School Bus Dashcam and Cameras: What Schools Should Know
Last checked: 3 October 2026. Our own product, so read with that in mind. My School Ride is a product of Satcop India Pvt. Ltd, the company behind this website. We show where each fact comes from. How we compare
Quick answer
A school bus dashcam looks at the road. Cabin cameras look inside the bus. Many schools want both, because video helps after an incident and can put a driver or child at ease. In Maharashtra, the Gazette of 16 July 2026 asks school buses, education institution buses and school vans to carry CCTV or video surveillance as part of a Digital Safety Monitoring System (rule 10A), with a camera feed available to parents through a mobile app. The Gazette does not say whether a dashcam counts as CCTV. Ask your RTO before you rely on one.
My School Ride offers optional 4G cameras and dashcams, as described on the Satcop India website. We do not say they meet the Maharashtra rules by themselves.
Dashcam, dome camera or multi-camera kit?
| Type | What it looks at | What the Satcop India website says |
|---|---|---|
| Dashcam | The road ahead | "Wide-angle dashcams" and "Dashcam — road-facing HD" |
| Dome camera | The inside of the bus | "4G dome cameras with IR LEDs for night vision", interior coverage |
| Multi-camera kit | The cabin and the outside of the bus | "Multi-cam — cabin & exterior" |
| Driver monitoring | The driver | Optional driver monitoring systems (DMS) |
Ask which of these a quote includes. A dashcam alone does not show what happens inside the bus.
What the Maharashtra rules say about cameras
The Gazette of 16 July 2026 changes the school bus rules. In simple words, for cameras:
- The Digital Safety Monitoring System must include a closed-circuit television or video surveillance system (rule 10A(2)(c)).
- A feed of the CCTV footage should be made available to parents through a mobile app, and when required to RTO officials, the education department or the police (rule 10A(2)(f)).
- The Gazette also has a rule on who keeps a backup of the footage. Read rule 10A in the source below for the exact words.
- Vehicles must comply within three months from Gazette publication (16 July 2026). We do not give a calendar date. Ask your RTO about the date that applies to you.
The Gazette does not say whether a dashcam counts as CCTV, how many cameras a bus needs, or what storage to use. Please ask the Transport Department or your RTO.
What My School Ride offers
As described on the Satcop India website, My School Ride pairs GPS tracking with video. These points are as shown on the site. Some depend on your school package and are confirmed at a demo.
- Cameras: optional 4G cameras and dashcams. Interior dome cameras with night vision, wide-angle dashcams, optional driver monitoring and two-way audio.
- Live feed: an optional 4G live camera feed where enabled, for authorised staff and, where enabled, parents. The site says the live feed, any fee and some alerts depend on the school package and are confirmed on demo.
- Storage: cloud and/or on-device recording, with footage retained for authorised access only.
- Alerts and review: the site mentions automated alerts for speeding, unauthorised stops and route deviations, and marked footage for incidents.
- GPS and video together: the site describes video context tied to the vehicle's location, and says cameras are often paired with school bus tracking for inside and outside safety.
We do not claim that any of this makes a bus compliant with the Maharashtra rules. Ask us for the camera details and check each rule point with your RTO.
Price: Ask for a quote.
Questions to ask any seller
- Which cameras are in the quote: dashcam, dome cameras, or both? How many per bus?
- Can parents see a camera feed in the app? Is that included, or does it cost extra?
- Who can see the footage, and how is that controlled?
- Where is the footage kept: in the cloud, on the device, or both? Who pays for storage and data?
- Does the camera work at night, inside the bus?
- Who keeps the backup of the footage that the Gazette mentions?
- Is installation and wiring in the price? Who fits it, and where?
- What does the Transport Department or my RTO say about my set-up?
What about cost?
The Gazette gives no price for cameras. Costs depend on the number of cameras, the data plan, storage and installation. We do not give a price here. Ask for a written quote that lists each item. For the wider cost picture, see our school bus GPS price guide.
Where My School Ride fits
My School Ride is a school bus tracking system from Satcop India Pvt. Ltd, with a parent app, a GPS device on the bus, RFID attendance and optional cameras. The parent app is on Google Play. Cameras are optional, so you can start with tracking and ask about cameras at the demo.
Price: Ask for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dashcam the same as CCTV on a school bus?
The Gazette of 16 July 2026 asks for CCTV or video surveillance and does not say whether a dashcam counts. A dashcam looks at the road. CCTV in the Gazette is part of a system with a feed to parents. Ask your RTO or the Transport Department before you rely on a dashcam.
What do the Maharashtra rules say about CCTV on school buses?
The Digital Safety Monitoring System must include a closed-circuit television or video surveillance system, and a feed of the CCTV footage should be made available to parents through a mobile app, and when required to RTO officials, the education department or the police (rule 10A). The Gazette also has a rule on who keeps the backup. Read the rule in the Gazette linked below.
Can parents watch the camera feed in the My School Ride app?
The Satcop India website lists an optional 4G live camera feed in the parent app, where enabled. It says the live feed, any fee and some alerts depend on the school package, and are confirmed on demo. Ask us what your package includes.
Who can see the footage?
The Satcop India website says footage is retained for authorised access only, and describes a live feed for authorised staff and, where enabled, parents. Ask who is authorised at your school and how access is controlled.
Does My School Ride meet the Maharashtra CCTV rule?
We do not say any camera set-up meets the Maharashtra rules by itself. Ask us for the camera details and check each point with your RTO.
How much does a school bus dashcam cost?
The Gazette gives no price. Ask for a quote. The quote should list the cameras, data, storage, installation and GST.
See it for your buses
Tell us your city and how many buses you run. We will walk you through how the GPS device, the parent app and the optional cameras work together. Book a free school demo · Chat with us on WhatsApp · Call +91 8600 002222
Sources
| # | Source | URL | What it supports | How checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharashtra Government Gazette, Extraordinary, Part IV-A, No. 309, 16 July 2026 | https://transport.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/Upload/GR/SchoolBusFinalRulesGazette16072026.pdf | Rules 10A(2)(c) and (f) on CCTV and the parent feed; rule 11C on the time to comply | Downloaded and read in full, 3 Oct 2026 |
| 2 | satcop.com Smart Surveillance page | https://www.satcop.com/smart-surveillance-solution/ | Cameras, dashcams, night vision, live feed, storage and authorised access | Fetched 2 Oct 2026 |
| 3 | satcop.com school bus page (My School Ride) | https://www.satcop.com/school-bus-tracking-solution/ | Optional 4G cameras and dashcams; the note that live feed, fee and some alerts depend on the school package | Fetched 2 Oct 2026 |
| 4 | My School Ride on Google Play | https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.satcop.satcopparent | The Android parent app | Opened 2 Oct 2026 |