LPSS wants to provide live streaming video of school buses to staff

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – The Lafayette Parish School System wants to be able to livestream video captured on school buses.

On Wednesday, the Lafayette Parish School Board will be asked to vote on a request to begin the search for contractors. LPSS bus driver, Tony Livings says he supports the idea. "It protects the bus driver and protects the individuals on the bus," Livings explained.

The parish school district already has cameras on its school buses. The ‘School Bus Cellular Video Live Streaming’ request for proposal (RFP) merely allows the school district to solicit bids for a qualified contractor. "They won't have to wait a couple of days to send an individual out to retrieve the card. They can go directly to an event whether it's an accident, complaint against a student or complaint against the bus driver. I think it's a great thing," Livings added.

The school district explains that staff will be able to access the livestream video from their office. Staff will be able to track where a school bus has been, identify and respond to incidents quicker and see if drivers are making their stops. "Sometimes a parent, the principal or the school itself is looking for when a student got on a bus or got off at their bus stop. This could help to verify and it protects the bus driver on whether the kid or didn't," Livings stated.

The period of any contract resulting from this RFP is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about September 15, 2022 through June 30, 2023. According to the item introduction: The Lafayette Parish school board (LPSB) is seeking proposals for the procurement, installation and maintenance of management software to retrieve live video from school buses wirelessly anytime, even when buses have been powered down.

The proposal doesn't say anything about allowing access to parents.