Trucker gets jail time for passing school bus on right
Minnesota police said that the semi-truck driver nearly hit a student as he swerved around a stopped school bus in the May 2014 incident.
The Minnesota State Patrol released footage of the May 2014 incident in which a semi-truck swerved around a stopped school bus.
PAYNESVILLE, Minn. — A truck driver accused of illegally passing a school bus on the right side last year has been sentenced for the high-profile incident.
The Minnesota State Patrol said that the semi-truck driver nearly hit a young female student, who was waiting on the side of a highway near Paynesville, as he swerved around the stopped school bus on May 30. The bus had its lights flashing and its stop arm extended, police said.
The girl was not injured.
A few days after the incident, the state patrol released a video clip of the incident from a surveillance camera on the bus and asked for the public’s help in identifying the semi-truck. The video generated a surge of media coverage and has gotten more than 400,000 views on YouTube.
The truck driver, who kept going after passing the bus, turned himself in later in the day that the video was released.
After pleading guilty to a gross misdemeanor, truck driver Allen Morris was sentenced last week. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Morris received one year in county jail, two years of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology.
More Safety
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →
Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System
The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.
Read More →
How To Build a More Secure School Bus Yard During and After Hours
As thefts and overnight security threats continue, school transportation leaders are combining stronger operational practices with AI-enabled surveillance to better protect buses, facilities, and staff.
Read More →