Despite the federal government shut down and amid students continuing to die or be injured in the school bus “Danger Zone,” the Senate agreed on the importance of child safety with a resolution designating October 2025 as School Bus Safety Month.

Introduced by Sens. Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Gary Peters of Michigan, Senate Resolution 484 was filed on Nov. 5 and the full chamber agreed via unanimous consent to the language Monday. But it was originally scheduled for a vote on Oct. 1, the first day of the government shutdown.

“We stayed on them every day to get together and vote on it even with the government shutdown, which was very hard to do,” said Ward Leber, founder of the Child Safety Network, which has been the organization championing the resolution since 2013, when current Senate Majority Leader John Thune threw his full support behind it. “When both sides knew internally a deal was going to happen to reopen within a few days, our constant pushing paid off.”

Leber said this year’s resolution is dedicated to the memories of two 11-year-old girls who were killed as they were boarding and exiting their school buses.

“As a sergeant, a supervisor of school resource officers, and most of all as a father, I know the deadly outcome that can occur when drivers illegally pass school buses,” said Sgt. Dan Sperry, who spoke at STN EXPO West in 2016. “My 11-year-old daughter Makayla died in my arms just after stepping off her bus. I am proud to serve alongside the volunteers of CSN’s Senior Advisory Board, and grateful for all of the dedicated school bus professionals working every day to prevent another family from suffering a preventable tragedy.”

Leandra Backner, whose daughter was killed in 2022 after she tripped and was run over by her school bus, said “it warms my hear that the U.S. Senate has upheld School Bus Safety Month since 2013, honoring Annaliese’s memory through its ongoing commitment to safety.”

Sen. Peters said in a statement parents should have “peace of mind that when they drop their kids off at the bus stop, they will get to school and back home safely.”

The resolution results in funding for an NFL-themed PSA that alerts the public when it’s not safe to pass, especially when a stopped school bus is involved. The program is scheduled to launch in early 2026 around the Super Bowl.

It also touts the CSN Safe Ride campaign that offers school bus driver training, school bus technology, and free safety and security resources to school districts. To date, CSN said it has provided security awareness training materials to over 14,000 public and private schools, trained over 125,000 school bus operators and provided more than 175,000 counter-terrorism guides.

Peters also introduced last month the Brake for Kids Act to create a PSA about the dangers of illegally passing school buses.

In his home state, the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation recently filmed a PSA with NASCAR driver Ryan Preece, a member of the RFK Racing Team owned by Jack Roush, the founder and chairman of Roush Enterprises that includes ROUSH CleanTech. The company provides propane autogas and gasoline fuel systems to Blue Bird in partnership with Ford.

Related: STN EXPO Speaker to Discuss Daughter’s School Bus Death
Related: Colorado Senate Approves $5.5M to Improve School Bus Safety
Related: School Bus Drivers, “What’s Important Now?”
Related: Senate Recognizes School Bus Safety Month in ‘Tribute Year’

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Following a media report last month of a Waymo vehicle passing a school bus in Atlanta, Georgia, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a preliminary evaluation into the autonomous Uber option.

The evaluation is set to “investigate the performance of the Waymo (Automated Driving System) around stopped school buses, how the system is designed to comply with school bus traffic safety laws and the system’s ability to follow those traffic safety laws. During this investigation, NHTSA will seek to identify the scope of the issue presented by this incident and identify any other similar incidents,” the report states.

Waymo and Uber announced a partnership in select cities around the U.S., starting in Phoenix and expanding to Atlanta and Austin. Riders in these cities have the option to hail autonomous rides through the Uber app. Rides can also be booked through the Waymo app in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

However, the Waymo vehicle was captured on video Sept. 22 illegally passing a stopped school bus that was unloading children.

NHTSA opened the preliminary evaluation Oct. 17. In INOA-PE2503, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation states that a Waymo autonomous vehicle, or AV, failed to remain stopped “when approaching a school bus that was stopped with its red lights flashing, stop arm deployed and crossing control arm deployed.”

Related: Waymo Driverless Car Illegally Passes Stopped School Bus in Atlanta
Related: WATCH: West Virginia Releases Illegal Passing Awareness Video
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?

The report states that Waymo AV approached the right side of the school bus from a perpendicular side street. “The AV initially stopped but then drove around the front of the bus by briefly turning right to avoid running into the bus’s right front end, then turning left to pass in front of the bus and then turning further left and driving down the roadway past the entire left side of the bus. During this maneuver, the Waymo AV passed the bus’s extended crossing control arm near disembarking students (on the bus’s right side) and passed the extended stop arm on the bus’s left side,” the report continued.

At the time of the incident, the Waymo AV was operated by Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System and no safety operator was present in the vehicle. The report noted that Waymo has surpassed 100 million miles of driving as of July, approximately 2 million miles logged per week.

“Based on NHTSA’s engagement with Waymo on this incident and the accumulation of operational miles, the likelihood of other prior similar incidents is high,” the report states.

The post NHTSA Investigates Autonomous Waymo Rides After Illegal School Bus Passing appeared first on School Transportation News.

For National School Bus Safety Week, the West Virginia Department of Education partnered with the state police department to create a video that is a sobering reminder of the dangers of illegal passing. The video shows footage of a student getting off the school bus and nearly being struck by a motorist driving past the stopped bus. Jimmy Lacy, the transportation director for the state’s Department of Education, and Sgt. Travis Bailes of the Charleston Police Department outline the impact on student safety and state regulations regarding illegal passing.

Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: Wisconsin State Police, School Bus Association Promote School Bus Safety
Related: Gallery: National School Bus Safety Week 2024

The post WATCH: West Virginia Releases Illegal Passing Awareness Video appeared first on School Transportation News.

YARDVILLE, N.J. —During National School Bus Safety Week (NSBSW), highlighted on October 20 through October 24, 2025, organizations from across the country including the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing, Blue Bird Corporation and ROUSH CleanTech are joining the nationwide call to remind motorists that stopping for a school bus is not optional—it’s the law and will prevent avoidable tragedies.

To raise awareness, RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece appears in a new video campaign showing that even professional drivers stop for school buses. In the video, Preece, who drives the No. 60 car, reinforces the message that safety around school buses is everyone’s responsibility—no matter how much experience you have behind the wheel.

You can access the video here: RFK Racing & Ryan Preece PSA

This message is especially critical in light of recent findings released by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS). Each school day, millions of students across the U.S. depend on the yellow school bus—the safest form of student transportation—to get to and from school. Yet, new data from the NASDPTS reveals that illegal passings of stopped school buses remain a major threat to student safety.

According to NASDPTS’s thirteenth annual National Stop Arm Violation Survey, released at the 2025 NSTA Annual Meeting and Convention in Boston, 114,239 school bus drivers in 36 states and the District of Columbia reported 67,258 vehicles illegally passing their stopped buses in just one day during the 2024–2025 school year. When projected across all U.S. school bus drivers, that’s more than 39.3 million violations per year. Although this marks a decrease from 45.2 million violations in the previous year, the issue remains alarming.

The annual survey, conducted since 2011, highlights the ongoing need for education, enforcement, and vigilance to prevent these dangerous incidents. In recent years, several states have strengthened penalties, authorized camera-based enforcement, and implemented new awareness campaigns—all steps toward safer roads for students.

Additionally, NSTA has spearheaded a national effort to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal school bus passings through their support of the “Brake for Kids Act” (H.R.2348/S.2812) – an initiative sponsored by Reps. Pete Stauber (MN-08), Rudy Yakym (IN-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Seth Moulton(MA-06), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), as well as Senators Todd Young (IN) and Gary Peters (MI).

According to its description, the bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to produce and distribute a national public safety campaign on the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses. Specifically, the campaign must increase awareness and education about the issue through a variety of media, including television, radio, and social media advertising. “Illegal school bus passings have continued on our roadways, despite the best efforts of student transportation professionals to curb this dangerous and illegal practice. Public Awareness campaigns like this provide the ability to reach a wide target audience with the hope that our message resonates,” said Patrick Dean, NSTA President, as well as President of Dean Transportation in Michigan.

“As evidenced by the release of this video, student transportation stands unified in our quest to eliminate incidences of illegal school passings throughout the United States. Public messaging remains one tool at our disposal, and I call on motorists, law enforcement, and the court system to do their part as well to help alleviate this vexing problem,” Curt Macysyn, NSTA Executive Director concluded. NSTA would like to thank the Michigan Association for Student Transportation (MAPT) and ROUSH CleanTech for their leadership in this project. For more information about school bus safety, please go to School Bus Facts – website hosted by NSTA at https://www.schoolbusfacts.com

The post When the School Bus Reds are Flashing, There is No Passing Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Driver Ryan Preece Reminds Motorists to Protect Students on the Road appeared first on School Transportation News.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) supports School Bus Safety Week and is a proud sponsor of the video campaign featuring RFK Racing drive Ryan Preece who proclaimed, “even professional drivers stop for school bus” https://youtu.be/wGEDFwkRfys.

While during School Bus Safety Week we celebrate the professionals that ensure the safe travel of students to and from school each and every day, NASDPTS estimates there were more than 39.3 million illegal passings of stopped school buses in the past year based on our 2025 survey (https://www.nasdpts.org/stop-arm-violations“) NASDPTS reminds all drivers to slow down and to stop for stopped school buses. The safety of every child depends on it,” offered NASDPTS President Mike Stier. “We in the school transportation industry have a very important job to do, and we take great pride in doing our job well, but the safe transportation of children to and from school takes every one of us. Drivers aren’t paying attention, and they aren’t focused on the right things. What could be more important than the safety of a child?” added Stier.

NASDPTS thanks the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) for the opportunity to co-sponsor the Ryan Preece video and appreciates their efforts to draw attention to the problem of illegal passing of stopped school buses.

Additional School Bus Safety Week information can be found here: https://nasdpts.org/SBSW

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As schools reopen, students are flooding back to campuses on foot, bicycles, cars and school buses, bringing with them a spike in safety risks. The chaotic rush of drop-offs and pickups creates a perfect storm of traffic congestion, stressed drivers and heightened dangers around school zones.

With nearly 60 percent of parents citing concerns about school bus safety, pedestrian crossings and traffic management, according to a 2024 National Association of Elementary School Principals survey, the start of the
school year underscores safety challenges.

The frenzied pace of these early weeks amplifies risks, as distracted or hurried drivers navigate crowded school zones, increasing the likelihood of crashes. Data from Safe Kids Worldwide notes one in three drivers engage in unsafe behaviors during school drop-offs, while a 2024 National Center for Education Statistics survey noted 38 percent of school leaders see traffic patterns as a threat to student safety.

The question looms: Have safety measures kept pace with the growing hazards of the 2025 school start-up season?

According to the most recent National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services one day illegal passing survey, 218,000 illegal passing incidents were reported by 114,471 school bus drivers, or 31 percent of the nation’s total. These drivers reported a total of 69,408 vehicles passed their buses illegally. Extrapolated for a 180-day school year across all 50 states, 39.3 million illegal passes occur. The one-day count does represent a 13-percent decrease over last year’s 45.2 million but illegal passing remains a massive safety issue.

Last month, the Automobile Club of Southern California, an affiliate of AAA, shared specific tips for navigating school zones safely on social network X. It specifically advised “Watch for School Buses” and reminded drivers to slow down when a school bus yellow lights flash and to stop completely when red lights flash and the stop arm is extended.

AAA also emphasizes eliminating distractions like phone use, as distracted driving contributes to 4,000 to 8,000 crashes daily across the U.S. Drivers should put phones on “Do Not Disturb” or pull over safely to respond to urgent calls or texts.

Jeff Cassell from the School Bus Safety Company recently reminded me of behavioral norms, or the way we act without thinking about it. Norms are very powerful and govern most of what we do. For example, a safe driver always tries to stay at least four seconds in distance behind the vehicle they are following. They do this automatically as a norm. Cassell said following from a safe distance is an important practice, but there are dozens more safe practices we need to implement.

After extensive studies, he’s clearly identified 22 unsafe behaviors that lead to almost every crash. Cassell provided several recommendations to help prevent crashes around school buses. He emphasized minimizing student street crossings whenever possible, educating students on safe crossing practices, informing parents about these procedures, ensuring school bus drivers enforce them, and considering an extended stop arm.

Cassell also suggested specific morning and afternoon guidelines for students and parents. In the morning, students should wait at least 10 feet (five big steps) from the edge of the roadway, look at the bus driver after the bus stops, cross only when signaled by the driver, and walk directly across without running. In the afternoon, students should walk 10 feet away from the bus, move 10 feet ahead of the bus or crossing arm at the front of the bus, look at the driver and cross only when signaled. They should always check for traffic and wait if uncertain about moving vehicles. By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of crossing accidents.

I recommend highlighting School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 20-24. It’s a great time to bring awareness to the dangers that exist around schools and school buses.

Also, NHTSA recently released updated School Bus Safety Resources, including shareable graphics, videos and statistics. Visit www.nhtsa.gov/school-buses to download the materials.

Leadership training around safety starts with leaders like you who can influence a culture of safety. I recommend you reinforce positive behaviors and establish norms to keep your school bus drivers, kids and parents updated about safe behaviors around the school bus. Safety and the elimination of risk should always be a main priority.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the September 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E277) Make the System Better: Safety Leadership Training & D.C. Insider on Disability Supports
Related: School Bus Safety Company Unveils New Leadership Training Course to Elevate Safety Leadership
Related: Wisconsin State Police, School Bus Association Promote School Bus Safety
Related: Georgia Middle School Student Wins National School Bus Safety Poster Contest

The post School Zone: Safety Risks Surge appeared first on School Transportation News.

Introduced last month, the bipartisan Brake for Kids Act hopes to create a public service announcement on the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus.

Introduced on Sept. 16 by Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Gary Peters of Michigan, it directs the “Secretary of Transportation to carry out a national public safety messaging campaign relating to the dangers of illegal passing of stopped school buses, and for other purposes.”

The PSA campaign would need to be released and distributed no later than one year after the enactment. It would include television advertisements on national broadcasts as well as radio, social media and other messaging.

Both senators have been involved in trying to prevent illegal school bus crossings, introducing the Stop for School Buses Act in 2019 and 2021.

“Every school year, far too many illegal school bus passings occur, which puts the lives of students at risk. Our bill will raise awareness about the dangers of passing a stopped school bus to help ensure that our kids make it to and from school safely,” said Young in a press release.

U.S. Reps. Rudy Yakym, Pete Stauber, Seth Moulton and Julia Brownley introduced companion legislation in the House.

“Parents need to know their kids are safe taking the bus to and from school,” Peters said in a release. “That’s why I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to raise awareness of the dangers of illegally passing school buses and promote best practices for making our communities safer.”

Meanwhile, the National School Transportation Association released a statement applauding the introduction of the legislation. “The Brake for Kids Act is an essential step to help protect students and alleviate preventable tragedies,” said Patrick Dean, NSTA president. “Illegal school bus passings are a national crisis, and this legislation provides a platform for student transportation to raise awareness, change behavior, and prevent these all-too-frequent incidents.”

Related: Waymo Driverless Car Illegally Passes Stopped School Bus in Atlanta
Related: Wisconsin State Police, School Bus Association Promote School Bus Safety
Related: Michigan Association Films Illegal School Bus Passing PSA with NASCAR’s Preece
Related: New York Association Urges Motorists to Stop for School Buses at Startup
Related: NASDPTS Revises Illegal School Bus Passing Count After California Fixes Error

NSTA cited the 2025 National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services survey released this summer, noting that more than 114,000 school bus drivers across the U.S. reported 67,258 violations in a single day. While lower than in years past, NASDPTS extrapolated that motorists nationwide still illegally pass school buses tens of millions of times during the school year.

“NSTA believes that a nationwide safety campaign will close knowledge gaps, strengthen driver education, and save lives,” the press release adds.

The post Federal Bill Aims to Increase Awareness of Illegal School Bus Passing appeared first on School Transportation News.

A driverless car operated by Waymo is under scrutiny after it was caught on video illegally passing a stopped school bus that was letting children off in Atlanta, reported WBIR News.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon and was recorded by a woman who witnessed the incident. Georgia state Rep. Clint Crowe said he was shocked after seeing the footage.

“I’m a big fan of new technologies and emerging technologies, and I think driverless cars are going to become more common,” Crowe said. “But we have to think about how they’re going to comply with the law.”

According to the news report, Crowe co-sponsored Addy’s Law in 2024, which was named after 8-year-old Addy Pierce. Pierce was killed in Henry County after being hit while crossing the street to get to her school bus. The law increased penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus, with fines up to $1,000 and possible jail time.

Crowe emphasized that these laws also apply to autonomous vehicles.

“The majority of our traffic laws come with penalties like fines or driver’s license suspension,” he explained via the article. “These cars don’t have drivers or licenses, so we really have to rethink who is responsible. Who’s in control of the vehicle? Who is the operator?”

Crowe said he believes automobile manufacturers should face stronger consequences when their autonomous vehicles break the law, saying the current $1,000 fine isn’t enough. Other lawmakers agree.

“Driverless cars should be stopped until it can be figured out,” said State Sen. Rick Williams, one of the authors of Addy’s Law. “We should not have this on the road. It’s too dangerous for our children” he said via the article.

Williams said he plans to introduce new legislation that would increase penalties on driverless car companies when their vehicles violate traffic laws. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

Waymo said in a statement via the article that “the trust and safety of the communities we serve is our top priority. We continuously refine our system’s performance to navigate complex scenarios and are looking into this further.”

Related: (STN Podcast E267) I Believe in This: Illegal Passing Drops & Michigan Pupil Transportation Leader Speaks
Related: Georgia Gov Signs Law Following Fatal Illegal Passing Incident
Related: Addy’s Law in Georgia, Targets Illegal Passers of School Buses
Related: Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology

The post Waymo Driverless Car Illegally Passes Stopped School Bus in Atlanta appeared first on School Transportation News.

The Wisconsin State Patrol and the Wisconsin School Bus Association successfully completed Operation Safe Stop Week, a statewide campaign held from Sept. 22 to 26, aimed at improving student safety and raising awareness about school bus laws.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) previously announced the joint effort in a press release, highlighting its focus on public education, increased enforcement around school buses, and efforts to curb dangerous driving behaviors near student pick-up and drop-off zones.

During the week, authorities carried out targeted enforcement at high-risk bus stops, conducted vehicle inspections, and launched public outreach initiatives. The campaign’s primary goal was to reduce illegal passing incidents and ensure that students could travel to and from school without danger.

Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “The partnership with the Wisconsin School Bus Association and its drivers is essential in keeping both students and other road users safe. It’s critical that every driver understands and follows the rules of the road, especially around school buses.”

In 2024, over 1,200 citations were issued across Wisconsin to drivers who failed to stop for school buses with flashing red lights. Under state law, all drivers must stop at least 20 feet from a bus when its red lights are flashing, unless traveling on the opposite side of a divided highway. Buses also use amber lights to warn drivers that a stop is approaching.

Leading up to the campaign, the Wisconsin School Bus Association (WSBA) identified high-risk areas for illegal passing. Wisconsin State Patrol officers closely monitored these locations and performed safety checks to ensure bus warning systems were operating properly.

Cherie Hime, executive director of WSBA, noted via the release the ongoing commitment to student safety. “This initiative continues to serve as a vital effort to protect children and promote safe transportation. WSBA members are thankful for the long-standing partnership with the Wisconsin State Patrol on this important educational campaign,” she added.

As of March 2024, stricter penalties under Wisconsin Act 154 are now in effect. Motorists who fail to stop for a school bus face a $676.50 fine and four demerit points on their license.

Related: School Bus Safety Company Unveils New Leadership Training Course to Elevate Safety Leadership
Related: Georgia School District Removes Multiple Bus Drivers Over Safety Violations
Related: Does Safety Save Money?
Related: Wisconsin District Holds School Bus Test Drive Event

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The struggle continues over E-Rate funding for school bus Wi-Fi, the NCST addresses the omission of alternative transportation in its national specs manual, and NASCAR star power boosts a school bus illegal passing PSA in Michigan.

Just announced: the Zonar Bus Suite, an all-in-one routing ecosystem. During July’s STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin caught up with Zonar CEO Charles Kriete and ez enRoute Founder Amit Anand to discuss their partnership that produced this solution.

Brad Hayn, director of transportation for Hoover City Schools in Alabama and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses building relationships for a cohesive team and successful technology implementation.

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Katrina Morris has wanted to create an illegal passing public safety announcement involving NASCAR for a long time. It wasn’t until she engaged ROUSH CleanTech that her dream became a reality.

With ROUSH’s connections to and history in professional car racing, Morris, the executive director of Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, explained that in just a month and a half after starting discussions the PSA was in the can, so to speak. MAPT and ROUSH CleanTech partnered on the campaign, set to air during National School Bus Safety Week on Oct. 20. The video will be sent to all national associations with the hope they share it with local media and post it on social media.

The PSA was filmed on Sept. 10 at the RFK Racing Museum in Concord, North Carolina. Participants of STN EXPO East toured the facility last year. In the video, NASCAR driver Ryan Preece speeds past several situations but tells the camera that even he has time to stop for a school bus.

“I could not have envisioned a better way for this to have happened,” Morris said, adding that if it wasn’t for ROUSH’s participation the video wouldn’t have come together. She noted that ROUSH was already thinking of other drivers to expand to the project with.

“It warms my heart because they’re not just thinking, ‘We did this, so now we’re done,’”  added Morris. “[They] want to expand. What can we do to make this grow? What can we do to help this issue that we’re all having and we’re all facing.”

Morris said she was able to speak with Preece about the dangers of illegal passing and the importance of the message he’s sending to motorists everywhere.

“Children’s lives are in danger every day,” Morris recalled telling Preece. “And he looked at me, and I said see, I got your attention … You guys doing this for us and lending us your voice is hopefully going to help us to get that message out even further.”

Related: (STN Podcast E267) I Believe in This: Illegal Passing Drops & Michigan Pupil Transportation Leader Speaks
Related: Michigan’s Morris Presented with 2025 Grandolfo Award at STN EXPO
Related: NASDPTS Revises Illegal School Bus Passing Count After California Fixes Error
Related: NHTSA Releases Report on Nationwide Illegal School Bus Passing Laws

In addition to ROUSH and Blue Bird, which provided the school bus, MAPT obtained sponsorships from the Ohio Association of Pupil Transportation, the School Transportation Association of Indiana, Michigan school bus contractor Dean Transportation, the National School Transportation Association, the National Association of Pupil Transportation, First Light Safety Products, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, BusRight, and Set Seg insurance company. Morris noted all sponsor logos were added to the bottom of the school bus to show appreciation.

“Ensuring the safety of our children is a responsibility we all share,” Todd Mouw, executive vice president of ROUSH CleanTech, said. “For ROUSH CleanTech, being part of this school bus safety campaign is our way of reminding drivers that stopping for a school bus isn’t just the law — it’s a commitment to protecting young lives. Together with NASCAR and Blue Bird, we can broaden our audience reach to spread awareness and make our roads safer for every child.”

Photos of the PSA filming, courtesy of Katrina Morris.

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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

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A deep dive into the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services’ 13th National Stop Arm Violation Count as well as updates on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Funding program and electric bus manufacturer LION.

Hear from Katrina Morris, who is the transportation director for West Shore Educational Service District in Michigan, executive director of the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, and this year’s Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence winner. Her Proactive Response Training for School Bus Drivers is being taught in 33 states, she’s leveraging sports partnerships for student transportation visibility, and she’s dedicated to safety training for students.

Read more about safety.

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The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) says 39.3 million motorists could be illegally passing school buses nationwide, after updating its National Stop Arm Count survey to correct data reported by California.  

The California Department of Education provided new figures to NASDPTS to correct the number of driver-side and student loading-door-side illegal passes by motorists at school bus stops. As a result, NASDPTS extrapolated a decrease in the number of potential violations based on a 180-day school year and nationwide, further indicating that while still a major issue illegal passing rates improved during the 2024-2025 school year.

NASDPTS announced its 13th National Stop Arm Violation Count, a one-day snapshot of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses while loading or unloading students during the 2024-2025 school year, at National School Transportation Association Annual Meeting and Convention Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts. Earlier this year, California joined 35 other states and the District of Columbia in voluntary one-day counts of motorists passing the federally mandated stop arm and flashing red lights at school bus stops while children are loading or unloading.

Initially, the NASDPTS report indicated that the 1,943 participating school bus drivers in California — accounting for approximately 8 percent of the 21,668 school buses in operation each school day, according to the California Department of Education’s Office of School Transportation — observed 10,381 violations, and that all occurred on the right-side of the school buses where students load and exit.

California clarified Thursday that a total of 8,231 violations of the school bus stop arm and red lights were reported, with 3,881 occurring from the front of the bus and 4,350 from the rear. None occurred on the right side where the loading door is located, Anna Borges, supervisor the Office of Student Transportation, told School Transportation News.

California is also the only state to require all kindergarten through eighth grade students be escorted by their drivers, when the students must cross the street to and from the school bus to get to or from their homes. In these instances, the Office of Student Transportation clarified that 136 illegal passes were observed, where the motorist or motorist approached the school bus from the front or as oncoming traffic, during afternoon routes. Fifty-nine motorists passed during morning routes and dight during mid-day routes. Motorists passed from the rear of the school bus during escorted routes 104 times in the afternoon, 32 times in the morning, and 10 times at mid-day.

Illegal passes spiked on non-escorted routes, a total of 7,882 instances, or nearly 96 percent of the total observations. This included students who don’t need to cross the street and students in grades 9 through 12.

A total of 1,711 school buses operated by 149 of the California’s 950 school districts that provide home-to-school transportation and 11 private carriers participated in the April 29 count. 

With the correction, NASPDTS said 218,000 illegal passing incidents  report indicates 114,471 school bus drivers, or 31 percent of the nation’s total, reported a total of 69,408 vehicles passed their buses illegally. Adjusting to account for 100 percent all school bus drivers in the U.S., NASDPTS said over 218,000 illegal passing violations could occur on one day, a decrease of 7,000 based on the initial sample previously reported. NASDTPS also extrapolates 1.3 million fewer incidents could occur during a 180-day school year across all 50 states, 39.3 million compared to the original estimate of 40.6 million. While still high, the new figure represents 13-percent fewer illegal passes than the 45.2 million reported for the 2023-2024 school year.

“Even with these corrected numbers the illegal passing of stopped school buses continues to be the greatest safety danger to children,” said NASDPTS President Mike Stier. ”Regardless of the number, 39.3 million violations is simply too many. We continue to encourage each state to raise awareness on this important safety issue and to do everything possible to ensure motorists put the safety of school children first.”

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts nationwide saw the number of illegal passings spike. NASDPTS had previously cited 41.8 million violations occurring using data from the 2019 and 2022 surveys, as the survey was suspended for two years during the height of COVID, when schools nationwide closed their doors and few school buses were on route. The survey returned in 2022.

Meanwhile, the most recent survey indicated 80 percent of the reported illegal passes occurred on the left side of the stopped school bus. More notably, that left almost 20 occurring on the right side of the bus, where the loading doors are located and where students enter and exit.

According to the NASDPTS update, over 50 percent of the observed illegal passes, 33,914 instances, occurred during afternoon routes. About 46 percent, or 31,127 violations, occurred in the morning and 2,217 violations, over 3 percent, occurred during midday routes. Sixty-nine percent of the observed violations, 39,442, were committed by motorists in oncoming vehicles as opposed to 22,203 vehicles, 36 percent, following from the rear.

Georgia led the way with the most school bus drivers participating in the one-day count at 13,468 followed by Tennessee with 11,811 and North Carolina with 10,597.

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