Mass Lawmakers Tour School Bus Stop Arm Camera Enforcement Technology at State House

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BOSTON – Massachusetts legislators yesterday, July 14 stepped onboard a modernized school bus equipped with stop-arm enforcement technology being considered this legislative session.

Already legal in 20 states, the technology would enable communities to curb illegal motorist behavior around stopped school buses and make roads safer for students.

Earlier this year, a child was hospitalized after being struck by a car while trying to board a school bus in Framingham (News).

Communities across the Commonwealth are now demanding action to reduce the rate that cars illegally pass stopped school buses.

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Steve Randazzo, EVP at BusPatrol, the stop-arm enforcement program provider which demoed the technology at today’s event, said: “Parents, bus drivers, and children witness reckless motorist behavior around their school buses every single day. We need better legislation and better technology to stop this from happening. We owe it to our kids.”    

According to a survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), motorists illegally pass stopped school buses 17 million times a year, equal to 0.7 per bus per day.

A pilot program conducted in Newton, Massachusetts, revealed a violation rate as high as 1.2 illegal passes per bus per day, significantly higher than the national average.

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Senator Brendan Crighton’s Amendment #136 follows the recent adoption of stop-arm enforcement technologies in states across the nation, notable New York State and Pennsylvania. It would allow school districts the option to install camera systems, work with camera system vendors, and partner with municipalities and law enforcement to issue civil violations to motorists who endanger children by violating school bus stopping laws.

BusPatrol is a safety technology company with the mission of making the journey to and from school safer for children. BusPatrol’s safety programs change driver behavior and create a culture of awareness and responsibility around school buses. In addition, they provide accessibility for school districts, and municipalities to modernize their entire school bus fleets by outfitting them with the latest stop-arm, route planning and route execution technology.

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In full transparency, the press release and video were submitted to SOURCE media