The Broward County School Board has unanimously approved a new school bus camera enforcement program designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses while students are getting on or off.
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District officials say the initiative is primarily about student safety, but the program is also expected to generate significant revenue for budget-challenged Broward schools.
Under the agreement approved Tuesday, cameras will be installed on approximately 1,000 school buses. Drivers caught violating Florida’s school bus stop-arm law will receive a $225 citation.
Of that amount, Broward County Public Schools will receive $85 per citation, while BusPatrol, the company operating the program, will receive $140.
School district officials estimate the program could generate between $8 million and $12 million annually.
Some board members questioned whether the district should receive a larger share of the revenue.
“The part that I have a hard time selling to my neighbor is that we’re giving up 70% of the money to a vendor,” School Board member Allen Zeman said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Superintendent Howard Hepburn defended the arrangement, noting the district will not pay upfront costs for the cameras, installation or maintenance.
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Under state law, the district’s share of the revenue must be used for student transportation, school safety initiatives and school bus driver recruitment and retention efforts.
School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi said the additional revenue could help relieve pressure on the district’s budget.
“I think it costs about $15 million to deliver a 1% raise, so $8 to $12 million moves us in the right direction,” Leonardi said.
The vote comes as Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues operating a similar program. Last year, however, Miami-Dade temporarily suspended enforcement after some drivers complained they had received citations in error.
Hepburn said Broward has reviewed those concerns and noted drivers who believe they were wrongly cited will have the opportunity to appeal.
District officials expect the cameras to be installed and operational by the start of the upcoming school year.
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