“The numbers are truly staggering, especially for drivers rendered with second and third offenses,” Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said today about the camera program designed to catch drivers who violate the law by passing stopped school buses. Yonkers signed on with the company Verra Mobility to equip school buses used by the city’s school district with cameras to photograph and identify vehicles illegally passing stopped buses that have their stop signs that are on swing-out arms extended. Yonkers and Verra Mobility split 50/50 the proceeds from the fines collected from motorists.
“We launched this program to protect our children. These stop-arm safety cameras will continue to help us enforce the laws of passing a school bus. I hope motorists will think twice before passing a school bus when the stop-arm is extended,” Spano said.
About 12,000 children are transported daily on Yonkers school buses. Spano reported that there have been 18,132 violations between the launch of the program in November of last year and June 24. The month of May 2024 had the largest total of violations issued, totaling 3,556.
As part of the city’s partnership with Verra Mobility, 516 buses are now equipped with school bus stop-arm cameras. Under the law, the fine for illegally passing a school bus ranges from $250 for a first violation, $275 if a second offense occurs within 18 months, and $300 for every following offense, if within 18 months.
Verra Mobility administers the camera program for the city. When the arm with the stop sign is deployed, the camera automatically detects vehicles that pass the stopped bus within the enforcement zone. Cameras on the bus record video of the vehicle and capture event images including the vehicle, its license plate, and the extended stop-arm. Violation videos and license plate images are reviewed by a City of Yonkers Parking Violations Bureau technician for approval before a warning or Notice of Liability is issued.
The Yonkers Police Department has released a video showing scenes taken by Verra Mobility’s cameras in which vehicles pass stopped school buses that clearly are stopped with their stop signs deployed. The law prohibits driving passed a stopped school bus in either direction and vehicles are seen passing buses in both directions in the video that was released by the police.
“The safety of our students is our highest priority. The success of the Yonkers Safe Stop program underscores our commitment to ensuring that every child arrives at school and returns home safely,” said Yonkers School Superintendent Aníbal Soler, Jr. “This initiative not only holds drivers accountable but also raises awareness about the importance of adhering to school bus safety laws.”
The 18,132 violations issued through June 24 in the school bus stop-arm camera program had a gross value as calculated by the Business Journal using data provided by Yonkers of $4,576,575.
