District News

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – Grand Rapids Public Schools has announced a one-week extension of the stop-arm camera warning period before tickets are issued for illegally passing stopped school buses.

The warning period is being extended out of fairness for another week to ensure the community is properly educated on the upcoming school bus safety program. Our goal is to make drivers aware of the laws around safe driving near school buses as scholars get to and from school each day. With this being the first program in West Michigan, community awareness is of utmost importance.

During the warning period, motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus will receive warning notices by mail with no financial penalty. Ticketing is tentatively targeted to begin on Monday, May 4.

The district and Dean Transportation have partnered with BusPatrol to deploy stop-arm safety technology across its entire school bus fleet at no cost to GRPS. The program focuses on preventing illegal school bus passings, a serious and ongoing safety risk for scholars as they board and exit buses at stops throughout the city.

The technology is designed to capture evidence when a driver fails to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Recorded incidents are reviewed by the Grand Rapids Police Department before a citation is issued to the registered vehicle owner.

The stop-arm cameras used on school buses are designed only to capture vehicles that illegally pass a stopped school bus. The enforcement cameras activate only when the bus’s stop arm and red lights are deployed. Footage of potential violations is securely stored and used solely for reviewing potential citations.

You can find additional information about the School Bus Safety Program on our website.