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Board hears details on bus tracking, five new buses and camera options; exterior cameras estimated $2,000–$5,000 each
Summary
Board members reviewed the district’s transportation proposals on March 6 including continued use of the MyView vehicle-tracking system (funded in the proposed budget), a larger ZPass ridership system (not in the current budget), delivery of five new buses in May, and optional exterior traffic cameras estimated at $2,000–$5,000 per bus.
District transportation staff briefed the Isle of Wight County School Board on March 6 about routing, tracking and fleet needs, saying the current budget includes MyView vehicle tracking but does not include ZPass, a ridership tracking service that logs when students board and exit buses.
"Our buses are currently tracked with Zone R ... we're gonna continue using that resource. We're gonna expand it to MyView," a transportation staff member said, explaining that MyView tracks the asset but not individual ridership. The staff member described ZPass as the service that would add ridership data and parent notifications.
Hardware and delivery: staff reported the district expects five new buses in May: three conventional 77‑passenger buses and two special‑needs 53‑passenger buses. Members noted the need to sustain purchases over multiple years to address fleet age and reliability.
Cameras and safety: board members asked about exterior cameras to catch motorists illegally passing stopped buses. Transportation staff estimated an exterior camera add‑on at roughly $2,000 to $5,000 per bus and said the district could pilot the equipment on new buses. Staff confirmed most recent buses include interior and front‑facing cameras as part of surveillance packages.
Maintenance and engine replacements: staff described a predictable pattern of engine failures for particular engine types (V10/6.8 propane buses) and said the district has replaced multiple engines this year; they estimated losing about three engines per year in older buses and plan budgeting accordingly.
Ending: Staff will present MyView vendor representatives and a demonstration at the board’s next meeting; the board agreed to include transportation items in the rack‑and‑stack prioritization for FY26.
