TYLER (KYTX) - Sharp turns, slamming breaks and rolling stops aren't slipping under the radar anymore for City of Tyler drivers. The city is officially using a program called DriveCam to record what happens when city vehicles are on the road. CBS 19's Amanda Roberson explains how these cameras have already been monitoring some drivers.
Tyler Transit and Tyler Waste just ended a six-month trial period using the cameras to record what happens in front of the vehicle and behind the wheel. Now, city leaders are committing to a DriveCam annual subscription and adding water and utilities to the program. The city said the cameras aren't meant to act as "big brother" but a tool to reduce risky driving.
A video showing a car pulling out into oncoming traffic and a city bus helped Tyler City Council decide Wednesday to add DriveCam to it's city fleet. The cameras provide video proof of what happens in accidents. In this case, proving a bus driver's innocence.
"I just took it like they say as a tool," said Tyler Transit driver Stevie Tave. "It's something they needed to help them do better for us so I just kind of think of it like that."
Tave said he was nervous when DriveCam was added to his bus in January, but not anymore. "Now I go on like it's not there."
Tyler Transit Director Barbara Holly said DriveCam records everything going on from wrecks to reckless driving. Just being there keeps drivers from taking chances on the road.
"If you corner too fast, you break too fast, you take off too fast, any of those kinds of events would automatically, the camera's running but it would do multiple seconds before and multIple seconds after so you can see what led up to it," Holly explained.
Between Tyler Transit and Solid Waste alone, the city said they're already seeing positive results. There was a 65% improvement, or reduction in recorded risky events, in just the past six months.
"When you can council a driver that is doing behaviors that are risky, then you can avoid the eventual accident if you can get them to stop it," Holly added.
Tave said he's not worried about risky driving but knows the cameras can come in handy. "Gives our supervisors a chance to see the activities going on inside the bus and outside the bus when there are questionable situations."
But safety comes at a price. It cost the city more $76,412.52 for the DriveCam hardware, installation, and training and $49, 618 for a yearly subscription to keep those recorders active. That adds up to $126,030.52 spent on the program but the city said it's worth it for safer roads.
Department directors get a report every week on their drivers behavior. Holly said this past week none of the Tyler Transit drivers did anything wrong and said there will be some sort of award and incentive program added soon.
Besides safer roads the city said they're fleet is becoming more fuel efficient because drivers are making less abrupt starts and stops. City busses only get between five and seven miles to the gallon. The city said anything to help fuel go further is a good thing.
