Security cameras will be installed on 25 Lafayette Parish School System school buses during the upcoming school year at a price of $63,562. The Lafayette Parish School Board has given Angel Trax the go ahead to install security cameras on 25 school buses during the upcoming school year, a measure designed to increase student safety and potentially save money by eliminating the need for some school bus attendants.
The Advocate reports that the contract with Angel Trax is valued at $63,562 and includes labor and installation as well as wireless capability for video downloading:
While the school system has used cameras on buses previously, the older systems were inconvenient for review, said Bill Samec, district transportation director.
The new systems have wireless capabilities and the long-term plan is for school administrators to be able to wirelessly download video from the vehicles, he said.
"We're going to pilot these in board-owned buses and if they work, then we'll see how we're going to go forward throughout the fleet," Samec said.
The bus fleet includes 289 buses; about 100 of those are owned by contract drivers, Samec said.
The surveillance systems will replace about 30 bus attendants assigned to buses to monitor discipline issues, Samec said.
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