Making Sure All The Kids Are Safe On, and Get Off The Bus

Problem A: On occasion bus drivers fail to insure that all children are off the bus following drop-offs, and students are left on the bus in adverse weather conditions and unsupervised. Children forgotten on the bus have been found later upset, ill, and on rare sad occasions, dead.

Problem B: On occasion interior heat indexes reach levels considered by the CDC to be a "danger" (105-130F) and "extreme danger" (130F and above), where, respectivly, heat stroke is likely, and imminent. This can cause serious health risks, and these conditions must be recorded and protected against.

Problem C: Many school districts desire to have GPS systems installed for bus tracking and student safety in case of emergency. Such systems by themselves are expensive.

Problem D: Many school districts desire to have a video record of bus transportation for security, safety, and to insure driver performance and student discipline. These systems are also expensive.

Solution: Install a loud buzzer at the back of the bus with a relay and off/reset switch. When power to the motor is cut, the buzzer goes off, and the driver must physically go to the rear of the bus to press a button that stops and resets the buzzer. This will insure the bus driver walks the length of the bus twice, once in each direction.
This system will not be unlike other systems available, and possibly can incorporate them into their design or function.
In addition to this student alarm, in the alarm unit there would be an inexpensive GPS system, a camera relay with recording storage and transmission ability, and a heat index alarm to insure that excessive heat occurances are recorded, monitored, and provisions for student and driver safety and heat mitigation are taken.

Cost and installation do not entail great cost, and this will not change how drivers who are doing their job properly do that job. It will, however, make forgetful or lazy drivers actually have to walk to the rear of the bus and back any time they turn their motor off. To insure against tampering, in addition to current safegards, the bus will be able to "communicate" with the district or company in charge with GPS location, bus status, and other safgety related information, and also have the ability to dial 911 itself with a pre-programed message and a communication relay via the onboard communication device/radio system/cel phone system.

This posting serves as copyright and the first step in the patent process. I intend to market this idea, which I will call "ClearBus" or "BusClear". The alarm buzzer can actually use the existing emergency door exit buzzer and follow that wiring harness. It could also be tied to the flashing light on top of the bus, not allowing it to go off when the bus shuts down unless the switch is tripped, so if anyone sees a blinking school bus with no driver and locked doors, they know it is an unchecked bus.

Incident example 1. A driver finishes their moring run, and turns the bus off. If they forget to check the bus, or if they have tampered with the device, a "signal" message is sent to the transportation director with a message that the bus has been shut off and not checked. The information the director gets will also include a GPS location and allow a enhanced "cel-phone" realtime view into the bus. The director can then listen in to the bus, and speak directly to the bus, or anyone on it thru the intercom feature.

Incident example 2: It is 97F degrees and rains, and the bus is very, very hot. If the heat index alarm reads a heat index above a pre-set level for a set ampount of time, say a heat index of 118 for 10 mins or 130 for 5, an alarm sounds to the driver warning of excessive heat. The director gets a message from the bus and the system automatically links to the bus, and the aforementioned "view, location, and ability to communicate" of the bus is know to dispatch or the director. The district or company then has supervisory control of the situation. If conditions do not cool above a safe level, the bus counts down to a shut off and/or police are notified. This prevents transportation when conditions are too excessive, yet gives the driver time to find relief, and follow procedures as described in curiculm of the NHTSA for dealing with excessive heat emergencies.

Incident example 3: There is a fight or other emergency on the bus, and the driver needs assistance right away. A hands free system connects to dispatch or the transportation director, and if needed police or rescue services. GPS location, video monitoring and two way communication are available in real time, and a complete record is available of the incident.

Further, if a driver goes off route in some unjustified manner, this can be monitored, as well as unauthorized or illegal use of the bus, student discipline events, adherence to routes, and compliance with engine shut down for emissions compliance.

This would be like taking an "OnStar" type system, a "check the bus" alarm, a heat monitor, a security system, and emergency communication system and mixing them all into one unit, which would allow the benefits of all these features at a fraction of the collective cost of any few together. It would allow for immediate response top emergencies, and cut down response time for emergencies and police issues.

Let's look at this... there are cheap cel-phones with GPS and real time video transmission abilities, so we just hook a durable 12 volt battery back up system to that, include a two way intercom by-pass, a secondary calling protocol to 911/police, connect to horns and flashing lights already on the bus, and add a temperature, heat index alarm. Data storage can be as simple as a 512mb or 1gb camera style memory card, and can be downloaded if required to a main computer, which tracks interior events and conditions, and can relay mechanical information of the bus as an option, heading off breakdowns and other issues. All these systems combined would greatly reduce the total package cost, and provide second to none real time monitoring, safety, supervision, and emergency response abilities to any fleet it serves.

LEGAL NOTICE: For the purpose of patent application: Currently all systems such as video monitoring and recording of visual or sound events on buses, GPS or locating services or devices, communications, one or two way, hands free, intercom or by device, heat or heat index recording or alarms, or emergency call devices are seperate units, including alarms designed to make a driver walk the bus. The type of system I propose is one that uses and incorporates these systems, if they are pre-existing, factory or after market installed, or come as features on a comprehensive unit, or a unit that uses those systems as part of its system, and uses internal or pre-existing or factory installed features like lights, alarms, horns, or other incorporated devices, to make a unit that uses those systems or provides them itself, and comes as a base unit with these functions with the general idea of housing or tying them into one complete system.

Example 1. Bus has "walk the bus" alarm and radio, so adds GPS, heat/environmental alarm, and video monitoring recording.

Example 2. Bus has radio and GPS system, but no video recorder, heat alarm and "walk the bus" alarm.

Example 3. Bus has radio, but nothing else. System ties them in and provides emergecny response system, heat alarm, GPS/locator, and video recorder/monitor.

In new buses, the whole system can be installed to provide these functions, and in buses already in service can provide all services listed. In this manner, the bus can be "observed" or "call out" in the event of any danger or potentially dangerous situation. If it is too hot on the bus, the alarm will notify the driver and bus transportation director and dispatcher, and if nothing is done, can contact the police. Police or fire rescue services can respond quickly in the event of an emergency. An "OnStar" type system can even be incorporated to monitor the engine in real time.

The last idea up for patent application are louvers/wind deflectors that can be placed outside of windows on school buses to direct the flow of air into the bus, and aim it more downward. This extra airflow would have great effect of the cooling of the interior of buses and comfort and health safety of children when it is hot, which is more than not in Florida and other Southern locations. It can be made out of aluminium, stainless steel, plastic, or other composite material and be similar to a rain/wind shield, only reversed, drawing air in instead of keeping it out.