The development of technology has made it possible to have a video surveillance system covering a broad area around the school bus, as well as on the interior of the bus. There is also an emergence of features that improve the quality of footage and keep better track of the functioning of the system. For services on school bus video surveillance system installation and maintenance, check here for first class services that will provide a solution to all your issues.

Let’s have a more detailed look at the new developments in school bus video surveillance.

High definition cameras

One of the biggest developments in surveillance systems is embracing the use of high-definition video cameras. The most common HD cameras are 720p and 1080p HD systems. Some experts say that the picture quality for both is not too different. However, 1080p cameras come in handy when there is a need for an close-up look at an incident on the bus, because it allows for zooming without loss of picture quality. The main distinguishing factor between the two is the amount of space needed to store the pictures – 1080p takes almost twice as much space as 720p. Another new trend of using IP (internet protocol) video cameras is also taking shape. IP cameras have higher resolution.

1. Hybrid systems

A closely related development to the HD camera is the hybrid system. These systems are able to record both analog and high-definition videos. There are some hybrid systems that can record about five analog and six HD cameras, or any mixture in between. It is easy to upgrade a hybrid DVR to an HD at the pace the resources of the system owner allows. The hybrid system combines the benefits of the two at an affordable cost. Analog channels can be used for shorter distances and still give reasonably quality videos. However, when it comes to the exterior of the bus, IP channels are better suited.

2. Enhanced exterior view

Having a full view of the surrounding of the bus to ensure the safety of the student is another development gaining popularity in video surveillance. Some cameras cover a 360-degree view, offering a better view around the bus by also filming blind spots that can potentially contribute to accidents. A car coming towards a stationary school bus, a person, or an animal approaching the bus will be seen in good time. There are also video camera systems which simply offer a 180-degree view – that is, a coverage of the front and the back.

3. Wireless downloading

Some surveillance system can automatically download videos through Wi-Fi which makes it unnecessary to manually get the hard drive from the bus. Once the bus returns to the yard, videos and other relevant info can be extracted from the DVR. This development has a number of advantages such as the ease of viewing the video, and the provision of access to data to the driver and other system diagnostic analysts. It also does away with the need to follow up the bus to get data.

4. Increasing interior view

The increase in height of school bus seat backs has made it difficult for video cameras to get a broad view of the bus interior. In a bid to get a remedy for the insufficient view, some school bus managements have increased cameras on the bus, fixing them in the bus interior in alternating positions. Cameras can be placed in such a way that they practically see between the seats..

5. Remote functioning status check

The operations personnel for school bus should make sure that the bus surveillance system is working well, otherwise they risk not having footage in case of an incident due to camera malfunction. To avoid having such situations, surveillance systems provide remote check-ups through software programs. This system saves time and makes routine physical surveillance maintenance checks by the bus operating crew obsolete.

6. Software improvement and integration

Other new features that are being routinely added to surveillance systems are extra software assistance and management related functions. In addition, there has been the integration of surveillance systems with other innovations like GPS and student monitoring system. The integration is aimed at helping school transportation personnel make wise decisions, respond appropriately to parents’ queries, and scrutinize incidents.