WACO, Texas — Waco ISD is upgrading all 79 of their buses with eight 360-degree cameras, five in the interior and three on the exterior. This is a $200,000 project that the district says was critical for the safety and security of students and staff. This adds an extra layer of protection so parent's minds can be at ease for the upcoming school year.
BROADCAST SCRIPT
There's something new happening at Waco Independent School District, and it's all on camera.
“We are installing a new camera system with 24-7 securities that is going to outfit our buses with eight total cameras. Three will be on the exterior and five will be on the interior,” said Dr. Ricky Edison, Director of Transportation for Waco ISD.
For the 2024 school year, these Waco ISD school buses will be equipped with these cameras, being able to record everything with 360 degree technology, not missing a thing.
“We get all angles and also having the cameras on the outside of the bus, that’s the most important thing,” said Monique Brock, Assistant Director of Transportation for Waco ISD.
So why is this an important upgrade? According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2023, more than 2,500 crashes involved state school buses where 11 were killed and 63 were injured. Drivers not paying attention and speed were the two main factors to blame.
The goal with these cameras is to cut down on those crashes for the well-being of students and everyone else involved.
“When there’s one driver and 70-something passengers behind that one driver, it becomes a little more difficult. It’s hard to know everything that each child is doing, student management is one of the things we struggle with,” said Brock.
Monique Brock tells me she's has concerns as a mother and professional.
“We have everything from behavioral issues, fights, bullying towards students and the driver, just a number of different things along those lines,” said Brock.
But with this new camera system,
“We’ll be able to pin-point exactly what occurred, and how to take the proper actions against whatever took place,” concluded Brock.
