Skip to main content

Redflex acquires Smart Bus

Redflex Traffic Systems has acquired SBL Investments, and Americore Enterprises, leading providers of automated school bus arm photo enforcement in the United States. SBL and Americore offer the Smart Bus system, a dedicated on‐bus photo enforcement system intended to ‘Protect Our Most Precious Cargo, our children’. The acquisition positions Redflex as a leading provider of school bus safety photo enforcement technology at a time when more and more school districts are using the technology to deter reckless
May 21, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
112 Redflex Traffic Systems has acquired SBL Investments, and Americore Enterprises, leading providers of automated school bus arm photo enforcement in the United States. SBL and Americore offer the Smart Bus system, a dedicated on‐bus photo enforcement system intended to ‘Protect Our Most Precious Cargo, our children’. The acquisition positions Redflex as a leading provider of school bus safety photo enforcement technology at a time when more and more school districts are using the technology to deter reckless drivers who ignore school bus safety laws and put children at risk.

The transaction is valued at US$4.5 million initially with further payments over four years subject to meeting financial performance measures.

SBL and Americore will continue to operate as separate entities with Redflex as sole owner. Smart Bus President and CEO Tom O’Connor will be retained as president of Redflex’s school bus arm operations and the senior leadership and staffs of the two companies will remain in their current positions. Redflex plans to merge the Smart Bus system with its Redflex Student Guardian school bus arm photo enforcement system which was recently introduced.

“The acquisition of Smart Bus further solidifies our position as a leader in photo enforcement globally, and expands the opportunity to provide products and services into this emerging market” said Graham Davie, CEO, Redflex Holdings. “We are pleased that Tom has agreed to lead our North American school bus arm enforcement operations and that his leadership and staff will remain in place. They have strong knowledge of the industry and a track record of success.”

The Smart Bus system is currently being deployed by school districts in several states across the US, but opportunities exist in many other communities to expand the use of the school bus arm enforcement technology and introduce the use of other Redflex products, including intersection, speed and rail safety cameras. Ten states currently allow the use of school bus arm enforcement technology and at least ten others are considering legislation which would authorise its use.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US economic stimulus package highlights ITS technology
    July 17, 2012
    US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood talks to ITS International about economic stimulus funding and the absolute need to maintain and increase the use of technology in transportation. Of the total of $787 billion of funding announced under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the economic stimulus package which was signed into law by US President Barack Obama on 17 February 2009, $48.1 billion will go to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). Of that, $27.5 billion is for highway in
  • Georgia implements school bus safety cameras
    January 24, 2014
    Several school buses in Clarke County School District, Georgia have been fitted with camera systems that will provide visual evidence of motorists who violate the flashing red lights and stop arms of school buses as children embark and disembark. The school bus stop-arm system utilises a series of six camera mounted on the bus to catch violators from several angles. When the stop arm is deployed, the cameras detect vehicles illegally passing in either direction and captures video of the violation and sti
  • Improve and increase mass transit systems to minimise congestion
    January 24, 2012
    Rather looking to solve congestion by spreading the load, perhaps we need to look at concentrating it. Michael L. Sena writes. We humans were made to walk and run at embarrassingly slow speeds by comparison with other, more fleet-footed organisms. The sea is not our natural habitat and we were definitely not designed to fly unaided. Nevertheless, humankind has evolved a method of living during the past century that is dependent on transporting its members over very long distances during relatively short per
  • Infrastructure funding and road user charging – debate continues
    February 1, 2012
    Jack Opiola provides an overview of the ongoing debate over US infrastructure funding and the progress – or lack of it – towards vehicles miles travelled road user charging. The future funding of transportation and mobility infrastructure is attracting increased attention. There has been sharp debate in the US, where landmark reports from the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission and the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission both stated that the cu