New York's Onondaga County and Verra Mobility prioritize student safety with one of the state's most extensive school bus safety programs

More than six school districts and 500 school buses will deploy advanced technology to reduce the risk of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses

MESA, Ariz., Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ:VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced a partnership with Onondaga County, New York, to implement an advanced school bus stop arm safety program to protect students and reduce dangerous traffic violations around school buses.

The program will start by equipping more than 500 school buses with cutting-edge stop arm safety camera technology to better protect children on their daily commute to and from school. The stop arm camera safety system will automatically document and report vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses, capturing critical evidence that can be used by law enforcement to uphold the law.

"Too often, drivers disregard laws that are intended to protect children while they are boarding and exiting school buses," stated New York State Assemblyman William Magnarelli. "A recent study by the New York Association for Pupil Transportation determined that motorists pass stopped school buses more than five passes on average per day per bus. These cameras will serve as a deterrent to drivers from passing stopped school buses and ultimately save students' lives."

As one of the most extensive school bus stop arm programs in New York, the program will commence with six school districts, which include more than 20,000 students and more than 40 schools. The program is expected to roll out in phases with the launch to include:

• Baldwinsville School District
• East Syracuse Minoa School District
• Fabius-Pompey School District
• Jamesville-Dewitt School District
• Liverpool School District
• North Syracuse School District

"Onondaga County is pleased to announce our partnership with Verra Mobility on a stop-arm camera project aimed at ensuring safe travel to and from school," said Onondaga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon, II. "This initiative will hold drivers accountable for illegally passing stopped school buses, helping to protect our children and make our roadways safer."

The program will incorporate advanced AI integration, include a full-service solution to implement the school bus stop arm safety program, and deliver an expansive public education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus. The technology will also help to increase camera performance in the extreme weather conditions surrounding the Syracuse area.

"Our stop arm safety technology has consistently demonstrated its ability to reduce dangerous traffic violations," said Belinda Olivares, general manager of Verra Mobility's Bus Safety Division. "In Onondaga County, we're not just implementing a technology solution – we're creating a comprehensive safety ecosystem that protects our most vulnerable road users. Our school bus stop arm program is about changing driver behavior and ultimately saving lives."

Passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended is against the law. In New York, legislation has set fine offenses to start at $250 and increase with subsequent violations. When an illegal passing is captured, an event package (including video evidence of the violation) will be sent, verified, and approved by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office before being issued to the vehicle owner.

The program will have no up-front cost to Onondaga County or the school districts and will be funded through the citations received from the illegal behaviors. The remaining funds will stay with the County.

Verra Mobility's stop arm safety program has shown that 98 percent of drivers who are issued a violation for illegally passing a stopped school bus do not repeat their behavior. Through community awareness, programs have experienced a more than 50% reduction in issued citations.

Verra Mobility will provide comprehensive training to district personnel and local law enforcement to ensure smooth implementation and maximum effectiveness of the stop arm safety program. Both parties aim to implement the program for the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year and will conduct an extensive public awareness campaign for 30 days prior to citations being issued.

Participating school districts' superintendents are in support of this new initiative.

"The Baldwinsville Central School District has the responsibility to safely transport hundreds of students to and from school, athletic contests and special events every day. The installation of red light stop arm cameras is an additional tool that we can use to enhance our district's safety measures and protect our students. To have Onondaga County team up with Verra Mobility for this program will send a strong message to motorists to obey school bus safety laws. This initiative not only raises awareness to the dangers of passing a school bus when the stop-arm is extended but it also holds drivers accountable. The safety of our students, whether it's inside our schools or on our school buses, continues to be our top priority." 

Joseph M. DeBarbieri, Ed.D.,Superintendent of Schools, Baldwinsville Central School District

"Through our program with Onondaga County, we are taking a critical step toward ensuring the safety of our students by installing stop-arm cameras on school buses in partnership with Verra Mobility. These cameras have proven to significantly reduce traffic violations, enhance driver accountability, and ultimately prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities. By investing in these innovative safety solutions, we are not only enforcing traffic laws but also fostering a safer environment for our children and the entire community."

Dr. Donna DeSiato, Superintendent, East Syracuse Minoa Central School District

"The Fabius-Pompey Central School District is dedicated to the safety and well-being of our students and the broader community. As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure student safety during transportation, we are excited to participate in a program with Verra Mobility to install stop arm cameras on our school buses.

We believe this program reflects our district's values of caring for our students and community. By taking proactive measures to address this safety concern, Fabius-Pompey CSD is demonstrating our unwavering commitment to the well-being of our students and the shared responsibility we all have in keeping them safe. Together, we can create a culture of safety and accountability throughout our community." 

Lloyd L. Peck, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Fabius Pompey Central School District

"The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District is thankful for this opportunity to work with Onondaga County to increase transportation safety for our students, staff, and the community. This program has real potential to help reduce unsafe driving across Central New York and better protect the youngest members of our community."

Peter Smith, Superintendent, Jamesville-Dewitt School District

"The safety and security of Liverpool Central School District students is our top priority, both in our school buildings and on our school buses. The number of vehicles passing stopped school buses in Liverpool, as well as school districts across Onondaga County, has increased dramatically over the last few years. The addition of stop arm cameras on Liverpool school buses will assist our bus drivers in recording the license plates of those passing our buses illegally, ensuring the safety of students entering and exiting the bus. We are grateful to Verra Mobility and Onondaga County for including the Liverpool Central School District in this program." 

Douglas P. Lawrence, Interim Superintendent, Liverpool Central School District 

About Verra Mobility

Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ:VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility's transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.

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