Church shuttle bus applications are the new “Highway Lottery” targets. The term “Highway lottery” was used in the 1980s for those who would use any excuse or opportunity to try to capitalize on the highly valued public relations image of large corporations like UPS, McDonalds, Coke and many other companies whose company logo was on the vehicles, as they were prime targets for fraud and orchestrated auto accidents seeking that pre-court payoff to keep their highly valued company name out of the news in any negative way.
Since 1987, I have been providing Fleet Vehicle Risk Management solutions to fleets in the heavy-duty trucking markets, providing telemetric data recording devices that permit management to document and verify that their drivers are acting in a professional manor, that passenger activities are recorded via an expert digital witness in case of incidents or accidents that warrant later review by management.
Over 35 years, we have received many requests annually from ministries and faith-based congregations requesting church shuttle bus camera systems to assist them in managing different aspects of their church-related congregation passengers or youth activities transportation services that they provide.
There are many who seek to assault, assail, harm and discredit those doing God’s work, to tear down their image and reputation. Those who serve a higher calling are often targeted for their principles-based values, by those who do not share their principles or values and seek to impugn or mock them in public.
A tsunami of sociopathic hatred of traditional Christian values is sweeping across the world. Socio-economic implications to those who serve a higher power become targets of opportunity. While Christian churches are under siege, burned, vandalized, their members are assaulted, it is important to protect the church from the assaults while at the same time putting in place risk management mechanisms that can help deter or prosecute those who seek to target the church organizations, their vehicles and their congregation members.
The addition of Church Shuttle Bus Cameras can immediately add a much higher level of awareness to those on the bus, as well as the drivers, that their actions are now being documented, that should they act in an unwise or unlawful manor, they can be held accountable.
Anonymity can breed contempt and lawlessness in a pact mentality, which is why for the last three years, those rioting, burning, pillaging American cities have been wearing masks long after COVID, as they do not want to be held accountable for their criminal activities.
Often, the fact that there is a camera recording your actions can help you resist temptation to do stupid, reckless and potentially criminal things, as even the weak willed among us do not want to be arrested.
What can a church shuttle bus camera system do for your church-related activity vehicle?
- To manage risk, these digital recording eyewitnesses provide a sequential account of the activities or event that occurred on the vehicle when “he said, she said” disputes arise.
- Visual warning decals for daytime and glowing LEDs for nighttime to let passengers know they are being recorded, as this has been proven to deter some negative activity, when people know they can be held accountable for their actions.
- Provide mechanism to disprove false claims made: that the driver was texting while driving, that the driver was speeding, that the driver threatened anyone on the bus, that the driver had any type of inappropriate contact with any of the passengers.
- The GPS equipped systems provide the speeds the vehicle is driven in case of speeding complaints, prove the travel routes, all pickup locations and all drop off locations in case a child cannot be located.
- Help resolve arguments and physical altercations between passengers when other witnesses will not make any statements as to who did what to whom.
While there are many different vehicle camera surveillance-related products offered to the church shuttle bus market, there are a few aspects or features that may offer additional value over those that do not offer them:
- Camera Warranty of 10 years is now standard on some systems
- Lifetime System Warranty is available if desired
- Industrial Grade extended service life over Standard Grade
- Industrial Grade IP67 waterproof for high moisture areas
Here are a few suggestions on Fleet Risk Management might help avoid some problems we have seen in the past:
- The church or ministry name on the vehicle makes the vehicle a target.
- Apply multiple warning “Surveillance Decals” in the bus and on the entrance door.
- Understate your capabilities. Tell all that any issues requiring review of the video files need to be within 48 hours. Human nature leads the immoral to take advantage of situations, so by telling them 48 hours, some may wait a week and then claim some outrageous event or accusation that cannot be verified or disproved. Never let them know your full system capabilities. Under promise and over deliver.
- Never let a video clip outside the management of the church or ministry, as video clips have audio files and sometimes drivers say things that can be taken out of context and actionable. Self control is a virtue we hope all will master. In a business relationship, the customer protection is our primary concern. It is the moral obligation of the customer to manage their potentially offensive driver comments.
In closing, those who manage or operate church shuttle buses for congregation members or youth activities may find that adding a church shuttle bus camera system to their bus or fleet of buses may offer immediate accountability and peace of mind.
Neil Coppola has more than 35 years of telemetric digital & video experience. He is the president of American Bus Video, Inc., a vehicle video camera solutions provider of school bus cameras, prison bus cameras, church activity and ministry bus cameras markets, www.americanbusvideo.com.
