P.E.I. school bus cameras effectiveness questioned

Officials with the P.E.I. Department of Transportation and the English Language School Board have questioned the effectiveness of the exterior cameras on school buses, CBC News has learned through a Freedom of Information request.

The cameras were installed by the Department of Transportationin 2011 and were to be used as a tool to nab offenders passing buses when red lights are flashing. The idea was to get pictures of the licence plates.

The topicof schoolbus camerascame up again recently when Jamie Doucette'sfathershot avideo of cars passing his granddaughter's busstopped on Highway 2 in Brookfield.

Doucette read about theprojectthat installedcameras on at least 10 school buses in 2011. Shewantedto know what happened.

"Where are these buses?" saidDoucette. "Do these buses exist on P.E.I.?"

Traffic speeds past school bus (Submitted by Claude McNeill)

9 years ago

Duration 0:28

Video shows traffic zipping past a stopped school bus in Brookfield, P.E.I.

Released emailsshow problems

Emails received by CBC News through anaccess to information request show officials questioned the effectiveness of the cameras installed on the buses several times through 2013 and 2014.

There needs to be something done ASAP. This is getting worse not better. frustrated school bus driver

In a February2013emailJohn Cummings, the director of corporate services with the English Language SchoolBoard wrote,"We haven't had a lot of success with the cameras. The issue seems to be getting a clear shot of the plate."

That email was senta year-and-a-halfafter the cameras were installed.

Cummings also wrote in that email that he checked with the former Western School Boardand was told when video evidence of a driver passing a buswas submitted to the SummersidePolicenoaction was taken against the driver.

Camera companysenttechnician to tackle problems

In May 2013CatherineMacKinnon,the English Language School Board'scoordinator of transportation,emailedthat a technician from the camera manufacturer was coming P.E.I. to get to the bottom of the issue withpoorvideo image quality.

Licence plates cannot be read, driver characteristics can't be identified. Bruce MacMillan, government garagebus supervisor

Initially, the outcome of the visit sounded positive. The bus supervisor at the government garage, Bruce MacMillan, wrote that new information and insight into the technology had been gained.

But by October2013, a schoolbus driver wrote an email to the board frustrated that charges weren't laidin an incident that had just happened.

"I lost the chance to have someone clearly convicted for going through my red lights," wrotethe driver. He suggestedthat wasbecause the cameras weren't aimed properly.

"I had two different people go through today. There needs to be something done ASAP. This is getting worse not better. I apologize if I sound angry but I don't want to be that driver that one of my students gets seriously injured or killed because no one is taking a proactive approach," he wrote.

In a response to the driver,MacKinnonwrotethe board is"currently working with the company on resolving these issues."

Poor image quality remained aconcern in 2014

The emailsshowimage quality remaineda concern byMarch 2014.The bus supervisor at the government garagewrotehedidnot feel the camera system wasuseful for convicting offenders passing school buses.

"We do not feel it would be of use to enforce traffic violations. Licence plates cannot be read, driver characteristicscan't be identified," wroteBruceMacMillan.

In the emailsCBC obtained, spanning2011 to 2014, there is no suggestionthe camerasled to any fines.

CBC learned last week there have been five fines in the last threeyears handed out to drivers for passing school buses illegally, but the Department of Transportationsays itcannotconfirm if any of these involved evidence fromschool buscameras. The school board declined to speak to CBC News about thisstory.

'Five charges in three years probably aren'ta lot'

"Five charges in three years probably aren'ta lot," said Doug MacEwen, the highway safety coordinator with Transportation.

Hetold CBC Newsthis week that most of the cameras are still in use. MacEwensaid there are about the same number of camerasnow, but some of the software is not functioning.

"The technology is probably outdated at this time," said MacEwen.

"It probably needs to be renewed, and get something that will create a more clearer, vivid image."

Despite concerns over the cameras, MacEwen defended the overall safety record.

"The school bus cameras have been reasonably effective for what they're intended to do," said MacEwen.

"Sometimes all it takes is the idea that a camera is there."

MacEwen said the Department of Transportation is considering buying new, more up-to-date cameras for school buses, but said that decision is pending.

The camera companydeclined to do an interview.