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Resident asks district to educate community about state-mandated bus cameras after ticketing
Summary
A Hyde Park resident urged the board to publish guidance on school bus camera enforcement after receiving a $250 ticket for allegedly passing a stopped school bus; the board and staff agreed to investigate posting information online and in newsletters.
Mary Alden, a Hyde Park resident, told the Board of Education during public participation that she and others received fines after automated cameras recorded vehicles passing school buses. "We were photographed passing a bus across from the FDR site on Route 9 in January 2025. We received a $250 ticket," Alden said, and asked the district to publish information in the newsletter and on the district website explaining the rules for school bus yellow and red lights.
Board members and staff responded that the camera system is not run by the district but by the sheriff's office and a third-party vendor. District staff said they would look into what the district can publish about state-mandated camera enforcement and clarify whether cameras trigger only on red (stop) or also on yellow (warning). "We could look at it," a board member said during the exchange.
Several board members suggested a short explainer for ParentSquare, the district newsletter and the website to reduce confusion about passing stopped buses, especially on multi-lane roads where drivers sometimes believe it is lawful to proceed. The board also noted the transportation office had not been aware of the specific instances Alden raised and agreed to follow up with the sheriff's office and transportation staff about what can be shared publicly.
The item was recorded during the meeting's first public-participation period; no formal board action was taken but trustees instructed staff to research and report back and to consider posting an FAQ and links to state resources about school bus laws.
