Report: Student Safety, Security Concerns Driving Bus Telematic Industry

Increasing concerns over the safety and security of students, rising fuel prices, increasing overhead expenditures, and other operational issues have made the incorporation of school bus telematics systems indispensable. In fact, the telematics market is primed for growth between 2008 and 2014.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan , North American School Bus Telematics Market, finds that the market earned revenues of over $25.9 million in 2007 and estimates this to reach $109.8 million in 2014.

Currently, telematics technologies under development aim to facilitate student/driver monitoring and tracking, vehicle inspections, guideline compliance, geofencing, back-office automation, vehicle performance monitoring, maintenance scheduling, remote diagnostics, prognostics, communications, mobile resource management, and integration through web- and telecommunication-based applications.

“The North American school bus telematics market aims to increase market penetration by developing innovative and cost-effective telematics solutions that meet the unique safety, security and mobile resource management needs of the school districts and fleets,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Neelu Singh. “Increasing awareness and better understanding of the productivity and security benefits offered by school bus telematics are expected to stimulate the market's growth.”

Furthermore, several technologies built upon biometrics, RFID, video surveillance, and other enabling technologies, such as wireless LAN, that support real-time high-bandwidth data transfer mechanisms necessary for student and driver monitoring/tracking are being developed. The commercialization of these technologies and services will enhance the applicability of school bus telematics as well as bring in the next wave of adoption.

“Market participants are focusing on offering cost-effective knowledge management solutions that are scalable and designed for the unique operating conditions of the pupil transportation industry,” Singh said. “These trends indicate that the North American market for school bus telematics systems is now on the verge of rapid growth.”

However, market adoption is prohibited by school districts’ budgetary restrictions coupled with the up-front and lifecycle costs of integrating a school bus fleet. Since school buses normally operate within fixed zones, more affordable substitute technologies, such as cellular phones, are used to maintain contact with drivers.

“The current situation demands concerted efforts by all industry stakeholders to develop standardized technology platforms that can generate innovative and cost-effective telematics solutions,” Singh said. “Market participants should develop scalable hardware systems and solutions that leverage multi-modal communication network technologies for low-cost high-bandwidth data transfer -- a key requirement in the school bus telematics market.”

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities