Carroll Community School District (CCSD) Transportation Director, Jeff Cullen, says motorists continue to disobey the lights and stop arms on their buses. They are working to integrate more technology to aid in catching these violators.
One driver told him for every violator they are able to get details on, two get away. New buses will come with cameras installed and Cullen is working to get the rest of the fleet updated. He says there is not one specific demographic responsible for the problems.
State law, however, says that when yellow lights are flashing, it is illegal to pass a school bus from the rear. Cullen says the infractions are even more numerous than before because buses are making fewer stops with the shortage of drivers. Cullen says they have averaged two violators a week through the first seven weeks of school. The buses were out for less than one hour on the first day and they had the first violation. He has had as many as three in one day. This is a scary situation, Cullen says, and they are asking drivers to wake up before a tragedy occurs. Carroll Chief of Police, Brad Burke, says if you are caught violating these regulations, the penalty is swift, harsh and out of the officer’s hands.
Burke says even with enhanced enforcement during the hours buses are running, the best way they can help cut back on the infractions is by word of mouth. He adds, once people learn they could lose their license for 30 days or more and pay a hefty fine, it may create more caution when around buses. Videos of the infractions coming in show that the majority of these are blatant violations of the law and examples can be seen below. Between Aug. 1 and Oct. 12 of this year, there have already been 11 people cited for a school bus violation. Last year during the same timeframe, there was one. Cullen says 85 to 90 percent of the problems are with the routes within the city limits.
