By Christopher Schultz

For nearly five years, the Stop-Arm camera program has been implemented on most school buses on Long Island. The legislation was signed by then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in August 2019.

The program uses security cameras at the front or back of each bus to report any car that illegally passes in front of a school bus when it is dropping off or picking up children. This legislation attempts to prevent drivers from getting around the buses and make the roads safer for children, especially elementary and middle school-aged children.

Last month, the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency issued a report of all known grievances between Sept. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2022, on the program administered by TPVA and Bus Patrol America.

Violators are required to pay fines starting at $250 per offense, which increases in increments of $25 per added violation. 

During the collection period of the audit, revenues from fines associated with the bus stop violations totaled $34,739,404 for TPVA and $2,232,323 for the East End towns/villages. Reimbursements (expenditures) to Bus Patrol for their contractual share amounted to $15,632,732 for TPVA and $904,090 for the East End towns/villages.

Yet, the TPVA cited nearly 52,000 instances, or more than 25% of total fines, where a suspected person did not pay their expected fine. It also cited other statistics in charts and graphs to show the law’s punitive effects on Long Island residents. 

Some Long Island residents believe this law is problematic.

The debate remains about whether the new Stop-Arm program is necessary or just an easy revenue tactic. One thing is certain: Drivers of vehicles must be extra wary when school buses are stopping.