City announces legislation for school bus stop arm enforcement
Mayor Malik D. Evans has introduced new legislation aimed at enhancing the safety of students in the city of Rochester by enforcing penalties for drivers who unlawfully pass school buses with stop arms engaged. The legislation establishes a local law authorizing penalties for overtaking and passing school buses while their stop arms are extended and red lights are flashing, in accordance with Sections 1174 and 1174-a of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL).
The legislation also includes two key agreements: one with BusPatrol America LLC (BusPatrol) to provide photo violation monitoring systems and services, and another intermunicipal agreement with the Rochester City School District (RCSD) to ensure BusPatrol’s monitoring systems are installed on buses transporting RCSD students.
“The safety of our youth is our highest priority, and this legislation will provide a much-needed layer of protection to ensure drivers are held accountable when they put our students at risk,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “By partnering with BusPatrol and the Rochester City School District, we can proactively prevent dangerous incidents and increase safety for students traveling to and from school each day.”
The partnership with BusPatrol will include the installation of advanced stop-arm cameras on school buses to capture violations. The camera footage will be reviewed by BusPatrol and confirmed by City officials, with fines ranging from $250 to $300 depending on the number of offenses. These fines will be used to cover costs associated with the program, while ensuring no expenses are incurred by RCSD.
The intermunicipal agreement with RCSD will allow for the installation, maintenance, and operation of the monitoring equipment on RCSD buses at no cost to the district.
The implementation of this local law aligns Rochester with similar programs in suburban Monroe County, providing city schoolchildren with the same level of safety enforcement.
City Council will vote on the legislation at its Oct. 22, 2024 meeting.