LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Although automated traffic cameras have been banned in Nevada since 1999, the 2025 Legislature created an exception for cameras installed on school buses.
The idea is to photograph people who blow by when the stop signs and red lights are flashing, and, after a police officer reviews the images, send the registered owner of the vehicle a ticket in the mail.
WATCH| Steve Sebelius reports the latest on the school bus red-light camera bid controversy
The Legislature's overwhelming, bipartisan vote to approve the idea came after a company called BusPatrol — which operates automated cameras nationwide — completed a pilot project, installing cameras on buses at both ends of the state and documenting flagrant violations.
The video was compelling and persuasive. Even as two other red-light camera bills failed, the school bus bill passed and was signed into law by Gov. Joe Lombardo.
BusPatrol was one of the vendors that responded to a request for proposals from the Clark County School District to equip its 2,000 bus fleet with cameras.
But staff from the district decided instead to go with a competitor, Verra Mobility, which runs red-light cameras, speed-enforcement cameras and bus cameras across the country. (Clark County would be the largest fleet Verra has ever outfitted, however.)
The recommendation to the school district's governing Board of Trustees drew a vociferous and voluminous protest from Bus Patrol, a 29-page letter from the Las Vegas law firm Bailey Kennedy.
Among the complaints: That Verra failed to disclose suspended or canceled programs in other jurisdictions; that the company has no experience with very large fleets like Clark County's; that it failed to disclose pertinent information in its bid documents and that the staff who rated the bids were biased in favor of Verra.
The letter says if the district had adhered to competitive bid requirements in law, "...BusPatrol would have scored higher and would have been recommended for the contract."
It goes on to list Verra contracts in other cities that were delayed, suspended or canceled because of problems, including a speed zone camera program in Tampa, Florida and a contract that was not renewed in Seattle. The protest said those problems should have been disclosed in Verra's bid.
The district responded with a three-page letter, defending its decision and saying "CCSD has determined that the protest lacks merit and does not identify any material flaws in the evaluation process, scoring or award decision, which were conducted in full compliance with applicable procurement regulations and the terms of the RFP."
The district's response adds: "CCSD views the aggressive efforts to overturn a competitive award — through unsubstantiated challenges that seek less favorable revenue-sharing terms and contractual conditions for the District — as highly inappropriate."
But BusPatrol has also had issues elsewhere, including problems identified in a February audit by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, including alleged improper assessments, accepting payments after a ticket after the deadline lapsed, and the lack of process to contest citations.
The company also faced allegations of issuing tickets in areas where no agreements for ticketing had been signed in Long Island.
Verra said its lawyers are preparing a detailed response to the BusPatrol protest, but issued a statement in response to Channel 13's inquiries:
"Claims made by our competitor are without merit and appear intended to delay or undermine a procurement process whose sole purpose is to enhance student safety. For nearly three decades, Verra Mobility has earned a strong reputation for integrity, transparency, and effectiveness in smart safety technology, serving more than 300 communities worldwide. We respect and support CCSD’s comprehensive and impartial review process and remain steadfast in our commitment to partnering to improve and protect students' safety."
One of the biggest differences between the proposals is the revenue split: Verra offers the school district more revenue, with a 75%-25% split, while BusPatrol's offer was for 60%-40%. (BusPatrol claims it will issue more tickets and thus generate more revenue than the more generous Verra offer, although it's impossible to know with certainty how many tickets will be issued once the program is up and running and motorists are advised they could be photographed and ticketed.)
Another issue: Who approves the tickets? Under the law passed in 2025, a law enforcement officer must sign off before a citation is sent to a car's registered owner.
Under the law, the Clark County School District Police Department can issue those citations, but only on streets adjacent to school property, buildings or facilities.
But the district replied to an emailed question from Channel 13 saying, "CCSD has jurisdiction applicable to District functions, including the transportation of students to and from school."
The school district's board of trustees is scheduled to take the matter up at its Feb. 26 meeting. Trustees could vote to approve the contract with Verra, reject the recommendation and start anew or delay the decision.
