Spurred by a recent incident in which a parent entered a school bus without the bus driver’s permission, John Marciante Jr., superintendent of schools for Manalapan-Englishtown (N.J.) Regional School District, wrote a letter outlining to parents and guardians changes he is making to rules about parents boarding school buses.
Marciante wrote that as of Oct. 3, if a parent boards a bus without permission of the bus driver, the district will send an incident report to the police department; appoint the district's director for safety and security to investigate the incident to determine whether specific charges should be filed; and revoke the busing privileges for all children of the individual for the remainder of the year.
The recent incident is being investigated by the district’s director for safety and security.
“I believe that this is a serious incident and an unfortunate reflection of civility in today’s society,” Marciante wrote. “Anyone who has recently attended a soccer or baseball game has seen that what some individuals consider to be acceptable behavior today is quite different from past standards.”
Marciante added in the letter that the district will continue to ask for seat belt assistance from the parents of kindergarten students during the first two weeks of the school year.
District cracks down on parents boarding buses
After a parent entered a school bus without the driver’s permission, the superintendent of Manalapan-Englishtown (N.J.) Regional School District told parents in a letter that future incidents will prompt an incident report to the police, an investigation into whether charges should be filed, and revocation of bus privileges for all children of the parent for the remainder of the year.
More Safety

What’s Behind HopSkipDrive’s Near-Perfect Safety Record in 2025?
The alternative transportation provider’s 2025 Safety Report highlights 99.7% incident-free rides, 130 million safe miles, and more.
Read More →2026 School Bus Fleet Vendor Directory & Buyer's Guide
Searching for the right equipment, technology, or services for your school transportation program? This industry guide brings together manufacturers and suppliers across the entire school bus market, all in one place. Download it to find the partners who can help move your operation forward.
Read More →
Child Safety Network Taps Dr. Michael C. Hout to Combat School Bus Stop-Arm Runners
Child Safety Network appointed psychology researcher Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., to lead a study examining why drivers illegally pass stopped school buses.
Read More →
NTSB Determines Human Error Led to Waymo’s Illegal School Bus Passing
Investigators reported a remote assistance error allowed a Waymo driverless vehicle to illegally pass a stopped school bus in Austin.
Read More →
National Action Plan Aims to End Illegal School Bus Passings Across the U.S.
See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.
Read More →
11-Year-Old Student Dies After Falling Under School Bus
Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.
Read More →
7 Key Criteria for Choosing a School Bus Fleet Technology Partner
Selecting a fleet technology partner can be complex, especially with evolving operational demands and limited resources. This white paper outlines seven key criteria to help school transportation leaders evaluate options and align technology with their needs. It offers a practical framework to support more informed decision-making.
Read More →
The Real Cost of Bus Fleet Downtime
When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.
Read More →
EverDriven Launches New Council to Standardize Safety Across 36 States
EverDriven has launched a new safety council aimed at standardizing and strengthening student transportation practices across all states it operates in.
Read More →
Thomas Built Buses Awards “If You Pass” Safety Campaign Funds to Ga. District
The OEM's three-week campaign during National School Bus Safety Week has awarded nearly $6,000 to Bryan County Schools to support increasing student safety around the bus.
Read More →
