School Bus Safety Program

When a vehicle illegally passes a school bus with its red lights flashing, 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 video is then reviewed by a trained safety specialist. If the specialist determines the violation is an offense, the specialist will prepare 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 partners 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. 

In Pennsylvania, stopping laws state that:

• Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop sign deployed. 
• 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 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. 

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

According to Pennsylvania law, drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus equipped with photo enforcement cameras will face a $300 civil penalty. 

To speak to a representative about a violation, contact the AlertBus Customer Contact Center toll-free support line at 1-800-852-7741.

The Contact Center is available Monday - Friday (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.). English and Spanish-speaking customer service agents will be available to address your inquires. 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. 

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
• National Association for Pupil Transportation
• The Law on Stop-Arm Automated Enforcement
• School Bus Stopping Law

PA School Bus Side Stop Signal Arm Enforcement Systems Program FAQs

PennDOT School Bus Stopping Law Fact Sheet

Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law

PennDOT School Bus Safety Activity Book