The United States Department of Transportation has awarded funding to HAAS Alert to develop technology capable of securing safe passage when crossing a roadway to board a school bus. The funding will enable HAAS Alert to enhance student and rider safety using optical and CV2X digital alerting technology connecting school buses to the vehicle grid for collision prevention.

The award represents HAAS Alert’s first official venture into school bus safety, expanding its already-formidable presence in the public safety sector. The company’s Safety Cloud® technology, which is currently used by over 350 agencies nationwide, has delivered over a billion digital alerts to drivers alerting them of upcoming emergency vehicles and personnel. These alerts help lower the chances of a collision up to 90% by giving motorists more time to slow down and move over.

In addition to HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) digital alerting and automotive capabilities, the project will incorporate illumination technology integrations from HiVizLED Lighting, school bus solutions from United Safety & Survivability, and transportation research firm KLS Engineering.These partnerships position HAAS Alert to design a unique and effective technology for school bus safety by convening subject matter experts to develop a comprehensive solution.

“In addition to enhancing the regular alerts that drivers rely on to avoid preventable collisions, motorists need better tools to see and avoid children waiting on and boarding school busses,” says Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert. “There need to be more effective solutions for illumination and driver notification, and we are eager to get to work designing a truly effective solution.”

Katrina Morris, the Immediate-Past President of the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, a board member on the NW Michigan Transportation Consortium, and Transportation Director for West Shore Educational School District covering Mason County Eastern Schools will also be working with the team on testing and piloting. “Working with the team selected for this DOT project is an exciting opportunity," said Morris. "I'm especially excited about the team's current traction in other fleets and their dedication for bringing not only connected vehicle technology to the pupil transportation industry, but doing it in a way which makes the solution affordable, available today at mass coverage, and without requiring complex integrations.” 

Hohs says accessibility will be a key requirement for HAAS Alert’s efforts related to this award. The company’s goal for the project is to ensure its solutions are accessible, affordable, and functional for communities everywhere, from rural Montana to downtown Chicago, just like HAAS Alert's Safety Cloud service. The company believes that nobody should be priced out of safety, and is committed to ensuring the technology is affordable for both larger school bus manufacturers and small businesses.

This is not HAAS Alert’s first federal project in the United States; the company has also done work with DHS, DOD, and NHTSA. Hohs says that HAAS Alert’s federal engagements have helped to establish digital alerting as a new standard for safety both in and outside of government.

“At the end of the day, we see ourselves as a safety company, rather than a tech company. We believe in solving real-world transportation problems today, rather than designing costly prototypes for some distant future.  The Department of Transportation has given us this unprecedented opportunity to bring safety to the most urban and most rural communities around the country. We love that our nation’s DOT is focused on this important safety issue, and we know we’re the perfect company to get the job done.”

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