All Rockland Districts Opt Into School Bus Camera Program

CLARKSTOWN, NY — With school starting in two weeks, every school district in Rockland County has had cameras installed on the outside of school buses to capture the license plate of any car that passes when they're stopped.

Drivers caught illegally passing activated stop-arms on school buses are issued penalties by mail. School-bus-camera tickets are based on an evidence package that contains video and GPS telemetry.

"This program is not so much about enforcement, it's about saving lives," County Executive Ed Day said at a news conference Tuesday. "I've heard some commentary that this is just a money grab — no! It's a strong message that the safety of our kids is not negotiable."

Rockland County officials launched the program to mount cameras on the stop-arms of school buses in 2023 in partnership with BusPatrol, a company specializing in school bus safety technology, at no cost to local districts. Six of the county's nine school districts signed up last year; for 2024-25, every district is on board, Day said at the event outside Clarkstown North High School. Several of the many private schools in the county are also becoming involved.

With Clarkstown students going back to school Sept. 3, "This is a momentous opening for us," Superintendent Marc Baiocco said. "We are now one year into a partnership with BusPatrol."

Clarkstown also installed HD cameras inside the buses which allow district officials to monitor student activity

It's all about student safety, he said, about making sure that coming into school as well as departing, students are safe.

"Over 50,000 times each day in New York someone passes a school bus with the stop arm out," Day said. "This partnership with BusPatrol gave us a way that we can actually do something about it."

Already, 17,000 violations have been issued to drivers in Rockland, he said.

Bus Patrol Senior Vice President Ryan Monell pointed out that his company only takes the photos, reviews them and passes them on. It is the Rockland County Sheriff's Office that makes the final determination to issue a ticket.

The penalties rise with repetition:

• 1st Violation $250
• 2nd Violation $275
• 3rd Violation $300

BusPatrol offers drivers a way to review their offense online.