A crossing arm came down on a school bus in Freetown, Massachusetts, as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) train passed by, reported ABC 6.
The incident reportedly occurred March 25, when a school bus transporting Freetown Lakeville Regional School District students stopped at the painted roadway railway crossing line to check for oncoming trains, as required by law. As the driver began to move forward, the crossing bells and lights came on.
The school bus driver reportedly reversed as the crossing arms hit the front of the bus. The train passed by about 45 seconds later. No one was injured at the time of the incident.
According to the news report, MBTA officials discussed the incident at a board meeting on March 27, claiming it resulted from human error.
The district said via the article that the bus company, which was not named in this writing, is in contact with the MBTA regarding the incident.
As the former VP of risk management for Laidlaw for over 21 years, I was responsible for
the safety of operating 38,000 school buses. To this day, I clearly recall one specific tragic accident that resulted in a 6-year-old boy being killed by the bus he rode. Upon exiting, he walked in front of the bus, where the driver did not see him, and was struck by the front of the bus and killed by the rear wheels. There was no crossing arm on the bus.
Two years later, I was subpoenaed to a deposition by the plaintiff’s lawyer. I was asked if the bus had a crossing arm and if this tragedy could have been prevented. Obviously, the answer was yes, it may have been prevented. In fact, I believe there was more than a 90 percent chance it would have been prevented. Due to this tragedy, Laidlaw retrofitted all 38,000 school buses with crossing arms. This led to no further front of the bus danger zone student fatalities.
Let us consider the overall U.S. danger zone fatalities over the past 20 years. In the last decade, there were 51 student fatalities. In the previous decade there were 111
student fatalities, a 54 percent reduction. So, how did we achieve this? I believe that the fitting of crossing arms was one of the primary reasons for saving these young
lives, and the numbers prove this statement. In more specific terms, there were nine front of the bus fatalities in the last decade. In the prior decade there were 28 front-of-the-bus student fatalities. That is a significant reduction, 68 percent in fact. More importantly, 19 children’s lives were saved.
Crossing arms are mandatory on all school buses in Canada. However, only 25 states require crossing arms. In the remaining 25 states, crossing arms are optional. It is estimated that 60 percent of all the school buses in the U.S. have crossing arms.
On Sept. 13, 2022, a 6-year-old girl in Fort Worth, Texas was killed at the front of her bus no crossing arm. Crossing arms were fitted to all that district’s buses after this collision.
On Feb.16, 2024, in New York, a 5-year-old girl was killed at the front of her bus, and again no crossing arm. If these buses had crossing arms, it is likely that these children would still be alive. Do crossing arms work in reducing danger zone fatalities? Absolutely, as proven by the data.
What Costs are Involved?
A crossing arm retails around $400. If purchased in volume, this cost can be reduced. Many districts install them on all new school buses and the cost is spread over the life of the vehicle. For example, a Type C propane school bus without a crossing arm costs $140,000. The additional crossing arm would increase the cost to $140,400. Clearly this is a no brainer.
Installation takes between two and three hours depending upon the make and model of the bus. However, if required on new school buses, the manufacturer would install the crossing arms.
Ideally, all school buses used to transport students should have a crossing arm. At the least, they should be required on all new school buses, then, look to retrofit them on existing buses starting with the newer buses in your fleet.
What States Do Not Require Crossing Arms?
The last study of crossing arm requirements was performed by the National Association for Pupil Transportation in January 2019. At that time, crossing arms were not required in the following 25 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont.
California has its own practice, where the driver exits the school bus and helps students cross the street, using a stop sign. This makes California an exception to needing crossing arms.
However, it does not matter if your state requires crossing arms. For the safety of the students, it is the right thing to do. Had I been doing my job better in 2004 and fitted crossing arms sooner, it is likely the 6-year-old would still be alive. I accept this responsibility, and it continues to weigh upon me.
What do some of the leaders in the industry think of using crossing arms?
Dick Fischer: “We must do everything possible to make our school buses safer. I strongly support having crossing arms on all school buses.”
Robert Pudlewski: “Of all the items you can add to a school bus to make it safer, the crossing arm is by far one of the most effective. To operate school buses without a crossing arm is needlessly putting student’s lives at risk. It should be mandatory in every state.”
Shelly Hall: “Student Transportation of America have crossing arms fitted on every school bus, in all the states we operate and in Canada. We believe this is an essential item of safety equipment and should be included on every school bus in North America.”
There are many devices on the market you can add to a school bus to improve its safety. However, none are proven to save more lives than crossing arms, and for such a low cost. Twenty less front-of-the-bus fatalities, decade over decade, proves this to be true.
Please do not put yourself in my position, knowing you could have saved a child’s life for only $400 per bus. Fit crossing gates to your fleet now.
Please note, neither I nor my company sell crossing arms or have any financial interest in any company that does sell them. My interest is in trying to persuade as many school districts and school bus contractors as possible to add crossing arms to further reduce front-of-the school bus student fatalities.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the February 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
Jeff Cassell
Jeff Cassell is the president and founder of School Bus Safety Company. All data cited is sourced from the National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey performed each year by the Kansas State Department of Education.
Every year, millions of children across the United States rely on school buses to get to and from school. With the rise of traffic and the increased distractions of daily life, ensuring that students can board and exit the bus safely has become more challenging. One of the most alarming issues on the road today is motorists illegally passing stopped school buses, when drivers ignore current external warning signs, putting children at risk of serious injury or death.
The Alarming Statistics are a Growing Problem
According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) 2023 Stop Arm Survey, an astounding 62,482 vehicles illegally passed school buses on a single day during the 2022-2023 school year. With nearly 45 million illegal passes projected annually, the scope of this issue is staggering. This problem isn’t just a statistic; it’s a daily reality for school bus drivers and the children they transport.
In every state, it is illegal for drivers to pass a school bus when its stop-arm is extended and its red lights are flashing. Despite this clear rule, the violations continue, endangering the lives of children who are simply trying to get on or off the bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the most dangerous part of the school bus ride isn’t the ride itself but getting on and off the bus. This is when children are most vulnerable to being struck by an illegally passing vehicle.
Are Stop Arm Extensions a Game-Changing Solution?
As tragic as incidents are, there’s hope on the horizon in the form of an innovative solution: Stop Arm Extensions. These retractable barriers extend from the bus nearly 5 feet, making the stop signal even more visible to oncoming traffic. By increasing the visibility of the stop sign, even in poor weather conditions, through LED lights, and adding another barrier to vehicles from passing, stop arm extensions, like those from BusGates – a leading manufacturer of the technology – have shown to significantly reduce the occurrence of drive-arounds by as much as 95%.
In fact, research and studies suggest that visibility improvements on school buses are directly correlated with a reduction in traffic violations. BusGates’ innovative product provides a simple yet effective way to ensure that drivers stop when required, keeping children safe as they cross the street or board their bus.
The History of School Bus Safety
The school bus stop sign, introduced in 1939, has long been a vital part of keeping children safe. However, its design has largely remained unchanged for more than 30 years and its impact has been diminished, especially in high-traffic areas. Despite the sign’s clear indication to stop, too many drivers continue to violate the law, often with tragic results.
Stop arm extensions are an important evolution of the classic stop sign, a logical next step in improving school bus safety. Just as the original stop sign was a crucial advancement in its time, these extensions represent a modernization of a tried-and-true method to protect students.
Safety Improvements in Action
School districts across the U.S. are already seeing the benefits of stop arm extensions, and many have reported a dramatic reduction in incidents of vehicles illegally passing stopped buses, going from multiple incidents before the stop arms to zero after using stop arm extensions. One school district superintendent referred to the purchase of BusGates stop arm extensions as a “no brainer”. These successes are driving more districts to consider adopting the technology, and the results speak for themselves.
However, it’s not just about technology. School bus drivers, parents, and community leaders must all work together to educate the public about the dangers of passing a stopped bus. Awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of obeying the stop-arm laws are essential in building a culture of safety on the roads. When drivers understand the consequences of their actions, potentially causing harm to a child, they are more likely to respect the law.
A Call for Vigilance
While technology plays a crucial role in improving safety, it’s important for everyone, drivers, pedestrians, and passengers, to stay vigilant. Everyone must do their part to ensure that students can get on and off the school bus without the constant fear of being struck by a passing vehicle.
Whether you’re a parent, bus driver, or motorist, remember: when a school bus stops, we all must stop.
A Safer Future for All Children
As we look toward the future, stop arm extensions offer a glimpse of hope in the battle to keep kids safe as they travel to and from school. In an era where technology continuously reshapes the world, it’s clear that innovation is playing a crucial role in making school buses safer.
With continued efforts to integrate new safety measures, along with increased awareness and enforcement, the number of illegal passes can be reduced, helping to ensure that every child’s journey to school and back home is as safe as possible. In the fight to protect all children, BusGates stop arm extensions are a clear beginning.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
As the 2025 year commences, students were hit — and one was killed — while walking to their bus stops in Florida communities.
On Jan. 10, a teenager later identified as Maslin Mooney was a victim of a hit and run while walking to his bus stop, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook. The Sheriff’s office stated that Mooney was discovered by a passerby at approximately 6:45 a.m. Lifesaving efforts were immediately initiated, and he was transported to a trauma center by air ambulance.
The Sheriff’s Office added that the preliminary investigation revealed Mooney was walking to his bus stop — the scheduled pick up was at 6:08 a.m. — but never made it to the location. As of Jan. 12, the Sheriff’s Office stated investigators identified and interviewed the suspect and seized the vehicle.
First Baptist Church of Hastings stated via its Facebook page, that Mooney was on the ground unconscious until a citizen discovered him and called first responders. His injuries included two broken legs, the right tibia and left femur, that required surgery, a broken right wrist, extensive dental damage, and a brain bleed. He is expected to remain in the hospital for four to six weeks with a recovery window of four to six months.
As of Jan. 16, the church posted Facebook update that Mooney was making remarkable progress and is improving by “leaps and bounds.” He has since moved out of the ICU and was scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility.
Meanwhile, about 32 miles North in Jacksonville, Florida, an Atlantic Coast High School student died on Jan. 17, after being struck by a vehicle while trying to get her school bus stop. A GoFundMe page created for the family of Alondra Martinez, 16, said the girl was crossing the street toward her school bus stop when a speeding car struck her. The motorist who hit Martinez reportedly stopped and took her to a nearby medical facility, then stayed there and called the police.
Martinez reportedly died in the hospital from her injuries.
No information had been posted on the Duval County Public Schools website or the Sheriff’s Office regarding the incident. However, local media reported that it was unknown if Martinez was walking in a marked crosswalk.
Jacksonville.com reported that the night before Martinez was killed, First Coast News spoke with Superintendent Christopher Bernier about a new safety campaign, “Be safe, be seen,” which was launched due to the number of motorists hitting students as they made their way to and from school.
“We’ve had three fatalities this year with young people being hit to and from school,” Bernier stated via the article.
Earlier this week in Tampa, Florida, an 11-year-old died after being hit by a car while getting off a school bus. A local news article states the girl had just exited the school bus and was walking alongside the road when she was hit. The unidentified student was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries and died Tuesday night.
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