Hmmmmm, school bus cameras, I wonder....

[glhs837]

So, we have had them almost a full year now, and I wonder how they are doing. Not at keeping kids safe, because last I looked, we hadn't had any incidents with kids getting hit by cars passing school buses. What got me wondering was this......

http://thenewspaper.com/news/46/4632.asp

Article is mostly about how automated red light enforcement is a not working out for one of the leads in the business, RedFlex. Seems Americans in large numbers just don't like RLCs. But I digress, I saw this line and that got me thinking........

Redflex has several highly lucrative contracts in Arizona and Texas. Losing those states would add to the $2.3 million loss brought on by the failed effort to turn school buses into automated ticketing machines. The company is desperate to find a way to position the buses so that they will maximize the number of tickets issued.

"The balance of the Student Guardian installed base has generated lower incident volumes than anticipated, and we have slowed further contract implementations until we understand how the performance of these bus routes can be optimised," Redflex explained to investors.

Lets break this down, both as a specific case, and how it speaks to the idea that enforcement for profit is NEVER a good idea.

1. I love the name "Student Guardian" with it's images of someone actually guarding students Not just emptying pockets

2. "until we understand how the performance of these bus routes can be optimized", read that as we don't care about safely and efficiently getting kids to school, it's about optimizing the citations, they actually want more people to pass the buses. Hows that Guarding Students?

Really folks, again, automated enforcement for profit = Bad Idea. You want to do it, go ahead, but only if you remove the profit motive by requiring any proceeds not required to maintain the equipment to get sent back to citizens in the form of rebates.

 

[TPD]

So, we have had them almost a full year now, and I wonder how they are doing. Not at keeping kids safe, because last I looked, we hadn't had any incidents with kids getting hit by cars passing school buses. What got me wondering was this......

http://thenewspaper.com/news/46/4632.asp

Article is mostly about how automated red light enforcement is a not working out for one of the leads in the business, RedFlex. Seems Americans in large numbers just don't like RLCs. But I digress, I saw this line and that got me thinking........





Lets break this down, both as a specific case, and how it speaks to the idea that enforcement for profit is NEVER a good idea.

1. I love the name "Student Guardian" with it's images of someone actually guarding students Not just emptying pockets

2. "until we understand how the performance of these bus routes can be optimized", read that as we don't care about safely and efficiently getting kids to school, it's about optimizing the citations, they actually want more people to pass the buses. Hows that Guarding Students?

Really folks, again, automated enforcement for profit = Bad Idea. You want to do it, go ahead, but only if you remove the profit motive by requiring any proceeds not required to maintain the equipment to get sent back to citizens in the form of rebates.

The school board is working on their new budget now so it will be interesting to see if there is any line items in the budget for this. Maybe a call to a local reporter to inquire further......

 

[glhs837]

The school board is working on their new budget now so it will be interesting to see if there is any line items in the budget for this. Maybe a call to a local reporter to inquire further......

Not sure if the school board has any involvement with the system. The Sheriff was the front man on it, and said at the time that the vendor would be keeping all the revenue until the system was paid for. No information about what happened after that date was given. And since there have been no glowing press releases I assume they system is not lighting the world on fire in any way.

 

[itsrequired]

And since there have been no glowing press releases I assume they system is not lighting the world on fire in any way.

So maybe it's working and reducing or ending those who are running bus signs?

 

[glhs837]

So maybe it's working and reducing or ending those who are running bus signs?

Maybe, but usually stuff that works or at least is thought to be working gets glowing press releases. I refer to Smooth Operator, COPS, that sort of thing.