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Council presses administration on bus-arm camera revenue split as contract extension is considered
Summary
Commissioner Justin Booth said bus-arm cameras have reduced school-bus passing citations; council members asked how contested tickets are handled and why the vendor keeps 60% of revenue; the committee asked for detailed revenue history and quarterly reporting.
The committee reviewed a first annual extension to the school-bus arm camera contract. Justin Booth, commissioner of parking, said the program is reducing dangerous school-bus passing: "In March in '25, there was over 4,000 citations given, where in March in '26, there were 906 citations given with a 77% reduction in total citations for that month." Booth said 79,000 citations have been issued on Buffalo roadways since Oct. 1, 2024, and the city approves about 76% of those.
Council members asked how residents contest tickets and whether the city or the vendor adjudicates disputes; Booth said city staff review citations and provide a city email (btva@buffalony.gov) and an office for inquiries. Members also questioned the contract revenue split: according to Booth, the city receives 40% of each ticket and the vendor retains 60% under terms approved in the contract, which members said they planned to revisit ahead of future procurements. "Why do they get 60%?" asked a council member; Booth replied that the split was in the original contract, which accounted for vendor installation and upfront costs.
Council requested a written history of revenue paid and asked that the administration provide quarterly reports going forward. The committee sent the extension forward without recommendation pending those materials.
