Cameras installed to prevent illegal school bus passing

At the April 21 Madison County School Board Meeting, Superintendent Doug Brown announced cameras would soon be installed on, both the outside and inside, of 22 Madison School District buses. Originally, Madison received government funding through the FDOE designated for the purchase and installation of surveillance cameras at Madison County High School. However, due to the district's current construction project, plans have already been made for a surveillance system. Therefore, the district applied for an amendment to the grant funding, asking that it be designated for school bus cameras. The amendment was approved and cameras have already been installed on half of the allotted buses and; according to Supervisor of Transportation, Ivan Johnson; the rest will be installed within the week. The outside cameras will allow the district to record cars that illegally pass stopped buses on the left hand side. Tag information, make and model of passing vehicles will be recorded and reported to officials in order for proper prosecution. In addition, there will be a camera installed on the windshield in order to see oncoming traffic and peripheral angles. Cameras are also located inside the vehicle.