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Wyomissing Area School District

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Bus Patrol

Program Overview

Wyomissing Area School District has partnered with BusPatrol to launch a new school bus safety program in line with PA Motor Vehicle Code § 3345.1. The district's fleet of buses has been modernized with advanced safety technology, including photo enforcement cameras to detect vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. This initiative aims to reduce dangerous driving behavior and enhance student safety. According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), school buses are unlawfully passed more than 45.2 million times each school year in the United States.

 

When a vehicle illegally passes a school bus with its red lights flashing, a camera on the bus captures the violation, including the car's license plate. The footage, along with GPS and time data, is securely sent to a cloud system, where artificial intelligence (AI) helps identify possible violations. A trained safety specialist then reviews the footage, and if it shows a potential violation, an evidence package is created for law enforcement, including the video, vehicle details, and GPS information, per state law.

Law enforcement reviews the evidence and issues a citation to the vehicle owner if the instance is deemed a violation. The owner is mailed a notice with instructions for payment, which can be made online, by mail, or in person. Vehicle owners can also contest the violation through the local court system.

Data shows that over 95% of drivers don’t contest the violation after seeing video evidence, and more than 90% of first-time violators do not reoffend. Check out the graphic to the right for an overview of how the program works:

 

When a vehicle illegally passes a school bus with its red lights flashing, and stop-arm activated, a multi-lens camera box on the side of the bus captures the violation and the car's license plate from different depths and angles. The footage, GPS, and timecode data are stored locally on an onboard digital video recorder (DVR) unique to each bus.

The data relating to the incident and violation is sent via an encrypted LTE network to a secure cloud system, where it is filtered by artificial intelligence (AI) software before being reviewed by a trained safety specialist.

If the specialist determines the violation is an offense, the specialist prepares an evidence package for law enforcement. The package is built in accordance with State law, complete with video footage, license plate number, make, model, vehicle owner information, GPS location, and a timestamp of the incident.

The evidence package is sent to law enforcement partners via a secure cloud portal. Law enforcement officers review the evidence package to approve. If approved, a notice of violation is mailed to the vehicle's owner, who is legally responsible for the violation per the law. The notice is issued along with a link to the AlertBus Driver Education & Payment Portal, where they can view video evidence of their violation. The vehicle owner makes their payment online, through the mail, or in person at a designated location within the jurisdiction. Notices of violation can also be contested through the relevant jurisdiction's civil court system.

Diagram illustrating the process of a school bus safety system, from camera activation to citation issuance.

Times to Stop for a School Bus in Pennsylvania

  • 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 a physical barrier separates the roadways 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.

Diagram illustrating traffic rules for school buses on different road types.

FAQs

  • Every day, more than 21,000 school buses in Pennsylvania transport around 1.3 million students. Sadly, reports show that drivers illegally pass these buses more than twice per bus per day. In a 47-day study from 2019, cameras on just two buses recorded 205 illegal passes—an average of 2.18 violations per bus each day. Even more concerning, a 2021 Operation Safe Stop study found 252 instances of illegal passing in just one day. Additionally, reports from BusPatrol programs revealed that in the first half of the 2022-2023 school year, nearly 8,000 violations were issued across the state.

    These statistics highlight a serious problem: illegal passing puts children at risk and underscores the need for enhanced enforcement.

  • In 2020, Governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 364 (now Act 38), allowing Pennsylvania school districts to implement violator-funded school bus safety programs. This law empowers districts to use automated enforcement, such as school bus cameras, to catch and penalize drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. The goal is to enhance student safety and hold reckless drivers accountable.

    In October 2023, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed an amendment to 75 Pa. C.S. § 3345.1, which improves the process for contesting automated enforcement violations. The amendment strengthens due process protections and provides clearer guidelines for drivers who wish to contest fines for failing to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing. 

  • The WASD School Bus Safety Program combines education and enforcement to help change driver behavior and raise awareness about the importance of stopping for school buses.

    Before enforcement begins, the program starts with a comprehensive Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to inform the community about the change to enforcement. The campaign focuses on:

    • Community awareness of the laws surrounding school bus stops
    • Child education on how to safely get on and off the bus
    • Motorist education on the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus

    The PSA campaign uses an omnichannel approach, reaching the community through a mix of traditional and digital channels, including parent letters, social media, press announcements, and more.

    This campaign continues even after the program starts, reinforcing safety messages and fostering a culture of responsibility and awareness around the school bus.

  • In Pennsylvania, a first-time violation captured by a school bus camera is considered a civil offense and results in a $300 fine. Importantly, because it is a civil offense, no license points are added to the driver's record for a first offense.

  • If you wish to contest a violation, you must request a hearing within 30 days of the notice date. Complete the form included with your notice and return it by mail or email both sides to pahearingevidence@buspatrol.com. You can contest the violation if any of the following apply: you weren't driving the vehicle at the time, the vehicle was stolen before the violation, you weren't the owner at the time of the offense, the camera system wasn't properly tested or certified, or the system was not in compliance with the department’s regulations. Detailed instructions are on the back of the notice.

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