BUFFALO, N.Y. — The safety of students and young kids stays top of the minds of many. University District Councilman Rasheed Wyatt is among those proposing to add cameras to bus stop arms.
We see Niagara Falls City School District using them, and now, The City of Buffalo is considering them for its schools.
"We all know the general aspect of it. When you see a school bus stopped with lights, you're supposed to stop," Wyatt says. He continues, "An individual going through a school bus arm-I don't know if they should get a break."
It's a break from illegally passing a school bus. It's why Councilman Wyatt is trying to get the cameras installed on school buses. Buspatrol, a company the city will partner with, will issue the cameras. The deal has not been approved by the council yet. They are the same cameras and companies neighboring districts like Niagara Falls use today. It's just plans aren't going the way they hoped.
"Despite having cameras on the sides of buses, motorists continue to pass school buses," said Mark Laurie.
"What's the numbers looking like?" I asked.
"On any given day, you have 20 cars pass a school bus," said Laurie.
Data from New York State estimates that 50,000 vehicles illegally pass a bus every day. A statement from Buffalo Public Schools applauds the common council for the effort, saying safety is a top priority. It's already against the law to illegally pass with fines starting at $250. So, the hope is to stop drivers from passing when a bus is stopped. It was discussed in today's meeting. Council members talked with Steve Randazzo, Vice President of Buspatrol about the cameras.
"We really don't have the law enforcement resources by in large to police hundreds, if not thousands of school buses in those communities," says Vice President of Buspatrol Steve Randazzo.