American Traffic Solutions (ATS) has added another partner to its school bus stop arm enforcement portfolio. In addition to its current integration with AngelTrax, ATS and Radio Engineering Industries (REI) will now work together to offer a school bus stop arm camera enforcement solution. CrossingGuard®, ATS’ school bus stop arm running solution has proven to be extremely effective at reducing the number of vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses.
“REI has been developing products for the school bus industry for the last 25 years,” said James Tuton, ATS CEO. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to partner with an industry leader that shares our commitment to customer service.”
This alliance will bring together ATS, the nation’s largest provider of road safety camera solutions with REI, a company that offers an extensive line of quality commercial electronics for thousands of manufacturers, suppliers and operators in the transportation and agriculture industries.
Scott Hays, REI President states, “REI is thrilled to partner with ATS, the leading experts in stop arm enforcement, to further safety for students and communities. Together, we are delivering the industry’s most advanced and reliable automatic stop arm violation detection equipment and resources, which minimizes the staff hours required by school districts and law enforcement.”
Last year, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services estimated 13 million drivers illegally passed stopped school buses across the country. CrossingGuard, ATS’ school bus stop arm technology is designed to help school districts address this growing problem with a camera system that automatically detects if a vehicle passes the stopped school bus while the stop arm is extended. Images of a vehicle’s license plate and a video that captures the entire violation event provide law enforcement with the evidence they need to effectively prosecute these violations.
To date, ATS customers in Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and Texas are seeing a decrease in stop-arm running violations. In Cobb County, Georgia, there were 1,300 violations issued in August of 2013. In April of 2014, the number was 767, a 41 percent decrease. Similarly, an ATS analysis found less than 1 percent of drivers who receive one ticket get a second citation. Both results indicate the safety camera programs are gaining drivers’ attention and influencing their behavior. To view the online report or a video of school bus stop arm violations visit: www.atscrossingguard.com.
