North Penn School District Implements BusPatrol:

To combat dangerous driving behavior around school buses, the North Penn School District has partnered with local police departments and BusPatrol to launch a new school bus safety enforcement program. As part of the safety initiative, the entire fleet of NPSD buses including those contracted by First Student are now outfitted with photo enforcement technology to detect the license plates of vehicles that fail to stop for school buses with red lights flashing and stop signs engaged. The video evidence is shared with local law enforcement for review before a notice of violation is issued.

How the BusPatrol Safety Program Works:

This program combines education with enforcement to change motorist behavior and create a culture of awareness and responsibility around school buses. Before the first ticket is issued, the program starts with an extensive PSA campaign. This campaign reminds motorists of school bus stopping laws and teaches children road safety tips for getting on and off the bus.

What Happens If You Illegally Pass a Stopped School Bus in Montgomery Township?

All NPSD buses that transport students will be equipped with automated photo enforcement cameras on the side of school buses to capture violations and vehicle license plate numbers. Once these violations are vetted by Bus Patrol and the police department, a civil citation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. In Pennsylvania, a first-time stop-arm violation witnessed by a camera carries a fine of $300 and no license points. In addition to the financial deterrent, violators learn about the potential dangers of their actions. Offenders can call the program's toll-free number at 1-800-852-7741 and speak with a representative who can review the video evidence and help them understand the dangers of illegal passing. Services are offered in both English and Spanish. Data from other safety programs demonstrates that 98% of first-time offenders do not receive a second ticket, and 95% of drivers do not contest their ticket after seeing video evidence of their violation.

When a vehicle illegally passes a school bus with its red lights flashing, and stop-arm activated, a multi-lens camera box on the side of the bus captures the violation and the car's license plate from different depths and angles. The footage, GPS, and timecode data are stored locally on an onboard digital video recorder (DVR) unique to each bus.  The incident data is sent via an encrypted LTE network to a secure cloud system, where it is filtered by artificial intelligence (AI) software before being reviewed by a trained safety specialist. If the specialist determines the violation is an offense, the specialist prepares an evidence package for law enforcement. The package is built in accordance with State law, complete with video footage, license plate number, make, model, vehicle owner information, GPS location, and a timestamp of the incident.  The evidence package is sent to law enforcement via a secure cloud portal. Law enforcement officers review the evidence package to approve. If approved, a notice of violation is mailed to the vehicle's owner, who is legally responsible for the violation per the law. The notice is issued with a link to the AlertBus Driver Education & Payment Portal. The vehicle owner can make a payment online, through the mail, or in person at a designated location within the jurisdiction. Notices of violation can also be contested through the relevant jurisdiction's civil court system. 

When Should I Stop for a School Bus in Pennsylvania?

Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop-arm activated. Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus, or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop-arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If a physical barrier separates the roadways such as grassy medians, guide rails, or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

YouTube Video: Pennsylvania Stopping Laws

For more information on school bus safety laws, refer to PennDOT.

Contact Information for BusPatrol: 

To speak to a representative about a stop-arm violation, contact the AlertBus Customer Contact Center toll-free support line at 1-800-852-7741. The Contact Center is available Monday- Friday (8 am – 5 pm). English and Spanish-speaking customer service agents are available to address your inquiries. To expedite our service, please have your citation number ready when you call. 

Online Access:

To view the violation video evidence online or to pay a violation by credit card, visit www.alertbus.com and enter your citation number (example: PA-777777) and vehicle license plate number (no dashes or spaces), as listed on your citation.