t taken as soon as an incident is discovered.
She advised timely, documented communications with Title IX coordinators about incidents. However, there’s often a tricky balance between open record laws and FERPA, or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, when distributing footage among staff members. She cited cases where districts used FERPA to justify not releasing footage of incidents onboard the school bus to parents of students who were involved but were later overruled in court. FERPA is also no excuse for keeping specific information from school bus drivers that pertains to their passengers’ access and safety.
Helfrich urged cautioned when sharing sensitive footage of safety incidents to ensure transportation personnel are fully educated on what constitutes an
immediate or imminent health and safety emergency. These would require footage to be shared with multiple parties that are trained on how to act when an incident is discovered or reported.
“Reviewing footage after an incident is important, but it is vital to randomly and periodically review footage,” said Bret Brooks, chief operating officer for school safety and security consultant Gray Ram Tactical. “Don’t wait for something bad to happen to review the recordings. There should be a written policy detailing how often recordings will be reviewed and by whom. Recordings should be kept for 30 days with the ability to retain for longer if needed.”
Ron Deming, territory manager for REI’s school bus division, said many customers praise cameras’ abilities to provide evidence for investigations. “Footage from cameras can serve as crucial evidence in case of accidents, injuries or misconduct, making it easier to identify causes and fault,” he said. “This reduces liability risks for districts.”
STN reported on an incident in October of a parent boarding a Ferguson Florissant School District bus near St. Louis, Missouri. Onboard cameras captured a disturbing scene of the father commanding his daughter to strike her alleged bully. The faces of other students and the school bus driver were blurred, which Helfrich advised districts to do, before the footage was shared.
Mike Dorn, executive director of nonprofit global K-12 school security consultant Safe Havens International, noted school districts should state on school bus driver applications that cameras are recording all driver behavior. That can serve as a deterrent to individuals who could be trying to harm students or behave inappropriately. It can also exonerate them if wrongly accused.
He discussed a case he worked on where a student reported they had been inappropriately touched by a driver. Pulling footage from the 30 days prior to the incident showed the veteran driver assaulting the pre-K student. He noted that the driver “knew from experience that the district only pulled camera footage when an incident like a fight was reported, not a typical occurrence
on a pre-K route,” hence the need for consistent review of footage even when no incident has been reported.
Driver Training
“For drivers, there has typically been an initial hesitancy and reluctancy to use the camera systems, but once they see how video and audio can back up their side of the story during incidents, most ultimately like having the camera systems in placem,” shared Brooks. Jackson echoed this sentiment by saying drivers she oversees at CMS have found that onboard cameras provide peace of mind that safety incidents don’t turn into “he-said, she-said” situations.
“While traditionally more of a post-incident investigative tool, modern security cameras can also be a powerful prevention tool,” said Dorn. “For example, we advise our clients to consider crafting, implementing and following a policy [that] outlines how supervisory personnel will use a random selection process to pull segments of video footage from school buses at key route times, check for policy compliance and archive the footage to document their efforts.”
Dorn noted drivers are made aware their performance is being regularly monitored and that management can recognize them for adhering to safety standards.Stephen Satterly, senior analyst at Safe Havens International, said when he was a school transportation supervisor in Ohio he would conduct a “hot wash” footage review with individual school bus drivers to “identify what went well and what could be improved.”
Jackson shared that she not only uses the footage in her CMS area to identify when and why drivers need more training but also to back up her drivers when there are behavioral challenges with students that required changes be made for the safety of everyone on board.
Clint Bryer, vice president of student transportation sales for Safety Vision, demonstrated camera features that aid in driver performance review and training at the TSD Conference Trade Show. He said school districts can customize what qualifies as an infraction, such as looking away from the road, not wearing a seatbelt, or using a cellphone while driving. Different infractions can carry “heavier weight” when it comes to scoring driver performance.
“Driver behavior management solutions have significantly contributed to improving driver performance by providing actionable data from AI detection of phone use, following too closely, seatbelt compliance and front collisions,” added AngelTrax CEO Richie Howard. “The most effective solutions integrate GPS and G-Force sensors with high-resolution video, with interior and exterior views, to provide context for the driver’s decisions and/or reactions along the route.”
Multiple video vendors and safety experts noted thatAI is becoming an increasingly used tool to detect safety incidents. Howard noted that the industry is only “scratching the surface” and the capabilities of AI will continue to grow and be used to notify transportation immediately if a safety concern is detected.
“Machine learning can be integrated into school bus cameras to predict dangerous situations, such as student bullying or a conflict about to break out,” said Deming. Brooks summed up his advice regarding the use of cameras for increased safety and driver training by highlighting the importance of that human involvement.
“Even with the advancements of AI, or any technology, we must remember that human involved is paramount. Training drivers will always be critical regardless of any technology that can assist them. Assist is the key term, not
replace,” he said. “Don’t allow cameras to replace human involvement, training, reviewing, interactions, etc. Cameras are great tools but not a cure all in of themselves.”
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the January 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
Photo taken over a school bus driver’s shoulder showing a school bus dash board. Photo by Taylor Ekbatani Cover design by Kimber Horne
Our first issue of 2026 brings the focus back to transportation of students with special needs and disabilities. Learn more about leveraging camera technology for student safety and driver training, Medicaid reimbursement management, the considerations of using non-yellow school bus vehicles for student transportation and the details on new securement technology for students with disabilities and how to train staff to use it correctly. Also read articles on targeting sexual assault onboard school buses and the multi-faceted approach needed to build and retain student transportation teams that are prepared for the wide variety of student needs.
Find more information about our upcoming 2026 conferences in the magazine as well as a recap of the 2025 TSD Conference!
Navigating the Complexities
The arduous task of tracking students and routes for Medicaid reimbursement can be off-putting. However, software companies are highlighting the benefits of how technology can help with documenting and reporting.
Smaller Options
Switching to alternative transportation vehicles like vans and SUVs for students with disabilities is beneficial in some circumstances, but at what cost?
Secure & Ensure
As securement devices for students with disabilities become more specialized, ensuring transportation staff are trained in securing them properly inside the school bus is a top safety element.
Special Reports
Eagle Eye on Student Transportation Safety
Leveraging camera technology can offer a host of safety solutions, from identifying student behavior issues to detailing driver performance behind the wheel.
Mary took pride in staying sharp behind the wheel, but her route change for the upcoming semester caused anxiety. She would have to face more stops, more students and heavier traffic. Her concern about protecting students from stop-arm violations grew by the day.
Fortunately, a decision by the district helped ease her worry. The district planned to install a powerful safety solution on every bus: REI’s AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera.
That news made Mary ecstatic. The solution would automatically detect and record violations, allowing her to devote her full attention to students as they board and exit.
Think your drivers would appreciate the assistance?
To capture your district’s violations in the same manner, you need the following: an AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera; one or two license plate cameras; a sensor harness; an HD6 DVR; and the cloud-based, wireless ARMOR Software Suite for fleet management. Together, these products auto-capture both data and high-definition violation images. Here’s how:
The vision-based AI Camera sees a motorist enter its detection zone while the stop arm is extended and automatically marks the video on your DVR.
The marker then prompts ARMOR to download the violation video from your DVR.
ARMOR is also prompted to send event alerts to your team to initiate investigations.
The license plate camera(s) captures close-up images of the violator’s plate(s).
ARMOR stores all images and metadata for review and sharing shortly after the incident.
Ready to streamline violation detection and reporting for your drivers and operation? With our AI-powered stop-arm solution onboard, the amount of time and stress saved could be transformative for your operation.
Ready for more good news? Updates to these REI® solutions boost safety and efficiency even more:
HD6 Series 12-Channel DVR – integrates with REI’s vision-based-AI HD6 ADAS System to record detected events for administration/law enforcement and support safe driving behaviors.
ARMOR Software Suite – new Application Programming Interface (API) enables partnerships with major routing providers, expanding fleet management capabilities from a single source.
Safety has always been the top priority in student transportation, but for special education, it carries added weight. These buses serve students who require closer supervision and stronger family communication, making safety more important. Radios and reports still help, but new technologies are giving transportation leaders the ability to act in real time.
At Royse City ISD (RCISD) in Texas, that shift has meant embracing AI-powered cameras and live video to provide the extra layer of support their riders with disabilities need.
Royse City ISD: A District on the Rise
Royse City ISD transports over 8,000 students each week across three rapidly growing counties near Dallas, including more than 800 with special needs. Executive Director of Transportation Cody Cox, a lifelong student transportation professional who started as a bus driver, leads the operation.
As the district grows, so will its transportation needs. The district grows by about 1,000 students annually, forcing the purchase of new vehicles to meet both growth and replacement needs. The challenge with such rapid expansion is maintaining the same quality of safety for every student while also meeting the area’s transportation demands. This remains especially true for RCISD’s special education vehicle fleet, and is what prompted Cox to search for an effective solution.
Turning to Technology for Support
Transporting students with special needs requires extra care. These riders may need closer supervision, and drivers must balance safe operations with clear communication and visibility into what happens on board. For districts, the challenge is finding ways to provide that extra support while maintaining efficiency across the fleet.
For Royse City ISD, rapid growth made this challenge even more pressing. To strengthen safety protocols across its special education fleet, which includes SUVs, vans, and buses, Cody Cox began looking for technology that was versatile, reliable, and cost-effective.
“I was looking for a solution that was more cost-effective without losing any of the features of our larger DVRs,” Cox explained.
Earlier this year, the district piloted Safety Vision’s SafeDrive-AI 2, pairing its dual-camera driver system with four additional interior and exterior cameras to provide real-time awareness and added coverage across its diverse fleet of special education vehicles.
For Cox’s team, live-streaming from vehicles carrying high-needs students provided critical reassurance. Dispatchers could monitor in real time, step in quickly, and support onboard staff when needed. At the same time, AI-powered alerts from SafeDrive-AI 2 added another layer of protection, helping drivers identify potential risks on the road. Recorded video also proved essential, giving the district an objective account of incidents and concerns.
“Footage is very important to investigate situations and concerns,” Cox said. “It often gives us a better understanding of what was going on so we can provide better support to staff and students.”
(Article continues after video.)
Advice for Districts Considering Safety Technology
Looking ahead, RCISD has committed to outfitting its new special education vehicles and white fleet vehicles with the SafeDrive AI 2 system piloted earlier this year. For Cox, the decision reflects not only the benefits his team has already seen but also the long-term value of proactive safety tools. His advice to other districts is straightforward: “I would recommend they try them on new vehicles or retrofit some vehicles to see just how great the coverage is for the cost.”
By starting small, he suggests districts can experience firsthand how live video, AI alerts, and recorded footage work together to enhance safety without a major upfront investment. The system’s flexibility is another advantage because it can be customized and scaled to fit any fleet size. For a growing district like RCISD, partnering with a provider that can expand with their needs is key to ensuring lasting safety across all student transportation vehicles.
Technology as a Long-Term Safety Partner
Student safety will always be the cornerstone of school transportation, but for special education fleets, that responsibility comes with unique requirements. Royse City ISD’s experience shows how technology can play a pivotal role in meeting those requirements. By giving dispatchers real-time visibility and providing drivers with timely support they can be proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to the safety of all students and staff.
As districts of all sizes continue to face growth, tighter budgets, and increasing expectations from parents and communities, tools like live video and AI-powered alerts are helping transportation teams move from reacting to incidents to preventing them. For leaders like Cody Cox, the message is clear: scalable, customizable solutions aren’t just add-ons, they’re becoming essential partners in ensuring safe, reliable transportation for every student, every day.
First Student will equip its 46,000 school buses across North America with Samsara’s AI-powered technology platform — video-based safety, telematics, commercial navigation, door monitors, and student ridership insights — to help predict risk, prevent incidents and ensure student well-being.
The announcement Tuesday comes as part of a new partnership between the two companies. Samsara’s technology will integrate into First Student’s Halo platform that rolled out earlier this year. The companies said school districts will have a unified system that combines telematics, video-based safety and monitoring, fleet tracking and ridership insights.
“By leveraging real-time data collected from Samsara’s Connected Operations Platform, First Student will build the most advanced safety and performance ecosystem in the student transportation industry,” a press release states, noting that the companies aim to set a new standard for how drivers, districts, families and students experience pupil transportation.
“This partnership between two industry leaders enables us to leverage advanced technology to deliver safer, smarter, and more connected student transportation,” said John Kenning, CEO and president of First Student in a statement. “By integrating Samsara’s AI insights into HALO, we are living out our value of setting the highest standards and redefining what student transportation can be. With Samsara’s AI capabilities, predictive analytics, and real-time safety monitoring, we are taking HALO to the next level, anticipating risks, preventing incidents, enhancing driver satisfaction, and advancing our mission to provide every student with the best possible transportation experience so they arrive at school ready to achieve their full potential.”
Samsara said it AI-powered platform will further unlock key safety features in HALO across all vehicles, including the use of AI cameras with in-cab alerts; collision avoidance and hazard detection alerts for drivers and pedestrians; and predictive safety analytics that combine data from vehicle sensors and AI cameras to generate insights. It also integrates post-trip insights, giving supervisors visibility into coachable driver trends. Samsara said its models learn from billions of minutes of video footage to help identify and address risks proactively.
“We are proud to partner with First Student, which operates at an unmatched scale, serving millions of students daily across North America,” said Sanjit Biswas, CEO and co-founder of Samsara in a press release. “By integrating our AI-powered platform with First Student’s HALO, we are taking innovation to the next level to create a safer, more efficient experience. Together, we’re bringing students the best possible transportation experience, powered by data-driven insights.”
DENVER, Colo. — EverDriven, the nation’s leader in alternative student transportation, today announced the launch of its 360-degree Student Experience, an advancement in real-time visibility and safety for every ride. Purpose-built to support students with diverse needs, the solution combines advanced monitoring technology with human-led care to deliver unmatched transparency, proactive risk mitigation, and student-centered consistency.
“At EverDriven, we are dedicated to setting the bar for safety in student transportation. The 360-degree Student Experience turns that commitment into visibility, accountability, and consistent, calm rides—one student, one trip at a time.This is the standard we uphold daily, and an example of how we’re driving best practices across the industry,” said Mitch Bowling, Chief Executive Officer at EverDriven.
Introducing the 360-degree Student Experience
This solution ensures every ride is safe, transparent, and tailored to the students who rely on it.
Key Features and Capabilities:
Proactive Safety Monitoring: Dual-facing AI cameras and onboard and app-enabled sensors track 18 safety data points, proactively identifying risky behaviors and vehicle conditions before they escalate. Unsafe drivers are removed from service if thresholds are crossed;
Real-Time Ride Visibility: Districts and caregivers can access live trip status, offering peace of mind at every step of the journey;
Unparalleled Safety Standards: Drivers complete pre-service drug testing, random drug testing, and extensive background checking including sex offender registry screening, and motor vehicle record reviews. Ongoing training in defensive driving and sensitivity practices also ensure safe, supportive transportation for all students.
The solution builds on EverDriven’s proven foundation of safety and reliability and adds deeper insights and smarter safeguards. With more than 2 million trips completed annually across 36 states and a 99.99 percent accident-free record, 360-degree Student Experience reinforces EverDriven’s commitment to safe, student-centered transportation.
To learn more about bringing the 360-degree Student Experience to your district, visit everdriven.com.
About EverDriven:
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in transporting students across a wide range of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 700 districts across 36 states, the company completed over 2 million trips last year, 99.99% of them accident-free with 100% safety compliance. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.
Increasingly, the conversation about cybersecurity and data protection includes student transportation. STN addressed the subject of security in the September magazine issue, featuring articles that focused on video camera storage and security as well as data security and routing.
STN spoke with Jake McOmie, the CTO of Confluence Security, a systems integrator company that brings together products from various manufacturers — of cameras, recording devices, servers, networking equipment, and sensors — to create tailored security systems. These systems are designed to address both physical and cybersecurity needs with an emphasis on automation, identity management and analytics. The company, which works with government, school and commercial or enterprise customers, also provides software that unifies all components, enabling features like real-time alerts, video analytics and automated response to security events.
STN: Why is security and cybersecurity important for school districts and transportation departments right now?
McOmie: Security and cybersecurity aren’t new concerns, but in today’s connected world, they are more critical than ever. School districts are rapidly adopting technologies like IP cameras, GPS systems, Wi-Fi routers and student tracking software. These tools improve safety and efficiency, but each device added to the network also introduces potential vulnerabilities.
We call this security of security, a phrase borrowed from our trusted manufacturer partner of open-architecture security software platform, Genetec. The approach ensures a cybersecurity-first posture and it’s critical practice to understand your product choices are being systemically protected by design, not as an afterthought.
How concerned are you about the data security of your student transportation operations?
In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), everything is interconnected. One unsecure device — whether a camera, HVAC sensor, or access control point — can act as the weak link that compromises the entire system. No matter how robust a network may be, its strength depends on every component being secure. That’s why it’s not enough to harden just the network. Districts must vet the products themselves, hold manufacturers accountable for cybersecurity practices and ensure every piece of technology is built with a “security-first” mindset.
Trust is earned, not assumed. Cybersecurity must be woven into procurement, deployment and management. When one compromised camera or device can become an open door, due diligence isn’t optional. It’s essential.
STN: How can transportation departments ensure their data is protected? What steps should they be taking?
Jake McOmie, CTO of Confluence Security
McOmie: Transportation departments manage highly sensitive data, including student info, vehicle locations, incident videos and operational logs. To protect this data, a comprehensive approach during the initial planning will ensure this sensitive data is not jeopardized from unauthorized access. We can talk about the various aspects end users should keep forefront during the planning phase
Vet manufacturers and integrators. Work only with vendors that prioritize cybersecurity and provide transparent security documentation. Vendors who operate under zero-trust security policies and demand nothing less of their technology partners, should be asked early in the process. It’s a pass or fail question and should be enforced without hesitation.
Network segmentation. Isolate transportation and security systems from general-use school networks. Implementing advanced enterprise segmentation through Federations allows for controlled third-party access while maintaining autonomous and isolated authorization. Preferably utilize SaaS-hosted federation services so partner agencies, such as between schools and 911 centers, can connect their networks for data sharing without actually connecting to anything except the mediary cloud-hosted federation server. This method adds the benefit of permission-based access at the most minute level of data, like allowing access to a video feed only if three independent trigger points have verified.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA). Implement MFA at all levels — application logins, device portals and cloud platforms — to prevent account takeovers, especially when passwords are compromised.
Zero-trust approach. Assume no device or user is secure by default. Require verification and limit access by role. To maximize the effects of this policy, utilize automations and/or integrations to minimize the number of touchpoints when permission changes occur.
Encryption & updates. Use end-to-end encryption for data in motion and ensure firmware/software is routinely patched. If available, consider using SaaS products to perform all or some tasks, which can help protect systems from becoming outdated, even if only for a short duration.
Automation & alerting. Leverage tools that can automatically identify patterns or anomalies and escalate issues to the right personnel. Open-architecture systems allow for a larger variety of inputs, and with proper configuration, the sensors can be associated with other sensors or events to help qualify any given scenario before notifying personnel, and ensure the correct personnel are the ones being notified.
Protecting data is not just about prevention. It’s about building resilience and ensuring your team can respond quickly and effectively when an event occurs.
STN: How do you advise school districts to work with their technology department?
McOmie: One of the most common challenges we see is operational silos. Safety and security departments know the problems they need to solve, but IT departments hold the keys to implementation. Successful projects require early and continuous collaboration between these teams.
At Confluence Security, we provide end-to-end IP-based solutions, which means we’re deeply engaged with IT teams during planning, design and deployment. While safety leaders define the why, IT ensures the how is executed securely and effectively. The IT team is critical in achieving a successfully hardened system and should include these three key points:
Designing the network architecture to limit exposure.
Setting access controls and firewall rules.
Validating compliance with cybersecurity policies.
In today’s world, a zero-trust model is no longer optional. Every actor, internal or external, must be authenticated and authorized. School districts can support this by standardizing processes like MFA and ensuring IT reviews any new connected hardware or software before it’s deployed.
STN: Where do you see AI in security?
McOmie: AI is transforming security in two important ways — behind the scenes and in front of the user.
Behind the scenes, AI helps devices self-optimize — learning traffic patterns, refining video compression, or detecting performance anomalies before they become problems. This isn’t flashy, but it’s foundational to deliver faster, smarter, more reliable systems. The increased accuracy and performance is generally appreciated by end users but in today’s world of tech, the continual improvements are more or less expected.
Video Analytics engines, where video streams are computer-analyzed for specific behaviors, have used AI to improve their intelligence for more than a decade in some cases. In this method, software developers gain tremendous assistance with perfecting their analytical algorithms. In recent years, advancemnts have been made so far as to providing users with the ability to generate their own behavior definitions and AI creates the behavior analysis, delivering a DIY approach to video analytics.
From the user perspective, AI enhances how we interact with security systems. Instead of digging through hours of video, users can issue simple commands: “Show me anything unusual at Bus Lot A last night,” or “Search for students wearing red backpacks on buses 12 thru 15 last week.”
AI enables faster investigations and richer situational awareness. Rather than responding to noise (e.g., constant motion alerts), users receive qualified insights based on anomalies — events that stand out from the norm, like a student jumping out of an open bus window, or a person loitering in an atypical location.
But AI doesn’t stop at behavioral detection. It fundamentally supports action through automation. Systems can support users through if/then/else conditional logic decision making to promote accuracy in the users actions and response. Ultimately, the preferred outcome can be guided by digitized SOPs, allowing for a newbie operator to respond the same way a well-seasoned operator would.
These layers of logic ensure that when serious threats arise, escalation to law enforcement or 911 is intentional, not a false alarm, and delivers real actionable video, data and evidence.
One of Ethan’s bus drivers failed to make a morning stop, prompting a call from a concerned and upset mother. Instead of feeling stressed by the call, the transportation director felt noticeably calmer. That’s because he had a new team member in place and was confident the incident could likely be resolved in minutes, not hours.
In the past, a missed bus stop in Ethan’s district typically meant an hour of research, at minimum. He needed details quickly and some took considerable time to acquire due to travel, driver responsiveness and staff availability. Often, it took Ethan hours to collect the information, evaluate and report on a single incident.
Face the same challenges? Level up, like Ethan did.
Motivated by the need for easier event resolution and assistance with daily operations, he shopped for a streamlined solution to facilitate efficiency. Ultimately, he brought the A-game to his operation: ARMOR Software Suite.
When integrated with high-definition REI cameras and DVRs, the suite delivers a remote, all-in-one fleet management solution designed to boost efficiency, safety and peace of mind. How would ARMOR’s innovative tools simplify your fleet management, like they did for Ethan and his team? Let’s take a look:
Track Vehicles in Real Time
Shortly after the mother’s call, Ethan accessed the Insight tool to find the bus route and capture details. A click on the stop’s location enabled him to view and download video of the alleged missed stop. Minutes later, he had video proof: The student was absent, and his driver did stop. The process would be just as easy for your operation.
Automate Processes & Communication
The Actions tool allows you to set up automated video downloads, automated event notifications, automated diagnostic warnings/updates and other useful reports. This eliminates trips to pull hard drives, speeds up event resolutions and helps reduce costs.
Simplify Video Search
AutoPilot serves as an archive of auto-downloaded and manually requested video clips. Users may filter videos by criteria to save hours of search time. Ethan frequently shares videos with other administrators via password-protected links.
Enable Live Look-In
With ten thousand students on the district’s afternoon buses, Ethan sees all types of events. ARMOR Live allows him to view and hear these events in progress, enabling him to respond quickly. Think how much time and effort it would save your team.
Access Data & Video Remotely
With ARMOR Cloud, district administrators can securely access ARMOR from anywhere, at any time, using internet-connected devices. This allows them to request the video clips they wish to review and eliminates some tasks for Ethan and his team. Even more, the cloud service minimizes server management responsibilities and costs for hardware and IT resources. Security, scalability and software updates are administered for them.
Interested in taking your fleet management to the A level? Want to score info about all of ARMOR’s tools? Contact REI or your sales representative.
Requires additional hardware and/or specific cellular service plans. Ask for details.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
Nevada became the 26th state to authorize school districts to install and use school bus stop-arm cameras.
Assembly Bill 527, which passed June 6 and went into effect on July 1, allows school districts to install the cameras and for law enforcement to use evidence of illegal passing to issue citations to the vehicle’s registered owner. Fines collected are used to fund the installation, maintenance and operation of the camera systems as well as pay the vendor to install, operate or maintain the systems.
School districts that choose to vieo cameras must conduct a public awareness campaign regarding the use of cameras and notify the public on when enforcement starts.
While school district leaders applaud the law, local police departments are questioning if they have adequate staffing to handle review video and issue citations, as noted in a local news article.
The law also addresses privacy concerns by requiring school districts and police departments to delete images of vehicles after 90 days.
His cellphone notification pierced Jim’s normally quiet 6 a.m. coffee time at home. The alert pertained to school bus 12, prompting the transportation director to pull up the live feed from REI’s ARMOR Software Suite on his mobile device.* Because of the bus’s cellular-connected DVR, Jim saw bus 12 on its side along a rural gravel road.
He immediately contacted the driver to confirm everyone’s safety, then called 911. Shortly after, Jim reviewed the video clip that had uploaded to ARMOR Cloud from the DVR.* The cause was apparent: Washed-out gravel from a recent downpour caused the bus to slide off the road and overturn.
Within minutes, he sent video clips to school administrators, answered questions from parents and law enforcement, and did it remotely without leaving home. Additionally, the event video stored automatically and securely in the cloud for future reference. This streamlined process would facilitate speedy event resolution for your operation as well.
While Jim accessed ARMOR Cloud for safety reasons in this instance, the platform also provides additional benefits for transportation departments like yours:
Improved Efficiency
REI’s experienced cloud administrators manage your ARMOR server, licensing, updates and scalability. This removes technical overhead and allows your transportation staff to focus on managing the fleet instead of managing IT.
Reduced Costs
ARMOR Cloud eliminates the need for on-site servers and additional IT resources. REI handles the hosting, infrastructure and personnel needed to keep the system running smoothly.
Easy Access
Fleet data and video clips are uploaded automatically from cellular-connected DVRs and stored in a secure cloud environment. Your staff may access the system 24/7/365 from anywhere with an internet connection to review footage, check alerts, monitor vehicle activities and locations in real time, access REI equipment reports and more.
Data Security
All data and video are backed up in regional and national locations to reduce the risk of loss during power outages, storms or other disruptions.
Reduced Stress
Knowing that experienced IT professionals maintain system performance and protect your fleet data gives you and your team greater peace of mind.
Many school districts around the U.S. currently realize the benefits of ARMOR and ARMOR Cloud and appreciate their abilities to simplify operations. Contact REI today to learn how these solutions could transform your team’s approach to fleet management.
*Requires additional hardware and/or specific cellular service plans. Ask for details.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
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Software Suite
Drivers no longer need to observe and press event markers to capture violations. The AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera does it for them. This reduces stress and allows drivers to stay focused on students as they board and exit rather than violation detection. What’s more, the camera helps reduce missed violations due to human error, improving accuracy.
Software Suite
