11 Investigates: Drivers fight tickets in court they say were wrongly issued by school bus cameras

PITTSBURGH — 11 Investigates is pushing for answers about the school bus safety technology that is doling out $300 tickets to anyone who passes a Pittsburgh Public Schools bus with lights flashing and the stop arm out.

>> 11 Investigates viewer complaints about school bus cameras wrongly ticketing people

The problem is that dozens of our viewers say they’re getting these tickets in error because the artificial intelligence on the buses isn’t without flaws.

11 Investigates went to a local magistrate to hear some of the cases and talk to drivers who came to fight the citations.

The hearings were delayed Tuesday morning because the Pittsburgh Public Schools District Police, who issued the tickets, were stuck at another magistrate hearing from folks fighting their tickets in front of another judge.

Connie Trama was in tears after fighting her $300 school bus camera ticket in court and losing.

>>> 11 Investigates digs into people wrongfully ticketed by automated cameras on school buses

“I feel totally taken,” Trama said. “It’s disgusting what they’re doing.”

She testified that the bus only had its four-ways on and the bus was parked right at the bend of California Avenue, in a place she couldn’t see until she made the turn.

Her $300 ticket became $410 because of the court fees she had to pay to fight the ticket in front of a magistrate. She says she’s living paycheck to paycheck and this is a huge blow before Christmas.

Craig Lawhead won his case, which showed that he was already passing the bus when the stop arm came out.

“I work in a school, we practice the bus drills. I’m in communication with the bus drivers, the school police, everything,” Lawhead said.

11 Investigates exposed that the Pittsburgh Public Schools district and school police are getting a cut of every $300 ticket. PPS has refused to tell us what percentage they get from each ticket. They also won’t answer how many of these school bus tickets have been issued.

Lawhead noted the school bus fine is a hefty one, equivalent to a first-time DUI fine, which is also $300.

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