The New Haven Board of Alders Finance Committee on Sept. 8 recommended the city enter a multi-year agreement with Bus Patrol America LLC to install stop‑arm camera systems on school buses to detect and process citations for drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. City staff said the vendor was selected after a competitive RFP and that the program would be implemented under the state law authorizing automated stop‑arm enforcement (Public Act 24-107) and a city ordinance amendment adding a school bus violation enforcement article to chapter 29.

Brad McDowell, Bus Patrol’s community partnerships manager, described the system’s technology and the vendor’s operating model. He said the company’s automated analysis filters footage using an AI tool (referred to in the presentation as “EVA”) and that “there are two humans at Bus Patrol to review every single tape and both of those humans have to approve and say, yes. This is a violation” before the city receives the evidence package for final review. McDowell said Bus Patrol installs and maintains cameras at no capital cost to the city and recovers its fees from citation revenue: “$2.25 per bus per month and $55 per ticket paid is what we'll take out of program revenue.”

City staff and the vendor outlined projected financial assumptions included in supporting documents: an estimated $3.96 million in vendor fees/expenses over three years and a modeled gross citation revenue projection of roughly $6.9 million over three years, based on an assumption of 10,000 citations in the first year with a 5% annual decline as compliance improves. Staff cautioned that revenue should fall over time as the program reduces violations — a desired outcome — and that the city contract protects New Haven from paying if the program runs negative. Staff also noted the city will retain ultimate discretion to accept or decline individual evidence packages before citation mailing.

Committee members asked about program details including who issues citations (the city issues them; Bus Patrol prints and mails on the city's behalf), whether citations are civil (they are civil infractions under the statute; no criminal charges or motor-vehicle points), internal cameras (internal on-bus cameras are optional and not part of the stop-arm contract authorized under state statute), maintenance response times (vendor to respond and prorate monthly fee for out‑of‑service cameras after 72 hours), hearing and appeal process (citations can be appealed to hearing officers appointed under the ordinance), and data privacy and collections options. City staff said implementation could begin in weeks after the mayor signs the contract and that installations would be phased to avoid service disruption; Bus Patrol said it typically equips spare buses to avoid coverage gaps.

Members moved the item favorably to the full board and requested follow-up reporting on citations, collection rates and early safety impacts; staff recommended a six-month and 12‑month review to assess behavior change and revenue trends.