School Bus Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Lawsuit May Require Refunds of $30 Million in School Bus Passing Fines

Five Texas motorists receive tickets for passing a stop arm and file a class-action lawsuit against Dallas County Schools and two cities, saying they do not remember driving past the stop arms or were not driving the car at the time.

October 18, 2016
Lawsuit May Require Refunds of $30 Million in School Bus Passing Fines

Five motorists received tickets for passing a stop arm and filed a class-action lawsuit against Dallas County Schools and two cities, saying they do not remember driving past the stop arms or were not driving the car at the time.

2 min to read


Five motorists received tickets for passing a stop arm and filed a class-action lawsuit against Dallas County Schools and two cities, saying they do not remember driving past the stop arms or were not driving the car at the time.

DALLAS — A class-action lawsuit filed against the cities of Dallas and Carrollton and the school district that runs buses for the county could lead to $30 million in traffic ticket refunds, The Dallas Morning News reports.

The five plaintiffs, who were all motorists who received traffic tickets for at least $300, claim that Dallas County Schools illegally used stop-arm cameras on school buses to ticket motorists for traffic violations they may not have committed, according to the newspaper. The plaintiffs’ cars were recorded by cameras on the buses, but they said they either do not remember driving past the stop arms or they were not the person driving the car at the time.

Larry Duncan, the Dallas County Schools board president, told The Dallas Morning News that the motorists are looking for a loophole that will allow them to not have to pay the tickets, and he told NBC 5 that attorneys in five cities have reviewed the stop-arm camera implementation and found it to be legal, according to the newspaper.

LeDouglas Johnson, the lead attorney in the lawsuit, told The Dallas Morning News that the school district started using the cameras in 2012, and the money from the traffic tickets goes to the city in which the violation occurs. He also said that the district receives 87.5% of the fines, and that about 100,000 drivers have been ticketed for driving past the stop arms since 2012. (The Dallas Morning News noted that those numbers could not immediately be verified.)

To read the full story, go here.

More Safety

Graphic showing a yellow school bus behind a shattered-glass effect with the text “Multi-Vehicle Crash in FL Takes 2 Lives” and the date October 5, 2026.
Safety•by Staff and News Reports•October 6, 2026

2 Killed, Dozens Injured in Florida School Bus Crash

A multi-vehicle collision caused a Polk County school bus carrying 37 students to overturn on its way to Winter Haven High School.

Read More →
Close-up of an extended red stop arm with flashing lights on the side of a yellow school bus.
Safety•by Elora Haynes•September 21, 2026

Illegal School Bus Passing Drops 24% in New York Districts

With fewer than 5% of citations involving repeat offenders, Westchester County officials said enforcement, education, and community partnerships are helping change driver behavior.

Read More →
Graphic showing a yellow school crossing sign and blurred school bus with the headline, “The Back-to-School Traffic Effect.”
Safety•by Amanda Huggett•September 18, 2026

School's Back. Here's What Happened to Traffic, Speeding & Distraction

What happens to traffic when school resumes? New data analysis examines changes in distracted driving, congestion, and speeding around schools.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Geotab fleet safety platform showing driver coaching data and video of driving events alongside a Geotab vehicle camera.
Technology•by News/Media Release•September 17, 2026

Geotab Expands Fleet Safety Tools With Video Coaching, Risk Insights

New safety and video capabilities aim to help fleet managers assess risk, support drivers, and take targeted action through video coaching, red-light violation detection, and more.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet’s The Route graphic featuring two people alongside the text, “The Secret to Better Bus Driver Training (It’s Not the Curriculum),” sponsored by IC Bus.
Sponsored•by Amanda Huggett•September 15, 2026

How to Build a Better School Bus Driver Training Program

Is it time to strengthen your driver training? Here’s how to pick the right talent and improve recruitment, retention, and safety. This video is brought to you by IC Bus.

Read More →
Graphic showing a yellow school bus behind a shattered-glass effect with the text, “Fatal Accident in a Bus Lot & Students Struck Near Bus Stops, Sept. 8–9, 2026.”
Safety•by Staff and News Reports•September 13, 2026

Recent School Bus Accidents Leave 2 Dead, 2 Injured

Four school bus crashes in Florida, Illinois, and Georgia highlight risks in transportation lots, at bus stops, and during student loading and unloading.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A female school bus driver in bus driver's seat speaking on radio with an inset of female with headphones looking at two monitors and buses in the background
Safety•September 8, 2026

When Every Second Matters, Clarity Keeps Routes Moving

From routine delays to urgent incidents, strong communication practices help drivers, dispatchers, schools, and families respond with confidence.

Read More →
Firefighters spray water on a smoking Marietta City Schools school bus during a fire response drill.
Safety•by Amanda Huggett•September 8, 2026

What Happens When a School Bus Catches Fire — and What Can Help

School bus fires are rare but can be devastating. Learn how advances in fire suppression and asset protection help fleets detect fires earlier, reduce damage, and improve safety.

Read More →
Graphic promoting Geotab’s new fleet investigation tool, featuring a screenshot of the MyGeotab platform showing an incident timeline, vehicle activity, and mapped route data.
Safety•by News/Media Release•September 1, 2026

Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents

Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Student-created poster titled “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” shows a yellow school bus at a crosswalk, students waiting nearby, and school bus safety reminders about stopping, school zones, safe pickup and drop-off, and buckling up.
Safety•by News/Media Release•August 31, 2026

Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest

Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.

Read More →