A few weeks ago, the Upper Moreland School District launched a new bus safety initiative. Over the summer, cameras were installed on each bus. When a school bus is stopped to load or unload children, it records vehicles that dangerously and illegally pass the bus. The videos are vetted and approved by the Upper Moreland Police Department Traffic Safety Unit. Through the BusPatrol program, the registered owner of the vehicle is fined $300. 

Since the inception of the program on October 24, 2022, the Upper Moreland Police Department Traffic Unit has approved over SEVENTY VIOLATIONS. In just three short weeks, 70 operators have disregarded the safety of our children. These violations are not only on our major roadways like Easton Road and York Road - they also occur in your neighborhoods and streets.  

The video you see here is from a bus stop on Maryland Road. As you can see, this driver did not slow down and used the center “turn only” lane to maneuver past the bus, which was actively loading children. This type of shocking behavior has become all too typical on our roadways  

All 70 vehicle owners have been cited and will be held accountable. However, the harsh reality is that the number of violations will grow before this is posted. With each violation, the chance of a tragedy occurring grows. 

The Upper Moreland Police Department and the Upper Moreland School District asks you to drive carefully and without distractions. Talk to your teenage drivers about the consequences of speed, distracted driving and passing school buses when stopped. There is no text, phone call or appointment that is worth a child's safety. 

Please contact pcordura@uppermoreland.org with any questions.