SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Report Targets School Buses Caught on Camera Running Red Lights in New York

State associations respond to the attorney general’s report, which highlights traffic camera citations issued to school bus companies.

Thomas McMahon
Thomas McMahonExecutive Editor
October 19, 2017
Report Targets School Buses Caught on Camera Running Red Lights in New York

A new report from the New York attorney general highlights red light camera citations issued to school bus companies. Photo by Unisouth via Wikimedia Commons

4 min to read


A new report from the New York attorney general highlights red light camera citations issued to school bus companies. Photo by Unisouth via Wikimedia Commons

New York’s attorney general is calling for more oversight of school bus citations from traffic cameras, even as opponents of traffic cameras call for the removal of the devices.

On Tuesday — notably during National School Bus Safety Week — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released a report titled “Wrong on Red: Report on School Bus Traffic Light Violations.” (To be clear, the report targets school buses running red lights at intersections, not other vehicles running the red lights on school buses.)

Ad Loading...

The Office of the Attorney General collected and analyzed data from 15 randomly selected school bus companies operating in New York’s Westchester and Suffolk counties. The investigation found that the surveyed companies in Suffolk County received 422 red light camera tickets in 2016, while the Westchester County companies received 296.

According to the report, some school bus drivers from those companies were caught on camera running red lights on more than one occasion in 2016. From the surveyed companies, 28 of the school bus drivers in Suffolk County and 20 of those in Westchester County were hit with more than one red light camera ticket while driving bus company vehicles.

In a press release issued with the release of the report on Tuesday, Schneiderman said that state law doesn’t require traffic camera citations to be reported to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as part of the state’s oversight of school bus operators.

“Bus companies can rack up red light camera violations — yet have no legal obligation to report them to the state, or even use them as part of their evaluation of drivers,” the attorney general said. “It’s time for action to protect our kids by requiring bus companies to report red light violations to the state and the school districts they serve, and to use those violations in driver evaluations. We must crack down on the problem now, before it turns tragic.”

The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) issued a statement saying that the association “is deeply concerned about the findings” of the attorney general’s report.

Ad Loading...

“The investigative work that the attorney general has completed has revealed an area in which we can and should collaborate to improve the overall situation,” NYAPT said. “First and foremost, it is critical that all of us in school transportation deliver a clear and direct message to all of our school bus drivers about the importance of obeying the traffic signals they encounter on a daily basis.”

In its own statement, the New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) noted that transportation providers take corrective action when a school bus driver is caught running a red light.

“In any of these instances where a driver is found to have gone through a stop light, it is not just swept under the rug — it is taken very seriously,” NYSBCA spokesman Al Roney said. “While different companies may have different disciplinary procedures, the driver is subjected to retraining, suspension, and/or possible termination.”

Both associations also highlighted the safety performance of school buses in general.

“We remind all the parents and school leaders in our state to recognize the overall outstanding safety record of New York’s school transportation operators — school district operators as well as private contractors,” NYAPT said.

Ad Loading...

“School buses are, by far … the safest mode of transportation for students to get back and forth to school each day,” Roney of NYSBCA said.

NYAPT and NYSBCA each said that they will work with the attorney general and other state officials to address the traffic light violation topic.

For his part, Schneiderman is proposing several changes in state law, including requiring school bus companies to report their number of red light camera violations to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles and to the school districts they serve. The attorney general is also recommending that any school bus drivers who accumulate three red light camera violations be disqualified from driving for one year.

Meanwhile, some legislators and members of the public are advocating the removal of red light cameras. As Newsday reported last month, an effort is underway to shut down Suffolk County’s red light camera program, which collects $31 million annually. Opponents claim that the program is designed to generate revenue rather than increase safety.

More Safety

An orange and white graphic with the cover of HopSkipDrive's 2025 Safety Report and text reading "Seventh Annual Safety Report."
Safetyby StaffMarch 18, 2026

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 →
Buyers Guide and Directory thumbnail
SponsoredMarch 13, 2026

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 →
Portrait of Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., assistant dean and psychology professor at New Mexico State University, featured in a Child Safety Network leadership announcement graphic.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseMarch 6, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
The 5th-generation Waymo Driver on the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE.
Safetyby StaffMarch 5, 2026

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 →
The side of a school bus with a retracted stop signal.
Safetyby Elora HaynesMarch 4, 2026

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 →
A school bus graphic with text reading "Iowa Student Killed, 14 Injured in Oklahoma Bus Crash."
Safetyby StaffMarch 3, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
school bus driver
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

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 →
Graphic of a yellow school bus above the headline “The Real Cost of Downtime,” with icons illustrating overtime costs, frustrated parents and administrators, repair expenses, and route delays, emphasizing the operational and financial impact of communication failures in school transportation fleets.
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

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 →
Graphic showing the EverDriven logo and “SafeOps Council Launches” text over an image of a vehicle driving on a curved road, with School Bus Fleet branding in the corner.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseFebruary 25, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
a photo of a school bus driving down a suburban street with houses in the background and green grass pictured
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseFebruary 23, 2026

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 →