Harrison County School District launches new bus safety features ahead of school year
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- As students get ready to head back to class, Harrison County schools are focused on getting them there safely.
The district is adding new safety features to its buses ahead of the new school year.
Harrison County Bus Driver Tina Cook said, “I remember when I was that anxious parents worrying about my child, and now that I’m a bus driver, I know that there was not anything to worry about because your child may be on the wrong bus or something like that, but we’re always going to make sure that we get them home safe to their parents.”
A new app called ‘Stop Finder’ will now let parents track their kids’ school bus. Transportation officials say the goal is to keep parents informed and give them more peace of mind. Harrison County School District Transportation Director Tad Shaw said, “For example, parents can set geofences around their child’s school, so whenever they actually enter the school, they’ll know their child’s bus is there, or when they leave.”
For drivers who don’t follow the rules of the road, the district says their technology will help hold them accountable. Harrison County School District Director of Security and Compliance Jason King said, “So we do have exterior cameras on the bus that do capture a vehicle that would pass a stopped school bus, and it collects the tag number. And even though the driver may not be stopped right there, we do have the ability to pursue charges against the individual who is operating that vehicle through the camera, running the tag, and working with our local law enforcement partners.”
The start of a new school year can be a busy and stressful time for parents, students, and faculty, but district officials say keeping students safe is a shared responsibility. “We do ask that motorists and people be aware that kids are going to be getting on and off the bus. We ask that they obey the law, stop 10 feet from the bus and look out for the kids. That’s the most important thing.”
