Latest news with #BusPatrol
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Months after school districts partner with Bus Patrol, Philadelphia-area townships find staggering results
Several school districts in the Philadelphia region have partnered with Bus Patrol, a company that operates an AI-powered school bus safety program, and the results have shown a staggering number of violations by drivers in the Delaware Valley. In one mother's words, it was her kindergartner's "brush with death." It happened at a school bus stop years ago. A car barreled through despite red flashing lights and the bus's extended stop arm. A 5-year-old was nearly struck as a result. That reckless incident motivated Amber Clark to advocate for legislation that helps law enforcement better patrol school bus stops by using video surveillance. Some of the numbers of violations are astounding and shocking. CBS News Philadelphia went digging for results since the company known as Bus Patrol partnered with school districts in the Delaware Valley. In fall 2024, we first reported that local townships and school districts had entered into agreements with Bus Patrol. The company, founded in 2017, outfits school buses with cameras that capture school bus zone violators in the act. In one township, the number of violations shocked local officials, confirming they had a serious problem at school bus stops. "A brush with death" The story for Clark began in 2017. The Allentown mom will tell you she is persistent. "Once I get a hold of something, I don't let go," she said. Out for a walk with her daughter, Olive Clark Ortiz, Clark relives as she calls "a brush with death," the day her daughter was nearly hit by a school bus about eight years ago. "The bus stopped, put it red lights up, put stop arm out," she said. "I heard the car, I heard the engine rev, backfire or whatever it did, and I looked toward it, barreling toward us. I scooped up Olivia and spun and the hood of the car grazed her backpack. I smacked the window as it was going past, and I was hollering, and the guy was on his phone laughing at me." "Some white car, kind of grey from what I remember, it just went past the bus doors," Clark-Ortiz said. "If it weren't for my mom and my aunt pulling me back." From that moment, Clark went to work. She called transportation officials in dozens of states, where laws were in place using school bus cameras to catch drivers who ignored safety zones around stopped school buses. Clark worked with Pennsylvania lawmakers. In 2020, a bus-camera bill was passed into law. "Because that's my daughter. I know how I felt," Clark said when asked why she cared so much. "Just, she barely remembers it happening, that was eight years ago. You try to shield them. I can't tell her you almost died." "Ten thousand violations for passing a school bus" In Upper Darby Township, officials announced a partnership with Bus Patrol after the start of the school year. Police shared example after example of drivers blowing by school buses fully stopped, with flashing lights, and the stop arm deployed. Police say the video revealed a common driving habit. "They saw that yellow flashing light," Upper Darby Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt said. "Instead of slowing down, they try to speed up to prevent the red light. That's not what those yellow lights are meant to be, just like a traffic light. You want to stop at the yellow, because you know the red light is coming out." Upper Darby police shared they've reached a staggering number of violations. "We have 10,000," Bernhardt said. "Ten thousand violations for passing a school bus." Bernhardt says his department reviewed each violation. The driver is then sent a $300 civil fine. The police superintendent says the driver's license isn't suspended and there are no points assessed. Additionally, the driver can still fight the violation before a hearing examiner and, if dissatisfied with the outcome, in court. "For us, it's not about creating revenue, it's about making people aware, you can't pass a school bus," Bernhardt said. In Abington Township, their agreement with Bus Patrol began this past winter. "We're surprised at the amount of violations being sent to us. And legitimate violations, not close calls," Traffic Safety Officer Michael Coughlin said. While Abington's number is far below Upper Darby's, the program has still captured several hundred violations. "People are starting to get the message that these cameras are out there," Coughlin said. "They tend to get the message over time," Steve Randazzo, chief growth officer with Bus Patrol, said. "Over 90% of folks who get a violation in the mail do not reoffend." Where does the violation money go? Randazzo explained how the $300 violation is broken down. $25 goes to the local police department. Another $25 to a school bus safety grant program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The remaining $250 is split between Bus Patrol and the local school district. Randazzo said Bus Patrol fronts all the capital for the system, with the installation of cameras on every bus in a district, regardless of the number. "The percentage might sound like sticker shock," Randazzo said. "The school district never pays a penny for the program. Law-abiding taxpayers who fund the school district budget do not pay a penny for the program. It is all funded by those who break the law." For Clark, Upper Darby's figures on violators were alarming. "It's disheartening. It makes me angry," she said. "Everyone knows it's a two-story giant rectangle with flashing lights. That makes me mad, because they're kids." While Upper Darby's number may seem off the charts, industry experts and sources say it isn't uncommon given the density of the township, the traffic, the roads and the large number of school children. The School District of Philadelphia announced a partnership with Bus Patrol in April. Twenty of its buses were outfitted with cameras as part of a pilot program. It's possible the program will be fully expanded in the city for the next school year. contributed to this report.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Under Trump's distrust of foreigners, we're forgetting immigrants' contributions
Who's an immigrant? A headline in the Miami Herald's May 18 front page states, 'Florida's mass deportation and immigration-enforcement blueprint explained.' The article details that Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is aligned with President Trump's administration in cracking down on immigrants. On the same front page was a story celebrating the achievements of the 2025 Silver Knight Awards recipients. Most of the recipients are children or grandchildren of immigrants. The dichotomy makes one's head spin. One has to be ignorant — and racist — not to see the obvious contribution immigrants bring to our country. Unless one belongs to a Native American tribe, we are all immigrants, including the governor and the president. Monica Harvey, Miami Shores What's the benefit? If President Trump and his inner cadre of xenophobes want to score political points, deporting Venezuelans who fled political and economic turmoil is unnecessary, as Trump won the election more than six months ago. If he is trying to produce more goods and services domestically and maintain the economic boom South Florida has enjoyed over the last decade, how does removing thousands of potential and current workers, almost all who work for low wages, help the cause? This pathological dislike and distrust of foreigners championed by the MAGA movement contradicts everything patriotism and American values stand for. If you love your country, why turn away the many masses who risked life and limb to get here? Many Venezuelan conservative converts paraded around Doral with pro-Trump banners. Why turn on those who helped vote you in to office? Suspending Temporary Protective Status obstructs fairness and growth. This can't be good policy nor even good politics. Mark Elman, Miami Bus audit Re: the May 18 Miami Herald story, 'Miami-Dade schools to audit bus camera program after investigation reveals issues.' I was happy to read that the school board voted in favor of a comprehensive audit and I look forward to the results. I wonder, however, if it will raise the ethical question of whether the political influence of State Rep. Vicky Lopez benefited her son and the company he works for, BusPatrol. In Oct. 2024, after Lopez supported school bus camera laws, BusPatrol, the leading vendor, hired her son. Barbara Sangetti, Miami Downtown living I've long supported the Downtown Neighbors Alliance (DNA) and was proud to serve as its Development and Flagler Business Improvement District (BID) Liaison. However, DNA's campaign to dismantle the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) relies on misleading 'facts' and risks harming the residents it claims to defend. The DDA's $12.97 million annual assessment is reinvested into our community — clean streets, safety ambassadors, cultural events and public-realm projects like Flagler Street and the Baywalk. Fully 53% of the budget funds quality-of-life, arts, culture and urbanism initiatives; another 17% supports small-business grants and retail activities that keep our sidewalks vibrant and local economy healthy. Even the $750,000 sports sponsorship yields measurable boosts in visitor spending and property values — hardly 'taking money from residents' pockets.' If one believes the DDA needs more resident voices, then join public meetings, attend town halls and demand clearer performance metrics. However, dissolving the DDA won't improve Downtown — it will abandon vital services and force the City of Miami to fill the gap, inevitably raising taxes. Miami deserves constructive debate, not reductive social-media slogans. I urge my fellow residents to engage in the upcoming budget discussions, present our challenges fairly and work together for a stronger Downtown Miami. Terrell N. Fritz, director, Flagler BID, Miami School e-buses Miami-Dade County Public Schools have made groundbreaking progress by securing hundreds of electric school buses through the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. These buses are already improving lives — reducing harmful air pollution, creating quieter and safer rides and cutting maintenance costs so more resources go back into classrooms. This success story, however, is now under threat. The Trump administration has already terminated hundreds of grants and contracts supporting teacher preparation and education research. It has frozen funding awarded under the Clean School Bus Program and other clean-energy improvements and canceled approvals for states and school districts to spend millions in already-promised funds. This funding isn't just about climate — it's a triple win for 'pupils, planet and prosperity.' Electric buses reduce asthma-triggering emissions, boost student learning by improving air quality and save school districts money in the long run. Our drivers love them. Our kids breathe easier because of them. We cannot let shortsighted politics undo this progress. Miami-Dade families, educators and taxpayers all benefit from these clean-energy investments. We must fight to protect this program and ensure our children ride into a healthier, safer and more prosperous future. Michele Drucker, Miami Medical advice If Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., feels that people shouldn't take medical advice from him, then he should step aside in favor of someone who is qualified to give medical advice and head the national health agency. Ted Burg, Pembroke Pines No property tax The history of property taxation in the United States is long and complex, particularly in Florida, where politicians have consistently lacked the will to eliminate it. This ongoing inaction has created a catastrophic crisis for homeowners, especially retirees and senior citizens, many of whom are close to losing their primary residences. Respected Wall Street Journal columnist John Steele Gordon, through a well-researched historical analysis of property taxes, argued that the current model should be suspended. He maintains that property taxes, which remain the primary source of revenue for local governments in the U.S., are a harmful relic of the 18th century. He advocates for their abolition, noting that such a tax no longer exists in any developed industrialized nation, but only in a few developing countries. Notable voices have echoed this call. América TV host Juan Manuel Cao and Florida State Sen. Ileana García have both courageously spoken out in favor of abolishing property taxes. Their advocacy underscores the urgency of enacting a constitutional amendment to at least relieve retirees and elderly citizens of this onerous burden. Fortunately, Gov. Ron DeSantis has the will to act. In March, he held a conference in Orlando with the Florida Association of Realtors, in which he reiterated his commitment to eliminating property taxes and expressed his intent to include a constitutional amendment on the 2026 Florida ballot. A difficult path still lies ahead, with many local leaders opposing such change. It can be done. Germany, Japan and other nations have achieved this level of social well-being. We can too, by restructuring revenue sources, such as taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, gasoline, sales, tourism, home repair permits and other indirect taxes. Bureaucratic excess must be reduced, exorbitant public salaries re-evaluated and a portion of revenue from tariffs could be allocated toward replacing property tax income. With strong leadership finally emerging, let us unite in support of a constitutional amendment on the 2026 Florida ballot to eliminate property taxes once and for all. Domingo J. Delgado, Sunny Isles Beach Changing landscape Seems like Sears in Coral Gables will be joining those magnificent places of my childhood, like Richard's Department Store, Jefferson's, Famous Restaurant in Miami Beach and Pirate's World in Dania Beach. Today's youngsters won't have the joys of eyeing the candy displays nor waiting in line to talk to Santa. Instead, the Amazon truck pulls up, drops off your order without any conversation nor caring if the product satisfied your needs. Oh, if only we could return to those simpler times. Sol Yanowitz, Miami
Miami Herald
17-04-2025
- Miami Herald
‘Significant errors': Sheriff suspends Miami school district's bus camera program
The controversial school bus camera ticketing program that sent $225 fines to drivers in Miami-Dade County is being suspended, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz announced Thursday. The program started in May and has since impacted more than 100,000 drivers accused of illegally passing stopped school buses after the vehicles' stop arms were extended. The sheriff pointed to major errors in tickets that were issued and the inability of people to appeal their citations for the cancellation of the program. 'Unfortunately, upon extensive review of the program, we've identified significant errors in the [Uniform Traffic Violations] that were issued and mailed by BusPatrol,' Cordero-Stutz said during a press briefing at the sheriff office's Doral headquarters. 'These errors are unacceptable, and they undermine both the fairness and the trust of the system.' A joint investigation by the Miami Herald and The Tributary, a Florida-based not-for-profit newsroom, published in early March found that many motorists who did nothing wrong were receiving violation notices and were unable to challenge them. The investigation also revealed the contract with BusPatrol, the company that administers the program, was signed in a hasty manner by the school district, without a bidding process. The contract, which generates revenue for the district, was signed just 12 days after the school board asked staff to do a 'feasibility study' on the program. The School Bus Safety Program kickstarted last year, with BusPatrol installing cameras on all Miami-Dade school buses to catch motorists in the act of illegally passing a school bus with its 'stop-arm' extended. Revenue numbers provided by the school district indicate the program was flagging more than 407 paid violations per day, seven days a week, generating a staggering $19.5 million in the first six months of the program. Soon after the Herald/Tributary report, Cordero-Stutz announced she was suspending enforcement of some of the tickets after receiving complaints. 'Break in the chain of communication' At the Thursday press conference, Cordero-Stutz pointed out more problems with the program. Many of the Uniform Traffic Citations issued did not have the correct citation number on them and the wrong fee amount, making it 'impossible for our community to resolve their violations within the required 30-day period by either paying the correct fine or requesting an appeal,' she said. The errors meant thousands of people also faced having their driver's licenses suspended. This is because the fees on the citations were actually amounts for what are known as 'Notice of Violations' — a $225 fine. A Uniform Traffic Citation fine is $344. When people who received tickets for passing a stopped bus paid the $225, the system still showed they owed $119, and the state received a notice that their driver's licenses should be suspended, Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, said during the briefing. And, since the numbers on the citations were wrong, when people came in to the Clerk of the Court's office to file an appeal for their tickets, staff couldn't even find it in the system. 'It's this break in the chain of communication, in not just the amount, but even in the ability to identify the ticket, that puts these people in a precarious situation,' Fernandez-Barquin said. The break in the chain of communication goes as far back as the language of the law allowing school bus camera programs statewide. A statement from the Miami-Dade Courts from April 8 said that in similar legislation where technology is used to detect traffic infractions, such as the state's red light camera law and school zone speed detection law, challenges are not heard by the courts but by county administrative staff who are assigned to preside as 'local hearing officers.' But in school bus camera law, the burden of hearing complaints 'was placed on the courts without providing funding for the appointment of more judges or hearing officers to handle this new volume of cases,' leading to delays, the statement said. Cordero-Stutz said that her deputies' role in the program was to review Notices of Violations sent to the department by BusPatrol. If the deputies confirmed a driver did illegally pass a school bus, a Uniform Traffic Citation was mailed to that person, Cordero-Stutz said. Cordero-Stutz sent a letter to BusPatrol Thursday, which was shared with the Miami Herald, informing the company that deputies would no longer be reviewing violation notices. 'Our commitment to traffic safety and the needs of our community remains unwavering. It is, however, equally critical that enforcement programs operate with the highest levels of accuracy, transparency and public trust,' Cordero-Stutz wrote. The sheriff said at the briefing that the sheriff's office has asked BusPatrol to identify how the errors occurred. 'Concerns must be fully investigated and resolved,' she said. Miami-Dade County Public Schools says they have been informed that the sheriff's office has discontinued the program, and that they are still determining next steps. Drivers who have received either Notices of Violations or Uniform Traffic Citations under the program prior to Thursday's announcement must still pay the fines, the sheriff said. But, moving forward, the program is suspended, she said. Cordero-Stutz admitted this left people who already paid the fines with limited options. 'At this time, all I have to say is they have the opportunity to speak to their own personal attorney to seek what their rights are,' she said. Nandhini Srinivasan, an investigative reporting fellow with The Tributary, a Florida nonprofit investigative newsroom, contributed to this report.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
‘An everyday thing': North Providence adds school bus cameras to catch drivers who run stop signs
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Cynthia Sanchez has been a bus driver for two years, taking students of all ages to and from North Providence schools, including her own two children. She said her son inspired her to take the job. 'He's autistic and non-verbal,' Sanchez said. 'So in pre-school, he was going to school and then he saw the school bus and said, 'Mommy bus.' I've been here ever since.' But she said seeing drivers ignore the stop sign on the side of her bus is a regular occurrence. 'This is like an everyday thing,' she said. 'I'm always calling it in. I'm hitting my button, someone ran my reds going 30 an hour. I tell them the plate number and everything, and nothing changes.' But now, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi and Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero said new cameras have been installed on school buses to hold drivers accountable. Ruggiero said they received the BusPatrol cameras through a grant. The devices can be found all around the bus, from the stop sign to the windshield. 'The devices start recording once the bus operator opens the bus doors, and it will stop recording when the bus operator closes the doors,' Ruggiero explained. The town is giving drivers a 30-day grace period. Starting April 1, drivers caught by one of the cameras will be sent a letter. But on May 1, people can face fines between $250 and $500. They could also face a 30-day license suspension. Lombardi wants to be proactive about safety and said he's open to other options, like speed cameras in school zones. 'It's something we're thinking about,' he said. In the meantime, Sanchez wants drivers to be more careful. 'Think of it as if it was your kid or yourself, like your younger self,' Sanchez said. 'How would you feel if you're getting ready to walk across the street to take a bus and a car flies past you? How would you feel?' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
11-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
School bus camera violations ‘on hold' for Miami drivers who contest them. What to know
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said Monday that school bus stop-arm violations would be put on hold for all drivers who wish to contest their ticket, a move aimed at addressing the chaos following the roll out of the school district's hastily-approved contract with school bus safety company, BusPatrol America. To take advantage of the temporary reprieve, drivers must contest their violation at a website, The bad news, though, is that the sheriff's statement didn't provide any answers for drivers who were ticketed while driving on the other side of a raised median and just paid the violation. 'As to the median citations already paid, fees were never collected by the Sheriff's Office,' the statement reads. 'Therefore, we don't have legal purview concerning the payments already made. All payments were collected directly through BusPatrol.' The sheriff department's statement follows an investigation by the Miami Herald and the nonprofit newsroom The Tributary, which revealed that the tickets were being issued in error and challenges were going unheard. The Herald/Tributary investigation found that many Miami-Dade drivers were ticketed by the school district's bus safety program while driving on the opposite side of a raised median from a stopped school bus. That's legal, but they got the $225 ticket anyway. On Friday, the sheriff's office issued a statement saying they would be suspending median violations but didn't indicate whether drivers who had already paid would get any reprieve. BusPatrol America, the vendor in the program, did not respond to the Herald/Tributary's questions in time for publishing about whether the company would provide refunds for those who paid median violations. Steve Randazzo, Chief Growth Officer at the company, said that BusPatrol does not make 'enforcement decisions' or 'act in any discretionary manner around ticketing' when the Herald/Tributary asked for a statement last week after the Sheriff suspended all action on median violations. The school district said it would respond to questions about refunds from program revenue but did not issue a statement in time for publication. The Herald/Tributary investigation also found that when drivers tried to fight the violations, they were stuck in limbo waiting for a court date that never came. Often drivers would just pay the fine. It's unclear how many drivers have been improperly ticketed, but school district figures for revenue and violations indicate the number could be substantial: In total, the program is issuing around 400 violations per day and generated more than $20 million as of last month. Barby Rodriguez, the Chief of Staff at the Clerk of Courts and Comptroller, said that as of this morning, the sheriff's office has filed 1,364 contestations in the statewide E-Filing portal. She added that the Clerk does not schedule the hearings and that it would fall under the purview of the courts. A spokesperson for the 11th Judicial Circuit did not respond to questions about the scheduling of these hearings in time for publishing. The school bus safety program is a collaboration between the school district, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, and BusPatrol, which was awarded the contract by the school district. BusPatrol installed cameras on all Miami-Dade school buses to catch motorists in the act of illegally passing a school bus with its 'stop-arm' extended. As of Dec. 19, 120,000 drivers had received violation notices in Miami-Dade County for illegally passing extended school bus 'stop arms.' BusPatrol gets most of the revenue – 70%, although that cut will be reduced to 60% after two years. The school district receives the rest and is supposed to spend it on bus safety. Nandhini Srinivasan is an investigative reporting fellow with The Tributary, a Florida nonprofit investigative newsroom.
