While progress appears to be far away, there is alignment among city leaders on bus stop-arm cameras
Discussion about stop-arm cameras on school buses continued last week at a Rochester City School District board meeting.
While several suburban school districts installed camera systems for their buses last year, RCSD Board vice president Beatriz LeBron explained that, as a big five New York school district, Rochester’s process is more complex, requiring more steps, including approval from city officials.
“We have not been afforded the opportunity yet, but we are in a position where we have some alignment with City Council and other leaders,” LeBron said. “Our students travel all over the city of Rochester, so this is not targeting any specific student or neighborhood. This would be universal to all of our buses.”
She also mentioned a need to get the district’s interim superintendent, Demario Strickland, up to speed, since most of the progress for the program was made under previous leadership.
“From my perspective, I just want to share that I think this should have already been completed and I would like to see it happen this fall,” City Council member Bridget Monroe said at a meeting last week.
“My own child got hit coming off a school bus,” she continued. “The arm was out, lights flashing, everything else. Sometimes people aren’t going to care until they get that ticket. I think it’s imperative that we get this program completed.”
Stop-arm camera systems record the road while the arm is active and drivers are required by law to stop. Footage is reviewed and offending drivers are sent a fine of $250 to $300, depending on repeat offenses.
Last year, cameras were installed in school buses in the Hilton, Webster, East Irondequoit, Greece, and Monroe One BOCES districts. They recorded over 3,500 citations.
“One, it’s an issue around safety. But two, there’s an opportunity for these red light cameras to generate revenue for this district,” said LeBron, who also chairs the Finance and Resource Allocation Committee. “That is a path we’re going to start looking at.”
LeBron added that the ending of American Rescue Plan Act funding means the district should search in ways they “have not done before.”
While other RCSD officials indicated the timeline goal for stop-arm cameras would be fall 2025, a more substantial presentation and discussion of the topic was promised for the next Finance and Resource Allocation Committee meeting in October.
Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. Submissions to the Letters page should be sent to [email protected].
There is not much to discuss regarding safety when it comes to our kids whether urban or suburban. Get it done. Then collecting the fines will be a whole other story. I believe that has been an issue in the past with other safety measures, concerns and solutions. Considering the “outstanding” job the VP of the RCSB is currently doing, it will be interesting if, when and how soon the safety measure are installed. If it’s a good idea to do it now, why wait to push it off another year. Considering the RCSD is the worst in NYS at the very least, make the attempt to educate safe.
When the safety of children is involved, as the ad says, “just do it.” Leaders should expedite whatever hoops need to be jumped through and put the cameras in place. I’ve witnessed impatient drivers zooming past stopped buses. If there are no consequences, behavior won’t change. $300 for the first offense and $500 for repeat offenses is more appropriate. I don’t care if some offenders are poor. If they can’t pay, have them work cleaning floors in an ED for a month. The state or county should partner with NFPs to create PSAs that educate drivers on whether it’s permissible to go past a stopped school bus on multi-lane roads like Lake Avenue or buses picking up students in front of a school. Then, there will be no valid excuses.