Vandalism, abusive behavior and bullying occur more often than we would like on school transport vehicles. Given the potential liabilities resulting from altercations between students, and even staff and students, along with questions concerning driver safety, it is now fairly common to see video surveillance systems on board school buses.

These systems do an excellent job of documenting activities but do little to offer additional benefits. Newer technology can deliver the needed evidence along with ability to provide rapid responses to incidents and dramatically decrease total cost of ownership.

Schools upgrading existing systems or starting from scratch should consider cellular capable, mobile digital video recorders such as the DVRM6 from Supercircuits. With advanced mobile DVRs like the {{widget type=”catalog/product_widget_link” anchor_text=”DVRM6W Remote Viewable 4 Channel Mobile DVR” template=”catalog/product/widget/link/link_inline.phtml” id_path=”product/5004, schools can experience significant additional benefits over traditional recorders:

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1. Automatic Duress or Tamper Notification

Staff have a lot to manage when transporting students. If an incident occurs that requires their immediate attention, notifying others can be a secondary priority. Equipped with a common cellular air card, modern digital video recorders can be enabled to blast SMS text and emails with still images attached, to immediately announce that something has occurred.

To trigger a notification, discreet duress switches can be easily wired into the bus. Additionally, the DVRM6 can be set up to notify supervisory staff when recording equipment is being tampered with.

2. Real-Time Tracking

Schools using traditional recording systems that want to add GPS tracking capabilities are required to purchase and maintain an additional piece of equipment. Units like the DVRM6 have a built-in GPS receiver which embeds the location onto the recorded video and simultaneously allows supervisory staff to monitor the bus location in real-time.

3. Live Observation and Listening

Once notified of an event, supervisory staff can log into the buses surveillance system and watch up to four cameras live and hear audio from up to two sources. In addition, in order to gain a better perspective on events, previously recorded footage can be remotely played.

4. Intervention

While monitoring scenes remotely, should events call for immediate assistance by authorities, supervisory staff can remotely provide levels of intervention until help arrives. For instance, the DVRM6 provides two-way audio allowing supervisors to issue verbal commands in an effort to quell disturbances or instructions to students and staff to help render aid.

Additionally, the DVRM6 is equipped with trigger outputs which can be connected to a wide variety of electronics including fuel pumps, horns, lights and doors.

5. Labor Savings

Using either a cellular service or Wi-Fi, buses with the DVRM6 equipped do not require personnel to manually retrieve recorded footage. As buses return from their routes, files can be automatically uploaded to a designated server. This elimination of effort will save schools a tremendous amount of money over the course of a school year. And, with no hands physically touching the footage, questions about authenticity are removed.

If video technology such as the {{widget type=”catalog/product_widget_link” anchor_text=”DVRM6W mobile solution” template=”catalog/product/widget/link/link_inline.phtml” id_path=”product/5004 is of interest for your school, please feel free to contact the Supercircuits Government Sales Team who would be happy to provide live demonstrations of the DVRM6W so that you can see it in action first-hand.