photo by Maurice Mercado
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced the inaugural school year of the Yonkers Safe Stop program, which utilizes cameras installed on District school buses to effectively capture stop-arm events and reduce the number of violations and injuries caused by motorists who disregard the school bus stop-arm, has yielded 18,132 violations since its official launch in November 2023. The month of May had the largest total of violations issued with 3,556.
“The numbers are truly staggering, especially for drivers rendered with second and third offenses,” said Mayor Spano. “We launched this program to protect our children. These stop-arm safety cameras will continue to help us enforce the laws of passing a school bus. I hope motorists will think twice before passing a school bus when the stop-arm is extended.”
“The safety of our students is our highest priority. The success of the Yonkers Safe Stop program underscores our commitment to ensuring that every child arrives at school and returns home safely,” said Superintendent Aníbal Soler, Jr. “This initiative not only holds drivers accountable but also raises awareness about the importance of adhering to school bus safety laws. Thanks to Mayor Spano, our partnership is a significant step toward creating a safer community for our students.”
The City of Yonkers officials launched the program on November 13, 2023. A 30-day warning period in October alerted drivers before fines were issued.
In the first month, 1,939 violations were issued including 44 second offenses and 2 third offenses. At the beginning of the program, only 250 buses were equipped with stop-arm cameras.
As part of the City’s partnership with Verra Mobility, 516 buses are now equipped with school bus stop-arm safety cameras. Under the law, the fine for passing a school bus ranges from $250 for a first violation, $275 if a second offense occurs within 18 months, and $300 for every following offense, if within 18 months. The registered owners of vehicles captured illegally passing a stopped school bus with the stop-arm extended and lights flashing are liable for a Notice of Liability.
Yonkers is the only district among New York’s Big 5 cities to fully implement a school bus stop-arm safety camera program. The City of Yonkers is also the largest district in Westchester County and the only district in the County with an operational stop-arm safety camera program.
Verra Mobility’s CrossingGuard™ school bus stop-arm enforcement solution provides state-of-the-art stop-arm safety technology to effectively capture stop-arm events. When the stop-arm is deployed, the camera automatically detects vehicles that pass the stopped bus within the enforcement zone. When an event occurs, the cameras record video of the vehicle and capture event images including the vehicle, its license plate, and the extended stop-arm. Violation videos and license plate images are reviewed by a City of Yonkers Parking Violations Bureau technician for approval before a warning or Notice of Liability is issued.
The City of Yonkers contracted Verra Mobility to administer its School Bus Safety Program. For more information on Yonkers Safe Stop, visit https://www.yonkersny.gov/1017/Yonkers-Safe-Stop—School-Bus-Safety-Pr.
For more information about Verra Mobility’s CrossingGuard™ school bus enforcement solutions, visit https://www.verramobility.com/government/crossing-guard/.
