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In an effort to enhance student safety, three more school districts in Central New York—Lafayette, Onondaga Central, and Tully—are joining the county's Bus Safety Initiative by adding stop-arm cameras to their school buses. These cameras aim to catch drivers who illegally pass buses while students are boarding or disembarking. The fine for a first offense is $250, increasing to $275 for a second violation within 18 months, and $300 for a third violation.
According to Syracuse.com, the initiative is part of a broader effort by Onondaga County to improve road safety. The county has contracted with Vera Mobility to install and monitor the cameras at no cost to the districts. The company retains 55% of the fines collected, while the remainder goes to the county. The cameras automatically record the license plates of vehicles that pass stopped buses, and violations are reviewed by a county team before fines are issued.
Since the program's rollout, over 4,000 violations have been recorded, with more than 1,600 resulting in approved tickets. The Spectrum Local News reported that the cameras are part of a county-wide initiative that includes other districts such as Baldwinsville, Liverpool, and North Syracuse. County Executive Ryan McMahon emphasized that the goal is to change driver behavior and enhance public safety for children.
The Onondaga County website explains that these violations are not considered moving traffic violations and do not affect driving records or insurance. The initiative reflects a growing trend across New York to use technology to improve school bus safety, with similar programs in other counties recording thousands of violations annually.