All six school districts in Putnam County are expected to soon have equipment on school buses designed to identify drivers that illegally pass stopped buses so they can be issued tickets. It’s the result of a five-year agreement announced by Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne with the Lorton, Virginia-based company BusPatrol America LLC. Under the agreement, BusPatrol will cover the cost of installing cameras and license plate readers on school buses. BusPatrol also will operate the enforcement program, taking responsibility for identifying violators, issuing tickets, collecting fines and preparing documents for going after violators in court if that becomes necessary.
BusPatrol has been operating in New York state, including in Albany County, Dutchess County, Rensselaer County, and Rockland County. Its programs are paid for from the fines collected from violators and do not rely on taxpayer funding.
Under law, motorists are forbidden to pass a stopped school bus in either direction. Buses are equipped with stop signs, which swing out to be visible to motorists approaching from both the front and the rear of the bus. BusPatrol’s cameras are activated when the stop arms swing out. In addition, school districts can benefit from additional safety features that include cameras inside buses that monitor what’s taking place
“The safety of our kids”™ is always going to be a priority. The opportunity to implement a program at no cost to taxpayers that protects students made this an obvious partnership to develop,” said Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne. “We are taking proactive steps to protect our children and hold irresponsible drivers accountable for their actions.”
According to statistics from the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transport Services that were provided by BusPatrol, an estimated 43.5 million vehicles illegally pass stopped school buses annually in the U. S. In New York state, vehicles illegally pass stopped school buses an estimated 50,000 times each school day.
“This public-private partnership is a win-win for student safety,” said Steve Randazzo, executive vice president at BusPatrol. “Putnam County is taking a huge step forward to enhance road safety and ensure every child travels safely to school. This program will hold irresponsible drivers accountable for jeopardizing the well-being of our children and provide a safer ride to and from school for the 13,200 students in Putnam County.”
BusPatrol says that 98% of the drivers who get a ticket for passing a stopped school bus don’t do it again. The company says that it provides software that can analyze where violations are most likely to occur so that school systems and municipalities can pay particular attention to those locations or develop bus routes that avoid them.
