All schools and districts that applied for funding for eligible safety features ranging from seatbelts to collision avoidance to additional lighting through the $10 million Ohio School Bus Safety Grant received an award.

An Ohio Department of Education spokesperson confirmed that it received 371 applications from schools, districts and county boards of developmental disabilities for the School Bus Safety Grant. Of those applications, 56 requested funds for “Occupant restraining devices that conform to the school bus seat belt requirements of 49 C.F.R. 571.”

The other authorized safety features are external school bus cameras, fully eliminated stop arms, crossing arms, illuminated school bus signs, lane departure warning systems, collision avoidance systems, and electronic stability control.

The school bus safety grant program was created in response to recommendations made by the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which Gov. Mike DeWine convened to review all aspects of student transportation, following an August 2024 school bus crash that resulted in a student fatality.

Among its 17 recommendations made in January 2024, which did not include the use of lap/shoulder seatbelts — a main reason Gov. DeWine called together the working group — were strategies for improving bus safety features, driver training and emergency response.

Safety rant funding may be used for the repair, replacement or addition of the eight authorized safety features on school buses in active service or for safety enhancements on new school bus purchases.

Related: Ohio School Bus Grant Program Launches, $10M Available
Related: Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group to Investigate Seatbelts Following Fatality
Related: Ohio School Bus Safety Recommendations Call for Technology Funding, No Seatbelt Mandate
Related: Brother and Sister Help Save School Bus Driver During Medical Emergency in Ohio

Indian Hill EVSD in Ohio, applied for the safety grant. Diane Spurlock, transportation director, said they asked for collision avoidance systems and lane departure warning system.

“The program we selected is an AI camera that can notify the driver if either of the instances occurs while they are on the road,” she said. “The main reason is that we recently had an incident happen with a driver where this could have kept it from happening thus ensuring a safer drive. A secondary reason is that our current cameras are getting outdated quickly and I hope this opens the door to purchase more products from this company.”

Additionally, Indian Hill applied for the ground wash lights “because our district does not have street lights and some streets are very narrow. We have added the LED lights near the back tires but believe the ground wash lights will be especially helpful for turnarounds,” she continued.

Gov. DeWine, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin announced via a press release that, “the grants will help ensure safer travel for Ohio students through safety upgrades to existing buses and the addition of advanced safety features on new buses.”

“Whether students are in the classroom or on the school bus, we owe it to parents and families to do everything we can to keep them safe,” said DeWine. “We’re raising the bar for student safety on Ohio’s buses, and these grant awards demonstrate our dedication to making school transportation safer.”

Dackin added, “Student safety is our top priority, and Ohio is investing in critical safety improvements to equip school buses with proven technology that keeps children safe.”

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AUSTIN, Texas- BusPatrol, the leader in school bus safety technology, has been named to both the 2025 Deloitte Technology Fast 500etch and the Inc. 5000 lists in recognition of its rapid growth and impact on student and community safety nationwide. This dual recognition reflects BusPatrol’s leadership in modernizing student transportation safety through cutting-edge AI, machine learning, and vision safety solutions adopted by communities across the country.

This marks BusPatrol’s second consecutive year on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, which honors the most innovative technology companies in North America. BusPatrol also earned a place on the Inc. 5000, the definitive ranking of America’s most resilient and high-impact private companies.

These recognitions reflect the growing national adoption of BusPatrol’s industry-leading technology solution and its proven impact on road safety. Communities using BusPatrol’s end-to-end stop-arm enforcement program see meaningful behavior change — more than 90% of first-time violators do not reoffend after receiving a citation. Through partnerships with school districts, municipalities, and law enforcement agencies, BusPatrol modernizes student transportation with cloud-connected, AI-powered stop-arm cameras and interior safety technology that help make roads safer for students and families.

“Our growth speaks to our team’s deep commitment to student safety and the mission that drives us,” said Karoon Monfared, CEO of BusPatrol. “Our strong community partnerships, paired with our deep know-how in building programs that communities trust and the technology behind our safety platform, make us a trusted safety partner to the communities we serve. As more communities adopt our turnkey technology solution, we remain focused on setting the standard for innovation in this space and delivering real safety gains where they’re needed most.”

BusPatrol is currently contracted on over 40,000 buses across 24 states, with new regions coming online each year. As the industry leader, BusPatrol is positioned for continued growth, driven by advanced technology, trusted partnerships, and a mission to improve public safety across the communities it serves.

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With the new school year underway, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) is drawing urgent attention to the dangerous and ongoing issue of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses. The organization is calling on all New York drivers to be extra vigilant as school buses are back on daily routes across the state.

In a statement released last week, NYAPT emphasized the critical need for motorists to obey traffic laws designed to protect student safety, especially during boarding and drop-off times. According to a statewide survey of school bus drivers conducted by NYAPT, incidents of motorists passing stopped school buses remain a serious threat to student safety.

“Providing New York’s school-age children a safe school bus ride to and from school each day is our top priority, and we urge all motorists to do their part and be extra cautious as schools reopen,” said Marc Medina, NYAPT president and transportation director for the Farmingdale School District on Long Island. “We are asking drivers to avoid distractions while driving, be aware that school buses are back on the roads, and always to stop when they see those red lights flashing on a school bus because students’ lives depend on it.”

NYAPT remindeds motorists that New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law mandate all vehicles must stop when approaching a school bus with flashing red lights, regardless of the direction of travel even on multi-lane or divided highways. Red lights on a bus indicate that a child is either boarding or exiting the vehicle.

Additionally, school buses on routes have federally mandated stop arms that extend during student loading and unloading.

A first-time offense can result in a fine ranging from $250 to $400, five points on a driver’s license, and up to 30 days in jail. Repeat offenders within a three-year span can face steeper fines, longer jail terms, and eventual license revocation.

“Riding a school bus is the safest way for a student to get to and from school each day, and we ask motorists who share the road with our school buses to do their part to keep it that way,” said NYAPT Executive Director David Christopher.

The concern over illegal passing of stopped school buses extends far beyond New York. A nationwide survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) across 36 states and the District of Columbia revealed that approximately 31 percent of the nation’s school bus drivers reported a staggering number of motorists illegally passing stopped buses. During the one-day count, the participating states reported a total of 114,239 school bus drivers documented 67,258 vehicles passing their buses unlawfully on a single day. However, New York did not hare its numbers with NASDPTS.

In addition to safety concerns, NYAPT is highlighting another pressing issue affecting school transportation: The ongoing shortage of school bus drivers. A recent survey revealed that 60 percent of NYAPT members report needing to hire additional school bus drivers.

“While Gov. [Kathy] Hochul and the legislature have made important policy changes to assist schools with recruiting and retaining school bus drivers, many school transportation departments are still struggling to address the driver shortage problem,” Christopher added. “We ask that parents and caregivers who experience delays in school bus service or have transportation routes temporarily paused due to a lack of drivers be patient and have backup plans for transporting their children.”

Related: (STN Podcast E267) I Believe in This: Illegal Passing Drops & Michigan Pupil Transportation Leader Speaks
Related: Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology
Related: Robinson Named Sole 2025 Inductee into NAPT Hall of Fame
Related: Updated: Fatal Motorcoach Crash During Band Trip Raises School Bus Safety Lessons

The post New York Association Urges Motorists to Stop for School Buses at Startup appeared first on School Transportation News.

Nevada became the 26th state to authorize school districts to install and use school bus stop-arm cameras.

Assembly Bill 527, which passed June 6 and went into effect on July 1, allows school districts to install the cameras and for law enforcement to use evidence of illegal passing to issue citations to the vehicle’s registered owner. Fines collected are used to fund the installation, maintenance and operation of the camera systems as well as pay the vendor to install, operate or maintain the systems.

School districts that choose to vieo cameras must conduct a public awareness campaign regarding the use of cameras and notify the public on when enforcement starts.

While school district leaders applaud the law, local police departments are questioning if they have adequate staffing to handle review video and issue citations, as noted in a local news article.

The law also addresses privacy concerns by requiring school districts and police departments to delete images of vehicles after 90 days.

Related: New York State Amends School Bus Camera Law Following Court Rulings
Related: Update: Nevada School District Raises Pay Amid Bus Driver Shortage
Related: Are Extended Stop Arms Part of Solution to Illegal School Bus Passing?

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