Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tri County/Beacon Mobility representatives describe cameras, Fleetwave and BeaconConnect in transition briefing
Summary
Tri County Transportation's transition to Beacon Mobility keeps local staff in place, the presenters said, and will add onboard cameras, Fleetwave maintenance tracking and BeaconConnect for administrators to request video and communicate with dispatch.
Representatives for Tri County Transportation and Beacon Mobility told the East Allegheny School District board on Nov. 12 that a recent ownership transition preserved local operations while adding technology meant to improve safety, oversight and communications.
A presenter said the company installed live onboard cameras that use AI to detect operator behaviors such as not wearing a seat belt or using a phone. “The cameras pick this up, give the driver an opportunity to self correct,” the presenter said, describing a coaching-and-scoring program for drivers.
The vendor said the Fleetwave system will give the district real-time maintenance history for buses and that BeaconConnect will allow administrators to request video segments and receive student-incident reports in real time. The presenter said these systems are intended both to improve safety and to resolve parental or operational questions by providing recorded evidence of stops and driver actions.
Representatives described a recent change in ownership: the seller of a local, family-run operation decided to sell to Beacon Mobility; the presenter said Tri County staff were retained and that he will remain in a regional leadership role. The seller, Fred, explained he stepped back for health and succession reasons and expects his family to remain involved in the business.
Board members asked whether the ownership change affects the district’s lease of a bus garage; the presenter said the facility is district-owned and that the vendor believed existing leases and agreements remain in order but recommended the board review lease terms with its counsel if questions remain.
The presenters requested help recruiting drivers by sharing online job posts and said new operations and training staff had been hired locally; no contract vote occurred at the meeting.
