School Bus Driver Accused of Leaving Student Alone on Bus
Penny Rae Kirby of Pennsylvania allegedly fails to check her bus after her route and leaves a sleeping boy on board. She is being charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
Penny Rae Kirby of Pennsylvania allegedly failed to check her bus after her route and left a sleeping boy on board. She is being charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Photo by John Horton
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — A school bus driver allegedly failed to check her bus after her route and left a student on board last week, police said.
On Dec. 21, a child who was being transported to his school in the Shippensburg Area School District by a bus driver for BOYO Bus Transportation Services fell asleep on the bus, according to a news release from the Shippensburg Police Department.
Police said that when the bus driver, Penny Rae Kirby, finished her route and parked the bus at her home, she looked back but failed to check the seats and left the child on the bus, The Sentinel reports.
The child woke up, discovered that he was on the bus alone, and walked off the bus and into Kirby’s yard. A neighbor heard the boy yelling for help, brought him to their home, and called police, according to the news release. The boy was then transported to his school.
An affidavit of probable cause filed by Shippensburg Police stated that Kirby was “very upset” and did not intend to leave the child on the bus, according to The Sentinel. Kirby told police that she thought she saw the boy exit the bus when they arrived at the school, the newspaper reports.
Kirby is being charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
More Safety
The Driver Shortage Playbook
Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.
Read More →
Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System
The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.
Read More →
N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students
New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.
Read More →
America Has a School Bus Passing Problem — and Distraction Is Making It Worse
Illegal school bus passing remains a major safety threat as distracted driving rises. This op-ed explores why awareness, enforcement, and stop-arm cameras matter more than ever.
Read More →
School Bus Laws to Watch: New York Delays EV Mandate
Plus, federal lawmakers seek new funding for school bus safety as states weigh stop-arm enforcement, disability protections, and education spending.
Read More →
The Essential Handbook for Safe Alternative Student Transportation
Your district's "exception riders" — students with IEPs, those experiencing homelessness, foster care youth — deserve more than a middleman solution. This handbook breaks down exactly what to look for in a supplemental transportation partner: from driver vetting and regulatory compliance to proactive safety technology. Because getting a ride isn't the same as getting a safe one.
Read More →
Operation STEER Brings Emergency Response Training to North Texas
Prosper ISD hosted the third annual training for transportation professionals across 67 districts to learn how to respond to emergencies, such as rollovers and evacuations, and proper use of safety equipment.
Read More →
Florida District Relaunches BusPatrol School Bus Camera Program With New Safeguards
After being suspended over due process concerns, Miami-Dade schools and law enforcement are restarting the AI-powered stop-arm camera program with new oversight.
Read More →
School Bus Laws To Watch: Seat Belt Bills, Funding Fights & EV Changes
From national bills on seat belts and driver oversight to driver awareness campaigns referencing “Finn’s Rule” and ongoing transportation funding debates in Alaska, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Read More →
9-Year-Old Boy Killed by School Bus at Busy Brooklyn Intersection
A Williamsburg community is mourning after a child was fatally struck by a private yeshiva bus, prompting calls for urgent safety improvements at the high-traffic crossing.
Read More →