Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is partnering with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and a safety technology company, BusPatrol, to support a new school bus safety program in Charles County. The program provides external cameras on school buses to deter drivers from illegally passing stopped school buses.
Through the partnership, all Charles County school buses will be equipped with external stop-arm safety cameras that provide a 360-degree view of the bus. This includes interior, windshield, rearview and sideload camera views, which also provide a visual of students boarding and exiting the bus. The technology also supports GPS route data, as well as emergency response information for CCPS transportation officials and police. As of today, the cameras have been installed on about 25 percent of CCPS buses and installation continues.
There is no cost to the school system to participate in the program. The technology, installation and maintenance of the cameras is provided at no cost to CCPS and funded through BusPatrol’s violator-funded model.
Starting Nov. 18, drivers that violate school bus safety laws will receive a warning letter in the mail. There is a 60-day warning period for Charles County drivers. BusPatrol will begin to issue citations on Jan. 17, 2022. Similar to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office red light camera and speed enforcement cameras in school zones, all violations will be reviewed by the Sheriff’s Office and issued through the BusPatrol program.
“The partnership between Charles County Public Schools, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and BusPatrol is important to the safety of our school communities. Not only does the technology support the safe boarding and unboarding of our students from school buses, but it also deters drivers from passing stopped school buses. The partnership also provides CCPS with internal bus cameras that will help drivers and attendants monitor students,” Superintendent of Schools Maria V. Navarro said.
According to Maryland law, the driver of a motor vehicle must stop for a school bus that is stopped and operating flashing red lights and remain stopped until the school bus begins to move or deactivates its flashing lights.
More information about BusPatrol is posted online at www.buspatrol.com.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).
Through the partnership, all Charles County school buses will be equipped with external stop-arm safety cameras that provide a 360-degree view of the bus. This includes interior, windshield, rearview and sideload camera views, which also provide a visual of students boarding and exiting the bus. The technology also supports GPS route data, as well as emergency response information for CCPS transportation officials and police. As of today, the cameras have been installed on about 25 percent of CCPS buses and installation continues.
There is no cost to the school system to participate in the program. The technology, installation and maintenance of the cameras is provided at no cost to CCPS and funded through BusPatrol’s violator-funded model.
Starting Nov. 18, drivers that violate school bus safety laws will receive a warning letter in the mail. There is a 60-day warning period for Charles County drivers. BusPatrol will begin to issue citations on Jan. 17, 2022. Similar to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office red light camera and speed enforcement cameras in school zones, all violations will be reviewed by the Sheriff’s Office and issued through the BusPatrol program.
“The partnership between Charles County Public Schools, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and BusPatrol is important to the safety of our school communities. Not only does the technology support the safe boarding and unboarding of our students from school buses, but it also deters drivers from passing stopped school buses. The partnership also provides CCPS with internal bus cameras that will help drivers and attendants monitor students,” Superintendent of Schools Maria V. Navarro said.
According to Maryland law, the driver of a motor vehicle must stop for a school bus that is stopped and operating flashing red lights and remain stopped until the school bus begins to move or deactivates its flashing lights.
More information about BusPatrol is posted online at www.buspatrol.com.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).