Albany County Republican & Conservative Conference Agenda 

Local Legislators Applaud North Colonie for Opting into School Bus Stop Arm Camera Program to Protect Schoolchildren

COLONIE, NY – The North Colonie School District recently joined the Albany County School Bus Safety Program and will soon install stop-arm cameras to deter motorists from illegally passing stopped school buses. Local legislators in the Albany County Republican and Conservative Conference applauded North Colonie’s decision to enhance school bus safety and protect schoolchildren.

“Protecting the public and our children is the first responsibility of government. Innovations in stop-arm camera technology on school buses, and the leadership of County and local school officials – especially my colleague Peter Tunny who helped spearhead this program – have enabled us to do just that. At the end of the day, this is about keeping kids safe. I thank North Colonie schools for joining our Albany County School Bus Safety Program, and I urge impatient drivers to think twice when they see the stop-arm of a school bus,” said County Legislator Paul J. Burgdorf (R-C, Latham).

“North Colonie’s decision to opt-in to the County’s school bus stop arm camera program is the right one. All too often we see or hear about preventable traffic accidents and other dangers posed to our schoolchildren. It’s a chronic problem in our County and State that we must work to fix through education and enforcement. By joining our County program, North Colonie becomes one of several local school districts in sending a message of zero tolerance for motorists illegally passing stopped school buses,” said County Legislator Jennifer Whalen (R-C, Loudonville).

“The Albany County School Bus Safety Program is about keeping kids safe. I thank Latham and Loudonville County Legislators who collaborated with the County Executive and school officials to get this program off the ground in North Colonie. Everyone has seen people disregarding the safety of our children by failing to stop for, or even worse, swerving around school buses. I guarantee you, no matter where you have to be, it is not as important as the safety of our children,” said County Legislator Todd Drake (R-C, Latham).

“As the father of three schoolchildren, nothing is more important to me than their safety. As the husband of a North Colonie school counselor, I understand many of the issues facing local students. The safety and security of kids riding a schoolbus is paramount. Thank you North Colonie for joining the County’s school bus safety program,” said County Legislator-Elect Ryan Conway (R-C, Loudonville).

The North Colonie School District joins five other districts across Albany County in the school bus safety program, including South Colonie. Earlier this year, County officials and other officials gave an update and launched an awareness campaign on the expanded program.

In 2023, there were more than 8,700 tickets issued through the Albany County School Bus Safety Program, totaling more than $550,000 in revenue for the County. South Colonie alone produced more than 60 percent of the total citations issued.

Stop-arm camera technology detects license plates of vehicles that fail to stop for school buses with their red lights flashing, with video evidence reviewed before citations are issued. The first penalty for passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing is $250, then $275 if it happens again within 18 months, and $300 if it happens for a third time or more within 18 months.

According to the New York Traffic Safety Bureau, approximately 50,000 cars illegally pass stopped school buses in New York State every day. Various data and studies show that an overwhelming majority of first-time offenders do not receive a second ticket, and most offenders do not contest their ticket after seeing video evidence of their violation.