Marietta Utilizes Cameras on School Bus Stop Arms

The city of Marietta remains determined to provide safe surroundings for the community's children. Marietta has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Marietta City Schools and contracted with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) to deploy CrossingGuard, ATS' new technology to help address the growing problem of illegal passing of stopped school buses that are loading or unloading children.

Motorists are required by law to come to a halt for a stopped school bus when its stop arm is extended and its lights are flashing. Unfortunately, when motorists disregard the law and pass the school bus, they jeopardize the safety of children by putting them in serious danger. The school bus stop arm enforcement program is designed to reduce the number of violations and injuries caused by people who disregard the school bus stop arm.

This new technology allows a camera to be placed on the stop arm of school buses. Once the stop arm is engaged by the bus driver the camera is automatically activated to take a video of any potential violation and snap shot of the violators' license plate tag in the enforced zone. The image of the violators' tag is then wirelessly transferred to ATS who electronically transfers the image to law enforcement for review. If law enforcement approves the violation, a citation is then issued and mailed to the vehicle owner.

In conjunction with the National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 21-25), the city of Marietta would like to remind its citizens of the law requiring motorist to halt when a school bus stop arm is extended. 

by city of Marietta