Cheltenham School District School Bus Safety Program
Stop for the Bus. It’s Pennsylvania State Law.
Cheltenham School District has partnered with BusPatrol to launch a school bus safety program in line with PA Motor Vehicle Code § 3345.1.
All district buses are now equipped with safety technology, including stop-arm enforcement cameras to detect vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. This safety initiative will curb dangerous motorist behavior and make the ride to and from school safer for all student riders.
According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), school buses are unlawfully passed more than 43.5 million times each school year in the United States.
To speak to a representative about a safety violation, contact the AlertBus Customer Contact Center at 1-800-852-7741.
Modernizing School Buses
In addition to stop-arm enforcement cameras, the Cheltenham School District fleet is now fully equipped with additional features to improve safety for students and drivers.
This includes:
- 360° safety cameras inside and outside the bus
- GPS tracking
- Emergency response solutions
What Happens If You Illegally Pass a Stopped School Bus in Cheltenham School District
All school buses that transport Cheltenham School District students are equipped with automated photo enforcement cameras on the side of school buses to capture violations and vehicle license plate numbers.
The violation is reviewed by law enforcement. Once approved, a notice of violation is sent to the registered vehicle owner by mail.
In Pennsylvania, a first-time stop-arm violation witnessed by a camera carries a fine of $300 and no license points.
In addition to the financial deterrent, violators learn about the potential dangers of their actions. Offenders can call the program's toll-free number at 1-800-852-7741 and speak with a representative who can review the video evidence and help them understand the dangers of illegal passing. Services are offered in both English and Spanish.
Data from other safety programs demonstrates that 98% of first-time offenders do not receive a second ticket, and 95% of drivers do not contest their ticket after seeing video evidence of their violation.
Program Overview: How It Works
The diagram above represents the camera systems used in the district.
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 incident data 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 with a link to the AlertBus Driver Education & Payment Portal. The vehicle owner can make a 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.
When Should I 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.
For more information on school bus safety laws, refer to PennDOT.
Online Access:
To view the violation video evidence online or to pay a violation by credit card, visit www.alertbus.com and enter your citation number (example: PA-777777) and vehicle license plate number (no dashes or spaces), as listed on your citation.
Links and Resources for More Information