Middletown Cops Issue 1,900 Citations From School Bus Cameras

Middletown Township police have issued approximately 1,900 citations to drivers for illegally passing school buses.

The number of citations came after Neshaminy launched its automated enforcement program at the start of the school year. The cameras were installed in August 2025.

Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla reported that the BusPatrol Inc. system, which uses automated cameras on Neshaminy School District buses, has been a success.

The program works to increase student safety by deterring motorists from violating Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law.

The system has processed about 2,500 potential infractions.

After a manual review of the video footage by officers, 1,900 citations were approved through earlier this month. More than 700 were issued between last August and the end of 2025.

“It’s been a great success for us as a department,” Bartorilla said.

In response to concerns made when the program started, the chief said the department has implemented the program without spending any money on overtime.

The chief described the review process as “pretty involved” and it requires officers to individually evaluate a large volume of video.

Most violations result in a computer-generated $300 ticket mailed to the vehicle owner.

Bartorilla said that for more serious violations, officers issue state citations that require court appearances and carry heavier penalties.

Under the state-mandated $300 fine, the revenue is distributed with $150 to BusPatrol for equipment and maintenance, $100 to the Neshaminy School District, $25 to PennDOT, and $25 to the police department to offset the costs of reviewing footage.

Drivers who wish to contest a violation can request a virtual hearing through PennDOT, with the possibility of further court proceedings.

The enforcement is critical for the Neshaminy School District, which transports 8,500 district students and 2,900 non-public school students. The district’s fleet travels more than 1 million miles annually.

The automated camera program is part of a broader push for road safety in the township, according to the chief.

In 2025, the police department issued 3,380 traffic tickets for moving violations, an increase over the previous year.

“We are definitely making strides in keeping our roads safer,” Bartorilla said. “And we’re going to make it a point to try to conduct even more targeted enforcement this year because the roadways are getting very dangerous.”