All 102 Neshaminy School District buses are equipped with new photo enforcement technology starting Wednesday, the first day of school, as part of a new effort to curb illegal bus passing.
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The Neshaminy School District and the six police departments that serve the district have partnered with BusPatrol to launch the school bus safety program.
The technology is installed on every bus and is designed to identify vehicles that illegally pass stopped buses, officials said.
Video evidence of alleged violations will be sent to the police department where the incident occurred.
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The departments—Middletown Township, Lower Southampton Township, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor Borough, Hulmeville Borough, and Penndel Borough—will review the video to determine if a civil citation should be issued.
Motorists found in violation will face a $300 fine. The citations are civil violations only and do not carry points on a driver’s license.
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The fine revenue is distributed among BusPatrol, the Neshaminy School District, PennDOT, and the police department.
Drivers wishing to appeal a violation can request a virtual PennDOT hearing and potentially further court hearings.
Earlier this year, Middletown Township Chief of Police Joseph Bartorilla said the program aims to address the frequent and dangerous issue of drivers passing stopped school buses.
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“We all know how dangerous it is when a driver passes a stopped school bus while its red lights are flashing and the stop arm is deployed,” Bartorilla said. “This isn’t just illegal, it puts the lives of children at serious risk.”
Bartorilla noted that despite ongoing public awareness campaigns, violations remain frequent, citing examples from neighboring communities. He said Bensalem Township records about 5,000 violations annually, Warrington Township records about 400 per month, and Falls Township records 200 to 300 per month.
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“I was pretty amazed when I talked to my colleagues in neighboring police departments how frequently it happens,” Bartorilla said. “I wasn’t prepared for how many violations actually occur.”
Other communities that use BusPatrol have seen violations drop by more than 40 percent, according to BusPatrol.
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“The Middletown Township Police Department, along with our partner agencies … urge all motorists to review Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Laws and commit to driving responsibly as the school year begins,” police said in a statement.
PennDOT outlines the state’s bus stopping law:
- Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm activated.
- Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.
- Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety.
- If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
- Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.
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The Neshaminy School District’s buses travel more than 1 million miles annually, transporting 8,500 district students and 2,900 non-public school students.
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